Former NCAA Division II athletic conference (1981–2000)
New England Collegiate Conference Conference NCAA Founded 1981 Ceased 2000 Sports fielded
Division Division II No. of teams 8 Region New England
The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC ) was an NCAA Division II college athletic conference based in the Northeastern United States that dissolved during the late 1990s after most of its members either moved to Division I or joined Division II leagues such as the Northeast-10 Conference or the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference , now known as the East Coast Conference .
The conference was founded in 1981 as the New England College Basketball League , and eventually expanded to sponsor eleven sports: men's and women's soccer , men's and women's volleyball , men's and women's cross country , men's and women's tennis , men's and women's basketball , baseball and softball .
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined[ a]
Left[ b]
Subsequent conference(s)
Current conference
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York
1946
Public[ c]
17,768
Bearcats
1998
2000
D-I Independent (2000–01)
America East (AmEast) [ d] (2001–present)
University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
1927
Nonsectarian
5,543
Purple Knights
1981
2000
East Coast (ECC) [ e] (2000–22)
Central Atlantic (CACC) (2022–present)
Felician College
Lodi, New Jersey
1923
Catholic (Felician Sisters )
2,109
Golden Falcons
1999
2000
Central Atlantic (CACC) (2000–present)
Franklin Pierce University
Rindge, New Hampshire
1962
Nonsectarian
2,871
Ravens
1988
2000
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (2000–present)
University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell)
Lowell, Massachusetts
1894
Public
18,369
River Hawks
1981
2000
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (2000–13)
America East (AmEast) [ d] (2013–present)
University of New Haven
West Haven, Connecticut
1920
Nonsectarian
6,400
Chargers
1981
2000
D-II Independent (2000–02)East Coast (ECC) [ e] (2002–08)
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (2008–present)
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, Connecticut
1893
Public[ f]
12,326
Owls
1981
2000
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (2000–present)
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire
1932
Nonsectarian
3,913[ g]
Penmen
1981
2000
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (2000–present)
Teikyo Post University [ h]
Waterbury, Connecticut
1890
For-profit
7,317
Eagles
1999
2000
Central Atlantic (CACC) (2000–present)
Notes
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined[ a]
Left[ b]
Subsequent conference(s)
Current conference
University at Albany
Albany, New York
1844
Public[ c]
17,746
Great Danes
1995
1999
D-I Independent (1999–2001)
America East (AmEast) [ d] (2001–present)
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, Connecticut
1849
Public[ e]
9,546
Blue Devils
1983
1985
various[ g]
Northeast (NEC) [ d] (1997–present)
Keene State College
Keene, New Hampshire
1909
Public
3,213
Owls
1986
1997
Little East (LEC) [ h] (1997–present)
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, New York
1946
Catholic (Jesuit )
3,533
Dolphins
1992
1996
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (1996–2023)
Northeast (NEC) [ d] (2023–present)
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut
1929
Nonsectarian
10,207
Bobcats
1981
1987
Northeast-10 (NE-10) (1987–1998)Northeast (NEC) [ d] (1998–2013)
Metro Atlantic (MAAC) [ d] (2013–present)
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut
1963
Catholic(Diocese of Bridgeport )
5,974
Pioneers
1981
1999
Northeast (NEC) [ d] (1999–2024)
Metro Atlantic (MAAC) [ d] (2024–present)
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York
1957
Public[ c]
26,814
Seawolves
1995
1999
D-I Independent (1999–2001)America East (AmEast) [ d] (2001–2022)
Coastal (CAA) [ d] (2022–present)
Notes
Membership timeline [ edit ]
Bill Bayno , Sacred Heart, Former UNLV head men's basketball coach
Manute Bol , Bridgeport, NBA center with Washington Bullets , Golden State Warriors , and Philadelphia 76ers
Joe Nathan , Stony Brook, Major League Baseball pitcher with San Francisco Giants , Minnesota Twins , and Texas Rangers
Mike Petke , Southern Connecticut, MLS soccer player with Colorado Rapids , New York/New Jersey Metrostars and D.C. United