The Little East Conference (LEC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. The member institutions are located in all six states of New England.
History
Recent events On May 20, 2026, Lasell University, and Worcester State University accepted an invitation to join the Little East as associate members for women's golf, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.
On May 20, 2026, Gordon College accepted an invitation to join the Little East as associate members for men's and women's swimming & diving, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.
On October 8, 2025, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Salem State accepted an invitation to leave the Little East as associate members for men's lacrosse to join the MASCAC as full members, as the MASCAC has announced it to be a sponsored sport, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.
Chronological timeline 1986 – On April 28, 1986, the Little East Conference (LEC) was founded. Charter members included Eastern Connecticut State University, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts University (now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth), Plymouth State College (now Plymouth State University), Rhode Island College and the University of Southern Maine; beginning the 1986–87 academic year. 1993 – Western Connecticut State University joined the Little East in the 1993–94 academic year. 1997 – Keene State College joined the Little East in the 1997–98 academic year. 2000 – Seven institutions joined the Little East as associate members, all effective in the 2000–01 academic year: Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University for field hockey as the MASCAC division in fall and Salem State for men's lacrosse in spring 2003 – Salem State added men's tennis into its Little East associate membership in the 2004 spring season (2003–04 academic year). 2004 – Two institutions added certain single sports into their Little East associate memberships, both effective in the 2005 spring season (2004–05 academic year): Bridgewater State for men's and women's tennis and Salem State for women's tennis 2010 – Three institutions added certain single sports into their Little East associate memberships, all effective in the 2010–11 academic year: Worcester State for women's tennis and Bridgewater State and Westfield State for women's swimming & diving 2014 – Bridgewater State left the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving after the 2013–14 academic year. 2018 – Castleton University (now Vermont State University–Castleton) joined the Little East in the 2018–19 academic year. 2019 – Massachusetts Maritime Academy joined the Little East as an associate member for men's lacrosse in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). 2020: Worcester State left the Little East as an associate member for women's tennis after the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). Western New England University joined the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving in the 2020–21 academic year; although due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn't begin to compete within conference play until 2021–22. 2021 – Bridgewater State added men's swimming & diving (with the return of women's swimming & diving) into its Little East associate membership in the 2021–22 academic year. 2022: The University of New England joined the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving in the 2022–23 academic year. Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State left the Little East as associate members for field hockey after the 2022 fall season (2022–23 academic year); as the MASCAC announced to have it as a sponsored sport. 2024 – Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy and the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi) joined the Little East as associate members for men's and women's swimming & diving in the 2024–25 academic year. 2025: Five institutions joined the Little East as associate members (and/or added other single sports into their associate memberships), all effective in the 2025–26 academic year: Babson College for men's ice hockey Husson and Westfield State for women's golf and New England College and Norwich University for men's and women's ice hockey SUNY Delhi left the Little East as an associate member for men's and women's swimming & diving after the 2024-25 season to join the SUNYAC. 2026 Three institutions joined the Little East as associate members (and/or added other single sports into their associate memberships), all effective in the 2026–27 academic year: Lasell University and Worcester State for women's golf Gordon College for men's and women's swimming & diving Mass Maritime and Salem State left the Little East as associate members for men's lacrosse after the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year); as the MASCAC announced to have it as its 20th sponsored sport. 2027 – VTSU–Castleton will leave the Little East to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the 2026–27 academic year.
Member schools Current members The Little East currently has nine full members, all are public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, Connecticut 1889 Public 4,355 Warriors 1986 Keene State College Keene, New Hampshire 1909 2,848 Owls 1997 Plymouth State University Plymouth, New Hampshire 1871 3,707 Panthers 1986 Rhode Island College Providence, Rhode Island 1854 6,155 Anchormen &Anchorwomen 1986 University of Massachusetts Boston Boston, Massachusetts 1964 15,575 Beacons 1986 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1895 7,968 Corsairs 1986 University of Southern Maine Gorham, Maine 1878 7,604 Huskies 1986 Vermont State University-Castleton Castleton, Vermont 1787 5,093 Spartans 2018 Western Connecticut State University Danbury, Connecticut 1903 4,169 Wolves 1993
Notes
Associate members The Little East currently has 15 associate members, all but seven are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined LECsport(s) Primaryconference Babson College Wellesley, Massachusetts 1919 Nonsectarian 3,932 Beavers 2025 men's ice hockey NEWMAC Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, Massachusetts 1840 Public 9,727 Bears 2004 men's tennis MASCAC 2004 women's tennis 2021 men's swimming & diving 2021 women's swimming & diving Gordon College Wenham, Massachusetts 1889 Evangelical 1,816 Fighting Scots 2026 men's swimming & diving CNE 2026 women's swimming & diving Husson University Bangor, Maine 1898 Nonsectarian 3,367 Eagles 2024 men's swimming & diving NAC 2024 women's swimming & diving 2025 women's golf Lasell University Newton, Massachusetts 1851 Nonsectarian 2,200 Lasers 2026 women's golf GNAC Maine Maritime Academy Castine, Maine 1941 Public 971 Mariners 2024 men's swimming & diving NAC 2024 women's swimming & diving Henniker, New Hampshire 1946 Nonsectarian 3,275 Pilgrims 2025 men's ice hockey GNAC 2025 women's ice hockey Biddeford, Maine 1831 Nonsectarian 6,573 Nor'easters 2022 women's swimming & diving CNE Norwich University Northfield, Vermont 1819 U.S. SMC 3,149 Cadets 2025 men's ice hockey GNAC 2025 women's ice hockey Salem State University Salem, Massachusetts 1854 Public 6,230 Vikings 2003 men's tennis MASCAC 2004 women's tennis Western New England University Springfield, Massachusetts 1919 Nonsectarian 3,674 Golden Bears 2020 women's swimming & diving CNE Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts 1838 Public 4,588 Owls 2010 women's swimming & diving MASCAC 2025 women's golf Worcester State University Worcester 1874 Public 5,611 Lancers 2026 women's golf MASCAC
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Future associate members The Little East will have one new associate members, a private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining LECsport(s) Primaryconference Saint Anselm College Goffstown, New Hampshire 1889 Catholic 2,094 Hawks 2027 men's golf Northeast-10 (NE-10) 2027 women's golf 2027 men's ice hockey 2027 women's ice hockey
Notes
Former associate members The Little East had six former associate members, all of which were also public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left LECsport(s) Primaryconference Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, Massachusetts 1840 Public Bears 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, Massachusetts 1894 Public Falcons 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC Framingham State University Framingham, Massachusetts 1839 Public Rams 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 1891 Public Buccaneers 2019 2026 men's lacrosse MASCAC Salem State University Salem, Massachusetts 1854 Public Vikings 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC 2000 2026 men's lacrosse State University of New York at Delhi(SUNY Delhi) Delhi, New York 1913 Public Broncos 2024 2025 men's swimming & diving SUNYAC women's swimming & diving Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts 1838 Public Owls 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC Worcester State University Worcester, Massachusetts 1874 Public Lancers 2000 2023 field hockey MASCAC 2010 2020 women's tennis
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Membership timeline
Sports Conference Sports +SportMen'sWomen'sBaseballBasketballCross CountryField HockeyGolfIce HockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimming & DivingTennisTrack & Field (Indoor)Track & Field (Outdoor)Volleyball
Men's sports School Baseball Basketball CrossCountry Golf IceHockey Lacrosse Soccer Swimming& Diving Tennis Track &Field (Indoor)Track & Field (Outdoor) Total LEC Sports Castleton 10 Eastern Connecticut 9 Keene State 10 Plymouth State 9 Rhode Island College 8 Southern Maine 10 UMass Boston 9 UMass Dartmouth 9 Western Connecticut 10 Totals 9 9 9 6 7+3 8 9 4+4 5+2 99 84+9 Associate Members Babson 1 Bridgewater State 2 Gordon 1Husson1Maine Maritime1 New England College 1 Norwich 1 Salem State 1
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Little East Conference that are played by Little East schools +SchoolAlpine SkiingFootballVolleyballWrestlingCastletonUSCSANJACNEWAPlymouth StateEISAMASCACNEWARhode Island CollegeGNACNEWASouthern MaineNEWAUMass DartmouthMASCACWestern ConnecticutLandmark
Women's sports School Basketball CrossCountry FieldHockeyGolf IceHockey Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming& Diving Tennis Track &Field (Indoor)Track & Field (Outdoor) Volleyball Total LEC Sports Castleton 11 Eastern Connecticut 11 Keene State 12 Plymouth State 12 Rhode Island College 11 Southern Maine 12 UMass Boston 11 UMass Dartmouth 11 Western Connecticut 12 Totals 9 9 8 5+4 6+2 9 9 9 5+7 7+2 99 9 103+15 Associate Members Bridgewater State 2 Husson2 Lasell 1 Maine Maritime1 New England College 1 U. of New England 1 Norwich 1 Salem State 1 Western New England 1 Westfield State 2 Worcester State 1
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Little East Conference that are played by Little East schools +SchoolAlpine SkiingFlag FootballGymnasticsRugbyCastletonUSCSAEastern ConnecticutPlymouth StateEISARhode Island CollegeNCGAUMass Dartmouth2027-28
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References
External links