Formerly | Eastern College Athletic Conference-North (1979–1988) North Atlantic Conference (1988–1996) |
---|---|
Association | NCAA |
Founded | 1979 |
Commissioner | Brad Walker (since 2021) |
Sports fielded |
|
Division | Division I |
Subdivision | non-football |
No. of teams | 9 full (4 associate) |
Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
Region | Northeastern United States Mid-Atlantic (United States) |
Official website | www |
Locations | |
The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I founded in 1979, whose members are located in the Northeastern United States.
The conference has nine core members including eight public research universities, three of which, the University of Maine, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Vermont, are the flagship universities of their states. The two non-flagship university centers of the State University of New York are in the conference: the University at Albany and Binghamton University. Bryant University is the only private university among the core membership. Of the nine members, eight are located within the borders of 7 contiguous states. The ninth, UMBC, is the only institution outside this bloc of states. Bryant is the latest institution to join the conference in 2022, when Stony Brook University and the University of Hartford departed the conference.
The America East Conference sponsors 18 sports (8 men's and 10 women's). The conference is among the best in the country according to Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released by the NCAA.
The America East Conference was founded as the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North, a men's basketball-only athletic conference in 1979. The conference was known as the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from 1988 to 1996. The charter members were the University of Rhode Island, the College of the Holy Cross, Canisius College, Niagara University, Colgate University, Northeastern University, Boston University, the University of Maine, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. The America East Conference made history during the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 16, 2018, when No. 16 seed UMBC defeated No. 1 seed Virginia, marking the first time in men's tournament history that a No. 1 seed had lost to a No. 16 seed.[1]
Many other events have occurred since its formation:
On May 6, 2021, Hartford's governing board voted to begin the process of transitioning the school from Division I to NCAA Division III. Under the plan, Hartford would formally apply to the NCAA for reclassification in January 2022, stop awarding athletic scholarships to incoming students from 2022 to 2023 forward, and join an as-yet-undetermined D-III conference in 2023 before becoming a full D-III member in 2025–26.[8][9]
Several media reports indicated that Hartford's last year in the American East Conference would be the 2021-22 season. [10] This was confirmed on June 21, 2022, when the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) announced that it would be Hartford's partner in the school's reclassification process, with the Hawks joining that league effective in 2023–24. Hartford will play most of its sports in the 2022–23 season as a D-I independent.[11]
At the time, Hartford was the only private university in the conference; this status transferred to Bryant when it joined in July 2022.
On July 20, 2022, Merrimack College was announced to join the conference as a men's lacrosse member for the 2022-23 season.[12]
Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Carnegie Classification |
Endowment | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University at Albany | Albany, New York | 1844 | 2001 | Public | R1 | $77.7 million | 17,746 | Great Danes | |
Binghamton University | Vestal, New York | 1946 | 2001 | Public | R1 | $119.4 million | 17,768 | Bearcats | |
Bryant University | Smithfield, Rhode Island | 1863 | 2022 | Private | M1 | $174.2 million | 3,751 | Bulldogs | |
University of Maine | Orono, Maine | 1865 | 1979 | Public | R1 | $323.0 million | 11,404 | Black Bears | |
University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Catonsville, Maryland | 1966 | 2003 | Public | R1 | $105.2 million | 13,767 | Retrievers | |
University of Massachusetts Lowell | Lowell, Massachusetts | 1894 | 2013 | Public | R2 | $139 million | 18,369 | River Hawks | |
University of New Hampshire | Durham, New Hampshire | 1866 | 1979 | Public | R1 | $404.0 million | 15,400 | Wildcats | |
New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | 1881 | 2020 | Public | R1 | $170 million | 11,901 | Highlanders | |
University of Vermont | Burlington, Vermont | 1791 | 1979 | Public | R2 | $731 million | 12,164 | Catamounts |
Five schools currently hold associate membership: three from California, one from Virginia and one from Massachusetts.
Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Joined | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | AmEast sport |
Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | 1868 | Public | 2015–16 | 36,204 | Golden Bears | Field hockey[a] | Pac-12 | |
Merrimack College | North Andover, Massachusetts | 1947 | Private | 2022-23 | 3,726 | Warriors | Men's lacrosse | NEC | |
Stanford University | Stanford, California | 1891 | 2015-16 | 17,249 | Cardinal | Field hockey[a] | Pac-12 | ||
University of California, Davis | Davis, California | 1905 | Public | 34,175 | Aggies | Big West | |||
Virginia Military Institute (VMI) |
Lexington, Virginia | 1839 | 2017–18[b] | 1,653 | Keydets | men's swimming & diving women's swimming & diving |
SoCon |
Five schools have had single-sport membership in the past. Three of these, Fairfield,[19] Monmouth, and Providence,[20] moved their America East sports into their all-sports conferences. Another such school, NJIT, left when it joined a conference that sponsored its America East sport,[21] but returned as a full member in July 2020 (by which time the AmEast had dropped that sport). Pacific dropped its America East sport following the 2018–19 academic year due to budget cuts.[22]
Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | AmEast sport |
Primary conference |
Conference in former AmEast sport |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairfield University | Fairfield, Connecticut | 1942 | 2007–08 | 2014–15 | 3,800 | Stags | Field hockey | MAAC | ||
Monmouth University | West Long Branch, New Jersey | 1933 | 2019–20 | 2021-22 | 6,500 | Hawks | CAA | |||
New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | 1881 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 11,518 | Highlanders | Women's tennis | America East | Southland | |
Providence College | Providence, Rhode Island | 1917 | 2010–11 | 2013–14 | 3,850 | Friars | Women's volleyball | Big East | ||
University of the Pacific | Stockton, California | 1851 | 2015–16 | 2018–19 | 6,196 | Tigers | Field hockey | WCC | Discontinued program |
Full members (non-football) Assoc. member (basketball only) Assoc. member (list sports) Other Conference Other Conference
Member | Soccer stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball field | Capacity | Lacrosse facility | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany | Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium | 8,500 | SEFCU Arena | 4,538 | Varsity Field | — | John Fallon Field Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium |
2,500 8,500 |
Binghamton | Bearcats Sports Complex | 2,534 | Binghamton University Events Center | 5,142 | Baseball Complex | 1,000 | Bearcats Sports Complex | 2,534 |
Bryant | Bulldog Soccer Field | — | Chace Athletic Center | 2,700 | Conaty Park | 500 | Beirne Stadium | 5,500 |
Maine | Mahaney Diamond | 4,400 | Cross Insurance Center | 8,000 | Mahaney Diamond | 4,400 | Non-lacrosse school | |
New Hampshire | Wildcat Stadium | 11,015 | Lundholm Gym | 3,500 | Non-baseball school | Non-lacrosse school | ||
NJIT | Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium | 1,000 | Wellness and Events Center | 3,500 | TBA | TBA | Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium | 1,000 |
UMass Lowell | Cushing Field Complex | N/A | Tsongas Center Costello Athletic Center |
6,495 2,100 |
Edward A. LeLacheur Park | 4,767 | Cushing Field Complex | N/A |
UMBC | Retriever Soccer Park | 1,500 | Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena | 5,000 | The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC | 1,000 | UMBC Stadium | 4,500 |
Vermont | Virtue Field | 3,000 | Patrick Gym | 3,228 | Non-baseball school | Virtue Field | 2,500 |
The America East Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[23] The most recent changes to the roster of America East sports were announced in 2016, with the dropping of women's tennis after the 2015–16 season due to a lack of sponsoring teams and the revival of men's swimming and diving effective in the 2017–18 school year.[18]
Sport | Men's | Women's |
---|---|---|
Baseball | 7 |
-
|
Basketball | 9 |
9
|
Cross Country | 9 |
9
|
Field Hockey | - |
8
|
Lacrosse | 7 |
7
|
Soccer | 8 |
9
|
Softball | - |
6
|
Swimming & Diving | 6 |
7
|
Track and Field (Indoor) | 9 |
9
|
Track and Field (outdoor) | 9 |
9
|
Volleyball | - |
6
|
School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Lacrosse | Soccer | Swimming & Diving | Track & Field (indoor) |
Track & Field (outdoor) |
Total Sports |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany | ![]() |
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7 |
Binghamton | ![]() |
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8 |
Bryant | ![]() |
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8 |
Maine | ![]() |
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6 |
New Hampshire | ![]() |
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5 |
NJIT | ![]() |
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8 |
UMass Lowell | ![]() |
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7 |
UMBC | ![]() |
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8 |
Vermont | ![]() |
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6 |
Totals | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7+1 | 8 | 5+1 | 9 | 9 | 63+2 |
Associate Members | |||||||||
Merrimack | ![]() |
1 | |||||||
VMI | ![]() |
1 |
School | Fencing | Football | Golf | Ice Hockey | Skiing | Tennis | Volleyball | Wrestling |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany | No | CAA | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Binghamton | No | No | Big Sky | No | No | Mid-American | No | EIWA |
Bryant | No | Big South[a] | Southland | No | No | Southland | No | No |
Maine | No | CAA | No | Hockey East | No | No | No | No |
New Hampshire | No | CAA | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
NJIT | MACFA | No | No | No | No | Southland | EIVA | No |
UMass Lowell | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | No | No | No |
Vermont | No | No | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
School | Basketball | Cross Country |
Field Hockey | Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving |
Track & Field (indoor) |
Track & Field (outdoor) |
Volleyball | Total Sports |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany | ![]() |
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9 |
Binghamton | ![]() |
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9 |
Bryant | ![]() |
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10 |
Maine | ![]() |
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8 |
New Hampshire | ![]() |
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9 |
NJIT | ![]() |
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6 |
UMass Lowell | ![]() |
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8 |
UMBC | ![]() |
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9 |
Vermont | ![]() |
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8 |
Totals | 9 | 9 | 5+3 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6+1 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 75+4 |
Associate members | |||||||||||
California | ![]() |
1 | |||||||||
Stanford | ![]() |
1 | |||||||||
UC Davis | ![]() |
1 | |||||||||
VMI | ![]() |
1 |
School | Bowling | Fencing | Golf | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Skiing | Tennis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albany | No | No | MAAC | No | No | No | No | No |
Binghamton | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Independent |
Bryant | ECC | No | Southland | No | No | Independent | No | Southland |
Maine | No | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | No | No |
New Hampshire | No | No | No | EAGL | Hockey East | No | EISA | No |
NJIT | No | MACFA | No | No | No | No | No | Southland |
Vermont | No | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | EISA | No |
School | Total | Men | Women | Co-ed | Nickname | Most successful sport (Titles) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
None | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | None | None |
No America East school has won a national title in a sport sponsored by the conference; however, member institutions have been national champions in non-America East sports.
Main article: America East Conference men's basketball tournament |
This list goes through the 2018–19 season.
No. | Team | Records | Win Pct. | America East Tournament Championships |
America East Regular Season Championships |
Final Fours | National Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Albany | 1,296-968 | .572 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Stony Brook | 864-724 | .544 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
3 | Vermont | 1,268-1126 | .530 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
4 | UMass Lowell | 646-608 | .515 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
5 | Hartford | 857-987 | .465 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6 | Maine | 973–1215 | .445 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
7 | New Hampshire | 926-1355 | .406 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
8 | UMBC | 581-860 | .403 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
9 | Binghamton | 679-1022 | .399 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
* | Denotes a tie for regular season conference title |
† | Denotes game went into overtime |
Year | Regular Season Champion | Record |
---|---|---|
1979–80 | Boston | 19–7 |
1980–81 | Northeastern | 21–5 |
1981–82 | Northeastern | 8–1 |
1982–83 | Boston | 8–2 |
1983–84 | Northeastern | 14–0 |
1984–85* | Canisius Northeastern |
13–3 |
1985–86 | Northeastern | 16–2 |
1986–87 | Northeastern | 17–1 |
1987–88 | Siena | 16–2 |
1988–89 | Siena | 16–1 |
1989–90* | Northeastern Boston |
9–3 |
1990–91 | Northeastern | 8–2 |
1991–92 | Delaware | 14–0 |
1992–93 | Drexel | 12–2 |
1993–94 | Drexel | 12–2 |
1994–95 | Drexel | 12–4 |
1995–96 | Drexel | 17–1 |
1996–97 | Boston | 17–1 |
1997–98* | Delaware Boston |
12–6 |
1998–99* | Delaware Drexel |
15–3 |
1999–00 | Hofstra | 16–2 |
2000–01 | Hofstra | 16–2 |
2001–02 | Vermont | 13–3 |
2002–03 | Boston | 13–3 |
2003–04 | Boston | 17–1 |
2004–05 | Vermont | 16–2 |
2005–06 | Albany | 13–3 |
2006–07 | Vermont | 15–1 |
2007–08 | UMBC | 13–3 |
2008–09* | Binghamton Vermont |
13–3 |
2009–10 | Stony Brook | 13–3 |
2010–11 | Vermont | 13–3 |
2011–12 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
2012–13 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
2013–14 | Vermont | 15–1 |
2014–15 | Albany | 15–1 |
2015–16 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
2016–17 | Vermont | 16–0 |
2017–18 | Vermont | 15–1 |
2018–19 | Vermont | 14–2 |
2019–20 | Vermont | 14–2 |
2020-21* | UMBC Vermont |
10-4 |
2021–22 | Vermont | 17–1 |
Main article: 2018 UMBC vs. Virginia men's basketball game |
During the 2018 NCAA tournament, UMBC became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men's tournament, beating the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54.[24][25]
Main article: America East Conference women's basketball tournament |
No. | Team | Records | Win Pct. | America East Tournament Championships |
America East Regular Season Championships |
Final Fours | National Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Maine | 705–522 | .575 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Albany | 624–578 | .519 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
3 | New Hampshire | 583–545 | .517 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
4 | Vermont | 521–493 | .514 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
5 | Stony Brook | 594–602 | .497 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6 | Binghamton | 504–512 | .496 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
7 | Hartford | 550–596 | .480 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
8 | UMass Lowell | 537–600 | .472 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9 | UMBC | 520–711 | .422 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
* | Denotes a tie for regular season conference title |
† | Denotes game went into overtime |
Year | Regular Season Champion | Record |
---|---|---|
1984–85* | New Hampshire Northeastern |
|
1985–86 | Northeastern | 10–2 |
1986–87 | Northeastern | 12–2 |
1987–88* | Boston Maine |
12–2 |
1988–89 | Maine | 13–1 |
1989–90 | Maine | 11–1 |
1990–91 | Maine | 9–1 |
1991–92 | Vermont | 14–0 |
1992–93 | Vermont | 14–0 |
1993–94 | Maine | 12–2 |
1994–95 | Maine | 14–2 |
1995–96 | Maine | 18–0 |
1996–97 | Maine | 17–1 |
1997–98 | Vermont | 15–3 |
1998–99 | Maine | 17–1 |
1999–00 | Vermont | 15–3 |
2000–01 | Delaware | 17–1 |
2001–02 | Vermont | 14–2 |
2002–03 | Maine | 16–0 |
2003–04 | Maine | 17–1 |
2004–05 | Maine | 16–2 |
2005–06 | Hartford | 15–1 |
2006–07 | Hartford | 15–1 |
2007–08 | Hartford | 14–2 |
2008–09 | Boston | 16–0 |
2009–10 | Hartford | 16–0 |
2010–11 | UMBC | 13–3 |
2011–12 | Boston | 15–1 |
2012–13 | Albany | 16–0 |
2013–14 | Albany | 15–1 |
2014–15* | Albany Maine |
14–2 |
2015–16* | Albany Maine |
15–1 |
2016–17 | New Hampshire | 15–1 |
2017–18 | Maine | 13–3 |
2018–19 | Maine | 15–1 |
Main article: America East Conference Men's Lacrosse Tournament |
Main article: America East Conference Men's Soccer Tournament |