The Atlantic East Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
On August 11, 2026, the conference announced it would disband following the 2026–27 school year.
History
Beginning play in July 2018, the league consists of seven private universities, each former members of either the Capital Athletic Conference, since renamed the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C), or the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC). The charter members consisted of Cabrini University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Immaculata University, Marymount University, Marywood University, Neumann University and Wesley College.
On May 31, 2018, Jessica Huntley was named the inaugural commissioner of the Atlantic East.
On September 16, 2019, the AEC announced its first affiliate member, St. Mary's College of Maryland, who would participate in field hockey starting in the 2020–21 season. This will ultimately be St. Mary's only season in AEC field hockey, as that school will join the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), which sponsors that sport, for 2021–22 and beyond. The United East Conference (formerly NEAC), reversed their decision to add field hockey, thus St. Mary's remained as an affiliate in the sport.
On November 19, 2019, it was announced that William Paterson University will become an affiliate member in men's golf starting in the 2019–20 season.
On January 12, 2020, it was announced that Cedar Crest College would join the AEC as an affiliate member in women's swimming & diving.
On August 17, 2020 and August 19, 2020, it was announced that Gallaudet University and St. Mary's College of Maryland, respectively, would also become an affiliate member in men's and women's swimming and diving.
On July 9, 2020, Delaware State University announced that it would acquire Wesley College starting in the 2021–22 school year, due to the financial struggles Wesley faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 18, 2021, Centenary University announced its move to Atlantic East from the CSAC also in 2021–22. Centenary is the conference's only non-Catholic member institution to join.
On June 29, 2021, New Jersey City University announced that it would be joining the Atlantic East as an affiliate member in men's and women's golf starting in the 2021–22 season.
In 2023, the conference announced that it would add women's flag football as a fully sponsored sport, with the first season planned for spring 2025. The first season took place on the announced schedule, with the initial membership consisting of full members Centenary, Immaculata, Marymount, and Neumann and associate members Eastern University; NCAA Division II member Holy Family University; and Penn State Schuylkill, a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association instead of the NCAA. In 2025–26, full conference member Marywood added the sport, and another Division II member, Chestnut Hill College, joined as an associate member. The AEC is the first NCAA conference to officially sponsor flag football.
After Pratt Institute and Saint Elizabeth University announced that both would join the City University of New York Athletic Conference starting in the 2027–28 athletic season, on August 11, 2026, the Atlantic East announced that following the 2026–27 school year, the remaining four institutions will join the United East.
Chronological timeline 2018 – The Atlantic East Conference was founded. Charter members included Cabrini University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Immaculata University, Marymount University, Marywood University, Neumann University and Wesley College, beginning the 2018–19 academic year. 2019 – William Paterson University joined the Atlantic East as an associate member for men's golf in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). 2020 – Three institutions joined the Atlantic East as associate members, all effective in the 2020–21 academic year: Gallaudet University for men's and women's swimming & diving St. Mary's College of Maryland for field hockey and men's and women's swimming & diving and Cedar Crest College for women's swimming and diving 2021: Wesley left the Atlantic East after the 2020–21 academic year; as the school announced that it would be acquired by Delaware State University, therefore ceasing operations. Centenary College of New Jersey (now Centenary University) joined the Atlantic East in the 2021–22 academic year. New Jersey City University (NJCU) joined the Atlantic East as an associate member for men's and women's golf in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year). 2023: New Jersey City (NJCU) left the Atlantic East as an associate member for men's and women's golf after the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year). The Atlantic East announced that it would add women's flag football as a fully sponsored sport, with a planned start date of the 2025 spring season (2024–25 academic year). 2024: Two institutions left the Atlantic East as associate members, both effective after the 2023–24 academic year: St. Mary's (Maryland) for field hockey and William Paterson for men's golf Cabrini left the Atlantic East after the 2023–24 academic year; as the school announced that it had been sold to nearby Villanova University and had ceased operations. Pratt Institute joined the Atlantic East in the 2024–25 academic year. Also in the 2024–25 academic year, the Atlantic East became the first NCAA conference to sponsor women's flag football as a varsity sport. 2025 – Saint Elizabeth University joined the Atlantic East in the 2025–26 academic year. 2026 – Marywood and Neumann both left the Atlantic East to join the Middle Atlantic Conferences, beginning the 2026–27 academic year. 2027 – The Atlantic East announced that it would dissolve at the conclusion of the 2026–27 academic year; as many schools will leave to join their respective new home primary conferences, beginning the 2027–28 school year: Centenary, Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata, and Marymount will join the United East Conference. Pratt and Saint Elizabeth will join the City University of New York Athletic Conference.
Member schools Full members The AEC currently has six full members, all are private schools:
Member departing for the United East Conference on July 1, 2027. Member departing for the City University of New York Athletic Conference on July 1, 2027.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Centenary University Hackettstown, New Jersey 1867 United Methodist 1,597 Cyclones 2021 Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania 1948 Catholic 2,017 Griffins 2018 Immaculata University Immaculata, Pennsylvania 1940 Catholic 1,043 Mighty Macs 2018 Marymount University Arlington, Virginia 1950 Catholic 3,684 Saints 2018 Pratt Institute Brooklyn, New York 1887 Nonsectarian 4,907 Cannoneers 2024 Saint Elizabeth University Morristown, New Jersey 1899 Catholic 1,200 Eagles 2025
Notes
Associate members The AEC currently has eight associate members, three being public schools, one being a privately governed but state-supported institution, and the rest being private schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined AECsport(s) Primaryconference Cedar Crest College Allentown, Pennsylvania 1867 United Churchof Christ 1,885 Falcons 2020 United East Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1924 Catholic 1,072 Griffins 2025 Central Atlantic (CACC) Eastern University 1925 Baptist 4,429 Eagles 2024 MAC Commonwealth Gallaudet University Washington, D.C. 1864 Nonsectarian 1,740 Bison 2020 United East Holy Family University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1954 Catholic 2,955 Tigers 2024 Central Atlantic (CACC) Manhattanville University Purchase, New York 1841 Nonsectarian 2,494 Valiants 2022 Field hockey Skyline Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania 1934 State-related 594 Nittany Lions 2024 Penn State U. (PSUAC) 1840 Public 1,950 Seahawks 2020 United East
Notes
Former members The AEC had four former full members, all private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Cabrini University Radnor, Pennsylvania 1957 Catholic 1,759 Cavaliers 2018 2024 N/A Marywood University Scranton, Pennsylvania 1915 Catholic 2,470 Pacers 2018 2026 MAC Freedom Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania 1965 Catholic 3,000 Knights 2018 2026 MAC Commonwealth Wesley College Dover, Delaware 1873 United Methodist 2,400 Wolverines 2018 2021 N/A
Notes
Former associate members The AEC had three former associate members, all were private schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left AECsport(s) Primaryconference New Jersey City University Jersey City, New Jersey 1929 Public 7,300 Gothic Knights 2021 2023 New Jersey (NJAC) 1840 Public 1,950 Seahawks 2020 2024 Field hockey United East William Paterson University Wayne, New Jersey 1855 Public 10,970 Pioneers 2019 2024 New Jersey (NJAC)
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports The Atlantic East sponsored 20 sports at its launch—nine for men and 11 for women. The conference has since added flag football as a 12th women's sport.
+ Conference sports Sport Men's Women'sBaseball Basketball Cross country Field hockey Flag football Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming Tennis Track & field (outdoor) Volleyball
Men's sponsored sports by school SchoolBaseballBasketballCrosscountryLacrosseSoccerSwimmingTennisTrack& field(outdoor)VolleyballTotalAECsportsCentenary6Gwynedd Mercy7Immaculata9Marymount9 Pratt6Saint Elizabeth6Totals566462+235643+2 Gallaudet1 St. Mary's1
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Atlantic East Conference that are played by Atlantic East schools SchoolEquestrianEsportsGolfTrack& field(indoor)Wrestling Centenary IHSA IND Gwynedd Mercy United East Immaculata United East Marymount MASCACUnited East IND Pratt IHSAINDUnited East
Women's sponsored sports by school SchoolBasketballCrosscountryFieldhockeyFlagfootballLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimmingTennisTrack& field(outdoor)VolleyballTotalAECsportsCentenary7Gwynedd Mercy8Immaculata11Marymount10 Pratt6Saint Elizabeth6Totals662+13+34652+335648+7 Cedar Crest1 Eastern1 Gallaudet1 Holy Family1 Manhattanville1 Penn State Schuylkill1 St. Mary's1
Notes
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Atlantic East Conference that are played by Atlantic East schools SchoolEquestrianEsportsGolfTrack& field(indoor)WrestlingCentenary IHSA INDGwynedd Mercy United EastImmaculataUnited EastMarymountCentennialUnited EastIND Pratt IHSAUnited East
References
External links