Little East Conference
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
Little East Conference
50km 30miles
ECSU
UNE
WNE
Salem State
Mass Maritime
Bridgewater State
Westfield State
Castleton
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Boston
Southern Maine
WCSU
R.I. College
Plymouth State
Keene State
Locations of Little East members, 2022-2023
full and
associate
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: 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, all effective in the 2000–01 academic year.
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 sports into their Little East associate memberships: Bridgewater State with men's and women's tennis, and Salem State with women's tennis, both effective the 2005 spring season (2004-05 academic year).
2009 - Three institutions added certain sports into their Little East associate memberships: Worcester State with women's tennis, and Bridgewater State and Westfield State with women's swimming & diving, all effective in the 2009–10 academic year.
2015 - Bridgewater State left the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving after the 2014–15 academic year.
2018 - Castleton University (later Vermont State University –Castleton) joined the Little East in the 2018–19 academic year.
2019 - Two institutions joined the Little East as associate members: Western New England University for women's swimming & diving, and Massachusetts Maritime Academy for men's lacrosse, both effective in the 2019–20 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.[ 1]
The MASCAC field hockey division of the Little East (Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State) will leave the Little East and be its own separate conference (as in, the MASCAC to have it as a sponsored sport) beginning in the 2023 fall season (2023–24 academic year).[ 2]
Member schools
Current members
The Little East currently has nine full members, all are public schools:
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Endowment(millions)
Nickname
Joined
Colors
Eastern Connecticut State University
Willimantic, Connecticut
1889
Public[ a]
4,989
$16.3
Warriors
1986
Keene State College
Keene, New Hampshire
1909
Public[ b]
3,213
$14.0[ c]
Owls
1997
Plymouth State University
Plymouth, New Hampshire
1871
Public[ b]
4,491
$28.9
Panthers
1986
Rhode Island College
Providence, Rhode Island
1854
Public[ d]
7,523
$16.4
Anchormen &Anchorwomen
1986
University of Massachusetts Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
1852
Public[ e]
16,259
$92.0
Beacons
1986
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
1895
Public[ e]
8,513
$59.0
Corsairs
1986
University of Southern Maine
Gorham, Maine [ f]
1878
Public[ g]
8,022
$38.5
Huskies
1986
Vermont State University –Castleton
Castleton, Vermont
1787
Public[ h]
2,399
$7.86
Spartans
2018
Western Connecticut State University
Danbury, Connecticut
1903
Public[ a]
5,246
$12.8
Wolves
1993
Notes
Associate members
The Little East currently has six associate members, all but two are public schools:
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Endowment(millions)
Nickname
Joined
Colors
Primary conference
LEC sport(s)
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
1840
Public[ a]
10,651
$54.0
Bears
2004–05m.ten. 2004–05w.ten.
MASCAC
men's tennis; women's tennis
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
1891
Public[ a]
1,637
$13.05[ b]
Buccaneers
2019–20
MASCAC
men's lacrosse
University of New England
Biddeford, Maine
1831
Nonsectarian
7,208
$39.2
Nor'easters
2022–23
CCC
women's swimming & diving
Salem State University
Salem, Massachusetts
1854
Public[ a]
7,242
$25.3
Vikings
2000–01m.lax. 2003–04m.ten. 2004–05w.ten.
MASCAC
men's lacrosse; men's tennis; women's tennis
Western New England University
Springfield, Massachusetts
1919
Nonsectarian
3,702
$55.9
Golden Bears
2019–20
CCC
women's swimming & diving[ 3]
Westfield State University
Westfield, Massachusetts
1838
Public[ a]
5,400
$6.2
Owls
2009–10
MASCAC
women's swimming & diving
Notes
Future associate members
The Little East had six former associate members, all of which were also public schools:
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Endowment
Nickname
Joined
Left
Colors
Primary conference
LEC sport(s)
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
1840
Public[ a]
10,651
$54.0
Bears
2000–01f.h. 2009–10w.s.d.
2022–23f.h. 2014–15w.s.d.
MASCAC
field hockey; women's swimming & diving
Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
1894
Public[ a]
4,659
$19.9
Falcons
2000–01
2022–23
MASCAC
field hockey
Framingham State University
Framingham, Massachusetts
1839
Public[ a]
4,111
$35.4[ b]
Rams
2000–01
2022–23
MASCAC
field hockey
Salem State University
Salem, Massachusetts
1854
Public[ a]
7,242
$25.3
Vikings
2000–01
2022–23
MASCAC
field hockey
Westfield State University
Westfield, Massachusetts
1838
Public[ a]
5,400
$6.2
Owls
2000–01
2022–23
MASCAC
field hockey
Worcester State University
Worcester, Massachusetts
1874
Public[ a]
6,434
$34.5
Lancers
2000–01f.h. 2009–10w.ten.
2022–23f.h. 2020–21w.ten.
MASCAC
field hockey; women's tennis
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports
The LEC sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball , men's and women's basketball , men's and women's cross country , women's field hockey , men's and women's golf , men's and women's lacrosse , men's and women's soccer , women's softball , men's and women's tennis , men's and women's track and field , and women's volleyball .
In 2023, the Little East announced the addition of men's and women's ice hockey to begin play in 2025.[ 4]
Men's sports
School
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Ice Hockey [ a]
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field (Indoor)
Track & Field (Outdoor)
Total
Castleton
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
10
Eastern Connecticut
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
9
Keene State
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
9
Plymouth State
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
9
Rhode Island College
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
9
Southern Maine
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
10
UMass–Boston
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
9
UMass–Dartmouth
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
7
Western Connecticut
Y
Y
Y
N
N [ b]
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
7
Totals
9
9
9
4
6+3
8+2
9
4+1
5+2
8
8
79+8
Associate Members
Babson
Y
1
Bridgewater State
Y
Y
2
Massachusetts Maritime
Y
1
New England College
Y
1
Norwich
Y
1
Salem State
Y
Y
2
Women's sports
School
Basketball
Cross Country
Field Hockey
Ice Hockey [ a]
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field (Indoor)
Track & Field (Outdoor)
Volleyball
Total
Castleton
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
11
Eastern Connecticut
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
10
Keene State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
11
Plymouth State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
12
Rhode Island College
Y
Y
N
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
10
Southern Maine
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
11
UMass–Boston
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
9
UMass–Dartmouth
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
11
Western Connecticut
Y
Y
Y
N [ b]
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
9
Totals
9
9
7
5+2
8
9
9
6+3
7+2
8
9
8
94+7
Associate Members
Bridgewater State
Y
1
New England College
Y
1
U. of New England
Y
1
Norwich
Y
1
Salem State
Y
1
Western New England
Y
1
Westfield State
Y
1
Notes
^ a b Little East will start to sponsor men's and women's ice hockey in 2025–26.
^ a b Western Connecticut will start to sponsor men's ice hockey in 2025–26 and women's ice hockey in 2026–27.
References
External links
Current full members Current associate members