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.

History Chronological timeline 1981 – The New England Collegiate Conference was founded as the New England College Basketball League (NECBL). Charter members included the University of Bridgeport, the University of Lowell (now the University of Massachusetts Lowell), New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University), the University of New Haven, Quinnipiac College (now Quinnipiac University), Sacred Heart University and Southern Connecticut State College (now Southern Connecticut State University), beginning the 1980–81 academic year. 1982 – The NECBL became a multi-sport conference and was renamed and rebranded as the New England Collegiate Conference, beginning the 1982–83 academic year. 1983 – Central Connecticut State College (now Central Connecticut State University) joined the NECC in the 1983–84 academic year. 1985 – Central Connecticut State left the NECC to become an NCAA D-II Independent after the 1984–85 academic year. 1986 – Keene State College joined the NECC in the 1986–87 academic year. 1987 – Quinnipiac left the NECC to join the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) after the 1986–87 academic year. 1988 – Franklin Pierce College (now Franklin Pierce University) joined the NECC in the 1988–89 academic year. 1992 – Le Moyne College joined the NECC in the 1992–93 academic year. 1995 – The State University of New York at Albany and the State University of New York at Stony Brook joined the NECC in the 1995–96 academic year. 1996 – Le Moyne left the NECC to join the NE10 after the 1995–96 academic year. 1997 – Keene State left the NECC to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Little East Conference after the 1996–97 academic year. 1998 – The State University of New York at Binghamton joined the NECC in the 1998–99 academic year. 1999 – Three institutions left the NECC to join their respective new home primary conferences, all effective after the 1998–99 academic year: Sacred Heart to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the Northeast Conference (NEC) and SUNY Albany and SUNY Stony Brook to become NCAA D-I Independents (which would later join the America East Conference [AmEast], beginning the 2001–02 school year) 1999 – Felician College (now Felician University) and Teikyo Post University joined the NECC in the 1999–2000 academic year. 2000 – The NECC ceased operations as an athletic conference after the 1999–2000 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences, beginning the 2000–01 academic year: Bridgeport to the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC; now known as the East Coast Conference) New Haven to become an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the NYCAC, beginning the 2002–03 school year) Franklin Pierce, Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell), Southern Connecticut State and Southern New Hampshire to the NE10 SUNY Binghamton to become an NCAA D-I Independents (which would later join the AmEast, beginning the 2001–02 school year) and Felician and Teikyo Post to join the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC)

Member schools Final members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Binghamton University Vestal, New York 1946 Public 17,768 Bearcats 1998 2000 D-I Independent(2000–01) America East (AmEast)(2001–present) University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, Connecticut 1927 Nonsectarian 5,543 Purple Knights 1981 2000 East Coast (ECC)(2000–22) Central Atlantic (CACC)(2022–present) Felician College Lodi, New Jersey 1923 Catholic 2,109 Golden Falcons 1999 2000 Central Atlantic (CACC)(2000–present) Franklin Pierce College Rindge, New Hampshire 1962 Nonsectarian 2,871 Ravens 1988 2000 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(2000–present) University of Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts 1894 Public 18,369 River Hawks 1981 2000 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(2000–13) America East (AmEast)(2013–present) New Hampshire College Manchester, New Hampshire 1932 Nonsectarian 3,913 Penmen 1981 2000 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(2000–present) University of New Haven West Haven, Connecticut 1920 Nonsectarian 6,400 Chargers 1981 2000 various Northeast (NEC)(2025–present) Southern Connecticut State College New Haven, Connecticut 1893 Public 12,326 Owls 1981 2000 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(2000–present) Teikyo Post University Waterbury, Connecticut 1890 For-profit 7,317 Eagles 1999 2000 Central Atlantic (CACC)(2000–present)

Notes

Other members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference University at Albany Albany, New York 1844 Public 17,746 Great Danes 1995 1999 D-I Independent(1999–2001) America East (AmEast)(2001–present) Central Connecticut State College New Britain, Connecticut 1849 Public 9,546 Blue Devils 1983 1985 various Northeast (NEC)(1997–present) Keene State College Keene, New Hampshire 1909 Public 3,213 Owls 1986 1997 Little East (LEC)(1997–present) Le Moyne College Syracuse, New York 1946 Catholic 3,533 Dolphins 1992 1996 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(1996–2023) Northeast (NEC)(2023–present) Quinnipiac College Hamden, Connecticut 1929 Nonsectarian 10,207 Bobcats 1981 1987 Northeast-10 (NE-10)(1987–1998)Northeast (NEC)(1998–2013) Metro Atlantic (MAAC)(2013–present) Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut 1963 Catholic 5,974 Pioneers 1981 1999 Northeast (NEC)(1999–2024) Metro Atlantic (MAAC)(2024–present) Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York 1957 Public 26,814 Seawolves 1995 1999 D-I Independent(1999–2001)America East (AmEast)(2001–22) Coastal (CAA)(2022–present)

Notes

Membership timeline

Notable alumni 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

References

External links Official website (archived)