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Little East Conference
Locations

Association	NCAA
Founded	1986
Commissioner	Pamela S. Samuelson, PhD (since June 7, 2019)
Sports fielded	19 men's: 8 women's: 11
Division	Division III
No. of teams	9
Headquarters	North Providence, Rhode Island
Region	New England
Official website	www.littleeast.com

The Little East Conference (LEC) is an NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletic conference. The member institutions are located in all six states of New England.

History

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 Darthmouth), 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
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

^ ^a ^b Part of the Connecticut State University System.
^ ^a ^b Part of the University System of New Hampshire.
^ Actual amount in endowment is $13,996,219.
^ Part of the Rhode Island Board of Education.
^ ^a ^b Part of the University of Massachusetts System.
^ The University of Southern Maine's main campus is located at Gorham; with other campuses at Lewiston and Portland.
^ Part of the University of Maine System.
^ Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.

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	Primary conference	LEC sport(s)
Bridgewater State University	Bridgewater, Massachusetts	1840	Public^[a]	10,651	$54.0	Bears	2004–05^m.ten. 2004–05^w.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	2000–01^m.lax. 2003–04^m.ten. 2004–05^w.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

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Part of the Massachusetts State Universities System.
^ Actual amount in endowment is $13,051,554.

Former 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	Primary conference	LEC sport(s)
Bridgewater State University	Bridgewater, Massachusetts	1840	Public^[a]	10,651	$54.0	Bears	2000–01^f.h. 2009–10^w.s.d.	2022–23^f.h. 2014–15^w.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	2000–01^f.h. 2009–10^w.ten.	2022–23^f.h. 2020–21^w.ten.	MASCAC	field hockey women's tennis

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Part of the Massachusetts State Universities System.
^ Actual amount in endowment is $35,385,907.

Membership timeline

Sports

Little East Conference

[Interactive fullscreen map + nearby articles]

Locations of Little East members, 2022-2023

full and

associate

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.

Men's sports

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Track & Field (Indoor)	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Total
Castleton	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	9
Eastern Connecticut	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	9
Keene State	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	8
Plymouth State	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	8
Rhode Island College	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	9
Southern Maine	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	9
UMass–Boston	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	8
UMass–Darthmouth	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	N	N	Y	Y	6
Western Connecticut	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	7
Totals	9	9	9	4	8	9	4	5	8	8	73
Associate Members
Bridgewater State							Y	Y			2
Massachusetts Maritime					Y						1
Salem State					Y			Y			2

Women's sports

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Field Hockey	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Track & Field (Indoor)	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Volleyball	Total
Castleton	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
Eastern Connecticut	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	10
Keene State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	10
Plymouth State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	11
Rhode Island College	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
Southern Maine	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
UMass–Boston	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
UMass–Darthmouth	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	11
Western Connecticut	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	9
Totals	9	9	7	8	9	9	6	7	8	9	8	89
Associate Members
Bridgewater State								Y				1
U. of New England							Y					1
Salem State								Y				1
Western New England							Y					1
Westfield State							Y					1

Notes

References

External links

Little East Conference

Current full members

Current associate members

Bridgewater State Bears (field hockey, men's and women's tennis, and women's swimming & diving)
Fitchburg State Falcons (field hockey)
Framingham State Rams (field hockey)
Massachusetts Maritime Buccaneers (men's lacrosse)
Salem State Vikings (field hockey, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis)
Western New England Golden Bears (women's swimming & diving)
Westfield State Owls (field hockey and women's swimming & diving)
Worcester State Lancers (field hockey and women's tennis)

NCAA Division III all-sports conferences