Little East Conference

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.

Little East Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1986
CommissionerPamela S. Samuelson, PhD (since June 7, 2019)
Sports fielded
  • 19
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 11
DivisionDivision III
No. of teams9
HeadquartersNorth Providence, Rhode Island
RegionNew England
Official websitewww.littleeast.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

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) 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
Little East Conference
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This is a stopgap mapping solution, while attempts are made to resolve technical difficulties with {{OSM Location map}}
Locations of Little East members, 2022-2023 full and associate

Current members

The Little East currently has nine full members, all are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Endowment
(millions)		 Nickname Joined Colors
Castleton University Castleton, Vermont 1787 Public - Vermont State Colleges System 2,399 $7.86 Spartans 2018    
Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, Connecticut 1889 Public - Connecticut State University System 4,989 $16.3 Warriors 1986    
Keene State College Keene, New Hampshire 1909 Public - University System of New Hampshire 3,213 $14.0[lower-alpha 1] Owls 1997    
Plymouth State University Plymouth, New Hampshire 1871 Public - University System of New Hampshire 4,491 $28.9 Panthers 1986    
Rhode Island College Providence, Rhode Island 1854 Public - Rhode Island Board Board of Education 7,523 $16.4 Anchormen / Anchorwomen 1986    
University of Massachusetts Boston Boston, Massachusetts 1852 Public - UMass System 16,259 $92.0 Beacons 1986    
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1895 Public - UMass System 8,513 $59.0 Corsairs 1986    
University of Southern Maine Gorham, Maine (main campus)
Lewiston, Maine
Portland, Maine		 1878 Public - University of Maine System 8,022 $38.5 Huskies 1986      
Western Connecticut State University Danbury, Connecticut 1903 Public - Connecticut State University System 5,246 $12.8 Wolves 1993    
Notes
  1. Actual amount in endowment is $13,996,219.

Associate members

The Little East currently has seven 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 - Massachusetts State Universities system 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 - Massachusetts State Universities system 1,637 $13.05[lower-alpha 1] Buccaneers 2019–20 MASCAC men's lacrosse
University of New England Biddeford, Maine 1831 Private - Nonsectarian 7,208 $39.2 Nor'easters 2022–23 CCC women's swimming & diving
Salem State University Salem, Massachusetts 1854 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 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 Private - Nonsectarian 3,702 $55.9 Golden Bears 2019–20 CCC women's swimming & diving[3]
Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts 1838 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 5,400 $6.2 Owls 2009–10 MASCAC women's swimming & diving
Worcester State University Worcester, Massachusetts 1874 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 6,434 $34.5 Lancers 2009–10w.ten. MASCAC women's tennis
Notes
  1. 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 - Massachusetts State Universities system 10,651 $54.0 Bears 2000-01f.h.2009–10 2022-23f.h.2014–15 MASCAC field hockey

women's swimming & diving

Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, Massachusetts 1894 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 4,659 $19.9 Falcons 2000–01 2022-23 MASCAC field hockey
Framingham State University Framingham, Massachusetts 1839 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 4,876 $35.4[lower-alpha 1] Rams 2000–01 2022-23 MASCAC field hockey
Salem State University Salem, Massachusetts 1854 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 7,242 $25.3 Vikings 2000–01 2022-23 MASCAC field hockey
Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts 1838 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 5,400 $6.2 Owls 2000–01 2022-23 MASCAC field hockey
Worcester State University Worcester, Massachusetts 1874 Public - Massachusetts State Universities system 6,434 $34.5 Lancers 2000–01 2022-23 MASCAC field hockey

Membership timeline
University of New EnglandWestern New England UniversityMassachusetts Maritime AcademyCastleton UniversityWorcester State UniversityWestfield State UniversitySalem State UniversityFramingham State UniversityFitchburg State UniversityBridgewater State UniversityKeene State CollegeWestern Connecticut State UniversityUniversity of Southern MaineRhode Island CollegePlymouth State CollegeUniversity of Massachusetts–DartmouthUniversity of Massachusetts–BostonEastern Connecticut State University

Sports
See also: Little East Conference men's basketball tournament

Notes
  1. Actual amount in endowment is $35,385,907.

References
  1. "University of New England Women's Swimming to Join LEC as Affiliate Member in 2022-23" (Press release). Little East Conference. June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  2. "Little East Field Hockey Preseason Poll Released". 2022-08-24. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "Affiliate Members". littleeast.com. Retrieved 2021-10-22.
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