| Northeast Conference | |
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| Founded: | 1981 |
| Association: | NCAA |
| Division: | Division I |
| Subdivision: | FCS |
| Teams: | 9 |
| Sports: | 25 |
| Mens: | 12 |
| Womens: | 13 |
| Region: | Northeast, Midwest |
| Headquarters: | Bridgewater, New Jersey |
| Commissioner: | Noreen Morris |
| Since: | 2010 |
| Website: | northeastconference.org |
| Map: | MapNEC (Football).PNG |
| Map Size: | 250 |
The Northeast Conference (NEC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Teams in the NEC compete in Division I for all sports; football competes in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Participating schools are located principally in the Northeastern United States, from which the conference derives its name.
The conference was named the ECAC Metro Conference when it was established in 1981. The original eleven member schools were Fairleigh Dickinson University, the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University (whose athletic program has now merged with that of LIU's Post campus into a single athletic program), Loyola College in Maryland (left in 1989), Marist College (left in 1997), Robert Morris University (left in 2020), St. Francis College (NY) (left in 2023), Saint Francis College (PA), Siena College (left in 1984), Towson State University (left in 1982), the University of Baltimore (left in 1983) and Wagner College.[1]
The conference's name was changed to its present form on August 1, 1988.[2] Other names considered were Big North, Great North, North Shore, Northern, Northeastern, Eastern and Eastern Private Intercollegiate.[3]
The Northeast Conference has admitted new members ten times since 1981. The expansions and additions from the original charter members were in 1985 (Monmouth University, which left in 2013), 1989 (Mount St. Mary's University, which left in 2022), 1992 (Rider University, which left in 1997), 1997 (Central Connecticut State University), 1998 (Quinnipiac University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County which respectively left in 2013 and 2003), 1999 (Sacred Heart University, which is left in 2024), 2008 (Bryant University, which also left in 2022), 2019 (Merrimack College, which also left in 2024), 2022 (Stonehill College), 2023 (Le Moyne College), and 2024 (Chicago State University and Mercyhurst University). The Northeast Conference's full membership was largest at 12 in 2008 with the addition of Bryant University.[4] It then dropped to 10 in 2013 with the departure of Monmouth and Quinnipiac for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), returned to 11 with the 2019 addition of Merrimack, and again dropped to 10 in 2020 with the departure of Robert Morris for the Horizon League. In 2022, the conference dropped to 9 members with the departure of Bryant and Mount St. Mary's, respectively for the America East Conference and the MAAC, plus the addition of Stonehill. On March 20, 2023, St. Francis Brooklyn announced that all intercollegiate sports would be dropped effective at the end of the 2022-23 season, dropping the NEC down to 8 full members. This was followed on May 10, 2023 by the announcement that Le Moyne College would begin a transition from Division II and join the NEC on July 1.[5]
Additional changes were announced in 2018 and took effect with the 2019–20 school year. First, on September 10, the NEC announced it would add Merrimack.[6] Then, on October 3, Long Island University announced that it would combine its two existing athletic programs—NEC member LIU Brooklyn and the Division II program at LIU Post—into a single Division I program under the LIU name. The new LIU program, nicknamed Sharks,[7] maintains LIU Brooklyn's previous memberships in Division I and the NEC.[8] Another recent change took place on July 1, 2020, when charter member Robert Morris left to join the Horizon League. The next changes in membership were on July 1, 2022, with Bryant leaving for the America East Conference,[9] Mount St. Mary's leaving for the MAAC,[10] and Stonehill arriving from NCAA Division II.[11]
The Northeast Conference has a total of 9 full members in 24 championship sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track & field, women's lacrosse, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's volleyball.
Men's lacrosse became the league's 23rd sport for the 2011 season.[12] The number of sports dropped to 22 after the 2012–13 school year, when the conference dropped field hockey. The departure of Monmouth and Quinnipiac to become all-sports members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) in July 2013 gave the MAAC four full members that sponsored the sport; the other two were NEC single-sport affiliates Rider and Siena. The MAAC then decided to add field hockey as a sponsored sport for the 2013 season,[13] and all of the NEC's remaining field hockey programs eventually joined the MAAC except for Saint Francis (PA), which joined the Atlantic 10 Conference. The NEC reinstated field hockey as a sponsored sport for the 2019 season with seven members—full members Bryant, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, and Wagner, plus associate members Fairfield and Rider.[14] Saint Francis (PA) rejoined the NEC in field hockey during the 2021-22 season. A more recent addition to the NEC's sports roster was men's swimming & diving, added for 2020–21 with full members Bryant, LIU, Mount St. Mary's, St. Francis Brooklyn, and Wagner plus incoming associate member Howard.[15]
In 2022–23, the NEC added one sport and dropped another. On September 30, 2021, the NEC announced that it would begin sponsoring men's volleyball in 2022–23 with six members.[16] Before the end of the 2021–22 school year, the NEC announced that two Division II schools from the Buffalo, New York area, Daemen and D'Youville, would also become part of the new men's volleyball league.[17] In a May 9, 2022 Twitter post, NEC commissioner Noreen Morris indicated that the NEC would shut down its men's lacrosse league after the then-ongoing 2022 season. The NEC had already lost two full members that sponsored the sport, and would eventually lose its two affiliate members in that sport when the Atlantic 10 Conference announced it would launch a men's lacrosse league in the 2023 season.[18] Three of the remaining four NEC men's lacrosse programs became affiliate members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The other program, Merrimack, was in talks with several lacrosse-sponsoring conferences for affiliate membership,[19] and eventually joined the America East in time for the 2023 season.[20]
In July 2022, the Northeast Conference announced a partnership with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in which MEAC schools sponsoring baseball and men's and women's golf would become affiliate members in their respective sports beginning in the 2022-23 season.[21] That September, the NEC announced that MEAC member Delaware State, which had just joined NEC baseball and women's golf, would add women's lacrosse and women's soccer to its NEC membership in 2023–24.[22]
In March 2023, St. Francis College (Brooklyn) announced that it would discontinue its athletic programs at the end of the spring 2023 schedule.[23] Le Moyne was announced as SFC's replacement that May.
The NEC added two affiliate members in 2023–24—Binghamton University in men's golf plus men's and women's tennis,[24] and Niagara University in bowling. Niagara added that sport for 2023–24 by effectively absorbing the bowling program of Medaille University, a nearby Division III school that closed at the end of the 2022–23 school year.[25]
In October 2023, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced that Merrimack and Sacred Heart would join the conference for the 2024-25 season.[26] This announcement came on the heels of the NEC announcing it would bring back men's lacrosse as a conference sponsored sport for the 2024–25 academic year, after having to discontinue it two years prior due to lack of sponsoring members. The original plan was for full members Le Moyne, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, and Wagner to be joined by two new associate members, the University of Detroit Mercy and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).[27] However, the departure of Merrimack and Sacred Heart left the number of men's lacrosse programs in the conference below the 6 member minimum required for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament. In response to this, the NEC announced in November 2023 that Cleveland State University as well as former full member Robert Morris would join the league as men's lacrosse associates as well.[28] In November 2023, Robert Morris also announced that it would return to the NEC in football.[29] Shortly after this, Maryland Eastern Shore announced that it would add men's volleyball in the 2026 season (2025–26 school year) as an NEC associate member, increasing the number of its NEC teams to four. It became the first historically African-American Division I member to announce the addition of that sport.[30] In April 2024, Sacred Heart announced it would leave NEC men's volleyball and return to the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, where it had played that sport before the NEC established its own league.[31] Also in 2024–25, former full member Monmouth returned to the NEC as an associate member in bowling.[32] Soon after the start of the 2024–25 academic year, Manhattan College announced that it would add men's volleyball and become an NEC affiliate in 2025–26.[33]
In response to the departure of Merrimack and Sacred Heart, the NEC announced first in December 2023 that D-I independent Chicago State University would join the NEC.[34] A few months later, in April 2024, Mercyhurst University announced it would transition from Division II and join the NEC, bringing the league back to 9 members for the 2024-25 season.[35]
Currently, a total of 18 affiliate members compete in football, women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, women's bowling, and men's volleyball.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment (2022) | Nickname | Colors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Connecticut State University | New Britain, Connecticut | 1849 | 1997-98 | Public | 9,546 | $63,000,000 | Blue Devils | ||
| Chicago State University | Chicago, Illinois | 1867 | 2024-25 | Public | [36] | $9,700,000 | Cougars | ||
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | Teaneck, New Jersey | 1942 | 1981-82 | Private (Nonsectarian) | 8,590 | $88,300,000 | Knights | ||
| Le Moyne College | Syracuse, New York | 1946 | 2023–24 | Private (Catholic, Jesuit) | 3,409 | $180,400,000 | Dolphins | ||
| Long Island University | Brooklyn and Brookville, New York | 1926 | 1981-82 | Private (Nonsectarian) | 16,958 | $367,000,000 | Sharks | ||
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | 1926 | 2024-25 | Private (Catholic, Sisters of Mercy) | $31,800,000 | Lakers | |||
| Loretto, Pennsylvania | 1847 | 1981-82 | Private (Catholic, Franciscan) | 2,111 | $63,000,000 | Red Flash | |||
| Stonehill College | Easton, Massachusetts | 1948 | 2022-23 | Private (Catholic, Holy Cross) | 2,479 | $295,259,814 | Skyhawks | ||
| Wagner College | Staten Island, New York | 1883 | 1981-82 | Private (Lutheran) | 1,762 | $112,000,000 | Seahawks |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | NEC sport(s) | Primary conference | Current conference in affiliate sport | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan College | Riverdale, New York | 1853 | 2025–26 | Private | 4,132 | Jaspers | MAAC | ||||
| Princess Anne, Maryland | 1888 | 2025–26 | Public | 2,888 | Hawks | MEAC |
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1981 till:2031
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote) id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the twoPlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1982 text:Towson (1981–1982) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1982 shift:(100,-4) till:1992 text:East Coast bar:1 color:OtherC2 from:1992 till:1995 text:Big South bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:America East bar:1 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:end text:CAA
bar:2 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1983 text:Baltimore (1981–1983, then dropped athletics)
bar:3 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1984 text:Siena (1981–1984) bar:3 shift:(35) color:OtherC2 from:1984 till:1989 text:ECAC North bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:end text:MAAC
bar:4 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1989 text:Loyola (MD) (1981–1989) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:2013 text:MAAC bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:Patriot League
bar:5 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1997 text:Marist (1981–1997) bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:end text:MAAC
bar:6 color:FullxF from:1981 till:end text:Fairleigh Dickinson (1981–present)
bar:7 color:FullxF from:1981 till:2019 text:Long Island (1981–present) bar:7 color:Full from:2019 till:end
bar:8 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1996 text:Robert Morris (1981–2020) bar:8 color:Full from:1996 till:2020 bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:2024 text:Horizon bar:8 color:AssocF from:2024 till:end text:(football & men's lacrosse; 2024–present)
bar:9 color:FullxF from:1981 till:2023 text:St. Francis Brooklyn (1981–2023, then dropped athletics)
bar:10 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1996 text:Saint Francis (PA) (1981–present) bar:10 color:Full from:1996 till:end
bar:11 color:FullxF from:1981 till:1996 text:Wagner (1981–present) bar:11 color:Full from:1996 till:end
bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1985 text:Independent bar:12 color:FullxF from:1985 till:2013 text:Monmouth (1985–2013) bar:12 color:Full from:1996 till:2013 bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2022 text:MAAC bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2024 text:CAA bar:12 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:(bowling; 2024–present)
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1989 text:Independent bar:13 color:FullxF from:1989 till:2022 text:Mount Saint Mary's (1989–2022) bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:MAAC
bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1992 text:ECC bar:14 color:FullxF from:1992 till:1997 text:Rider (1992–1997) bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:1998 text:MAAC bar:14 shift:20 color:AssocOS from:1998 till:2013 text:(field hockey; 1998–2013, 2019–present) bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2019 text:MAAC bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1990 text:Independent bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1992 text:ECC bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:1993 text:Ind. bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:15 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:1996 text:Mid-Con bar:15 color:AssocF from:1996 till:1997 bar:15 color:Full from:1997 till:end text:Central Connecticut (1997–present)
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1987 text:NECC bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1998 text:NE-10 bar:16 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2013 text:Quinnipiac (1998–2013) bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:MAAC
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1990 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1992 text:ECC bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:1998 text:Big South bar:17 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2003 text:UMBC (1998–2003) bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:end text:America East
bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1998 text:NECC bar:18 color:AssocF from:1998 till:1999 bar:18 color:Full from:1999 till:2024 text:Sacred Heart (1999–2024) bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:MAAC (field hockey; 2024–present)
bar:19 color:AssocF from:1999 till:2013 text:Albany (1999–2013) bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:CAA Football
bar:20 color:AssocF from:1999 till:2008 text:Stony Brook (1999–2008) bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2013 text: Big South bar:20 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:CAA Football
bar:21 color:AssocF from:2000 till:2002 text:St. John's (2000–2002)
bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:2008 text:NE-10 bar:24 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2009 text:Bryant (2008–2022) bar:24 color:Full from:2009 till:2022 bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:AmEast
bar:25 color:AssocF from:2008 till:end text:Duquesne (football 2008–present; bowling 2016–present)
bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1984 text:Independent bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1984 till:2019 text:NE-10 bar:26 color:Full from:2019 till:2024 text:Merrimack (2019–2024) bar:26 shift:25 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:MAAC (field hockey; 2024–present)
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:2022 text:NE-10 bar:29 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Stonehill (2022–present)
bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1983 text:D-II Ind. bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:1991 text:Mideast Collegiate Conference bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1992 text:Ind. bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:1992 till:1996 text:NECC bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2023 text:NE-10 bar:30 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Le Moyne (2023–present)
bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1984 text:NAIA Ind. bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1984 till:1993 text:D-I Ind. bar:31 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1994 till:2006 text:Mid-Continent bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:2006 till:2009 text:D-I Ind. bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:2009 till:2013 text:Great West bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2022 text:WAC bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2024 text:D-I Ind. bar:31 color:FullxF from:2024 till:end text:Chicago State (2024–present)
bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1993 text:D-III Ind. bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1995 text:D-II Ind. bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2008 text:GLIAC bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2024 text:PSAC bar:32 color:Full from:2024 till:end text:Mercyhurst (2024–present)
bar:N color:powderblue from:1981 till:1988 text:ECAC Metro bar:N color:blue from:1988 till:end text:Northeast (NEC)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1981
TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center) text:^"Northeast Conference Membership History"
The Northeast Conference currently sponsors championship competition in 11 men's and 13 women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[39] Twelve schools are associate members in 14 of those sports.
The most recent change to the NEC sports lineup is the reinstatement of men's lacrosse in 2024–25 after it had been eliminated in 2022. At the same time men's lacrosse was dropped, the NEC added men's volleyball.[19]
See also: Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament.
See also: Northeast Conference Men's Soccer Tournament.
See also: Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament.
| Men's | Women's | ||
| 11 | – | ||
| 9 | 9 | ||
| – | 8 | ||
| 9 | 9 | ||
| – | 9 | ||
| 8 | – | ||
| 11 | 12 | ||
| 8 | 10 | ||
| 9 | 11 | ||
| – | 8 | ||
| 4 | 7 | ||
| 9 | 9 | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||
| 5 | 8 |
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Football | Golf | Lacrosse | Soccer | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) | Track & Field (Outdoor) | Volleyball | Total NEC Sports | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Connecticut | 7 | |||||||||||||
| Chicago State | 7 | |||||||||||||
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 9 | |||||||||||||
| Le Moyne | 10 | |||||||||||||
| LIU | 12 | |||||||||||||
| Mercyhurst | 8 | |||||||||||||
| Saint Francis | 9 | |||||||||||||
| Stonehill | 8 | |||||||||||||
| Wagner | 10 | |||||||||||||
| Totals | 7+4 | 9 | 9 | 6+2 | 7+4 | 4+4 | 8+1 | 3+1 | 8+1 | 8 | 8 | 3+2 | 76+19 |
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Northeast Conference which are played by NEC schools:
| School | Fencing | Ice Hockey | Water Polo | Wrestling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIU | IND | — | EIWA | ||
| Mercyhurst | — | TBA | |||
| Stonehill | – | – | – | ||
| Wagner | — | — | — |
| School | Basketball | Bowling | Cross Country | Field Hockey | Golf | Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) | Track & Field (Outdoor) | Volleyball | Total NEC Sports | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Connecticut | 9 | ||||||||||||||
| Chicago State | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 11 | ||||||||||||||
| Le Moyne | 11 | ||||||||||||||
| LIU | 13 | ||||||||||||||
| Mercyhurst | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| Saint Francis | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Stonehill | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Wagner | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 9 | 5+3 | 9 | 5+4 | 8+4 | 8+2 | 9+2 | 8 | 6+1 | 8+1 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 97+17 |
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Northeast Conference which are played by NEC schools:
| School | Acrobatics &<br>Tumbling | Equestrian | Fencing | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Rugby | Stunt | Triathlon | Water Polo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairleigh Dickinson | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| LIU | IND | — | IND | — | — | — | — | MAAC | |||
| Mercyhurst | — | — | — | — | TBA | — | TBA | — | WWPA | ||
| Saint Francis | — | — | - | — | — | — | — | — | — | CWPA | |
| Stonehill | — | IND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Wagner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | IND | MAAC |
In addition to the above, Fairleigh Dickinson and Sacred Heart count their female cheerleaders (but not male cheerleaders) as varsity athletes.
See also: List of Northeast Conference men's basketball regular season champions.
See also: Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament.
See also: Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
See also: Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year.
| Season | Regular Season Champion | Tournament champion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Fairleigh Dickinson (12–3) | Robert Morris | |
| 1983 | Robert Morris (12–2) | Robert Morris | |
| 1984 | Long Island (11–5) | Long Island | |
| 1985 | Marist (11–3) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 1986 | Fairleigh Dickinson (13–3) | Marist | |
| 1987 | Marist (15–1) | Marist | |
| 1988 | Fairleigh Dickinson (13–3) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 1989 | Robert Morris (12–4) | Robert Morris | |
| 1990 | Robert Morris (12–4) | Robert Morris | |
| 1991 | Saint Francis (PA) (13–3) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 1992 | Robert Morris (12–4) | Robert Morris | |
| 1993 | Rider (14–4) | Rider | |
| 1994 | Rider (14–4) | Rider | |
| 1995 | Rider (13–5) | Mount Saint Mary's | |
| 1996 | Mount Saint Mary's (16–2) | Monmouth | |
| 1997 | Long Island (15–3) | Long Island | |
| 1998 | Long Island (14–2) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 1999 | UMBC (17–3) | Mount Saint Mary's | |
| 2000 | Central Connecticut St. (15–3) | Central Connecticut St. | |
| 2001 | St. Francis (NY) (16–4) | Monmouth | |
| 2002 | Central Connecticut St. (19–1) | Central Connecticut St. | |
| 2003 | Wagner (14–4) | Wagner | |
| 2004 | Monmouth and St. Francis (NY) (12–6) | Monmouth | |
| 2005 | Monmouth (14–4) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 2006 | Fairleigh Dickinson (14–4) | Monmouth | |
| 2007 | Central Connecticut St. (16–2) | Central Connecticut St. | |
| 2008 | Robert Morris (16–2) | Mount Saint Mary's | |
| 2009 | Robert Morris (15–3) | Robert Morris | |
| 2010 | Quinnipiac (15–3) | Robert Morris | |
| 2011 | Long Island (16–2) | Long Island | |
| 2012 | Long Island (16–2) | Long Island | |
| 2013 | Robert Morris (14–4) | Long Island | |
| 2014 | Robert Morris (14–2) | Mount Saint Mary's | |
| 2015 | St. Francis Brooklyn (15–3) | Robert Morris | |
| 2016 | Wagner (13-5) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 2017 | Mount Saint Mary's (14-4) | Mount Saint Mary's | |
| 2018 | Wagner (14-4) | LIU Brooklyn | |
| 2019 | Saint Francis (PA) and Fairleigh Dickinson (12–6) | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 2020 | Merrimack (14–4) | Robert Morris | |
| 2021 | Wagner (13–5) | Mount St. Mary's | |
| 2022 | Bryant (16–2) | Bryant | |
| 2023 | Merrimack (12–4) | Merrimack | |
| 2024 | Central Connecticut St. and Merrimack (13-3) | Wagner |
See also: Northeast Conference women's basketball tournament.
See also: Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year.
See also: Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.
| Year | Regular Season Champions | Tournament champions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | Monmouth | Monmouth | |
| 1987-88 | Monmouth | Robert Morris | |
| 1988-89 | Wagner | Wagner | |
| 1989-90 | Mount St. Mary's | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 1990-91 | Mount St. Mary's | Robert Morris | |
| 1991-92 | Mount St. Mary's | Fairleigh Dickinson | |
| 1992-93 | Fairleigh Dickinson/Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | |
| 1993-94 | Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | |
| 1994-95 | Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | |
| 1995-96 | Mount St. Mary's | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 1996-97 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 1997-98 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 1998-99 | Mount St. Mary's | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 1999-00 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2000-01 | Mount St. Mary's | Long Island | |
| 2001-02 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2002-03 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2003-04 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2004-05 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2005-06 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | |
| 2006-07 | Long Island, Robert Morris and Sacred Heart | Robert Morris | |
| 2007-08 | Quinnipiac and Robert Morris | Robert Morris | |
| 2008-09 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | |
| 2009-10 | Robert Morris | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2010-11 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2011-12 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | |
| 2012-13 | Quinnipiac | Quinnipiac | |
| 2013-14 | Robert Morris | Robert Morris | |
| 2014-15 | Bryant/Central Connecticut | St. Francis Brooklyn | |
| 2015-16 | Sacred Heart | Robert Morris | |
| 2016-17 | Robert Morris | Robert Morris | |
| 2017-18 | Saint Francis (PA) | Saint Francis (PA) | |
| 2018–19 | Robert Morris | Robert Morris | |
| 2019–20 | Robert Morris | None; tournament canceled in progress due to COVID-19 | |
| 2020-21 | Mount St. Mary’s | Mount St. Mary’s | |
| 2021-22 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Mount St. Mary’s | |
| 2022-23 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Sacred Heart | |
| 2023-24 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart |
Before the 2013 departure of Monmouth and Quinnipiac, the NEC had 6 rivalry matchups in the conference; which is most prevalent during NEC's men's and women's basketball "Rivalry Week." The concept of playing back-to-back games against a local rival the same week is the only one of its kind among the nation's 31 NCAA Division I conferences. The pre-2013 NEC rivalries are as follows (with the current NEC team listed first in the matchups that are now non-conference):
LIU vs. St. Francis Brooklyn (St. Francis Brooklyn dropped athletics after the 2022–23 academic year.)
The NEC Commissioner's Cup was instituted during the 1986-87 season with Long Island winning the inaugural award. Cup points are awarded in each NEC sponsored sport. For men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, football, women's bowling, softball, men's and women's lacrosse, and baseball, the final regular season standings are used to determine Cup points. Starting with the 2012-13 season, the Conference began awarding three bonus points to the NEC Tournament champion in those sports. In all other sports, points are awarded based on the finish at NEC Championship events.
| Year | Overall | Men's | Women's | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Sacred Heart | Merrimack | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2021-22 | LIU | LIU | LIU | |||||
| 2020-21 | LIU | Bryant | LIU | |||||
| 2019-20 | Not Awarded | Not Awarded | Not Awarded | |||||
| 2018-19 | Sacred Heart | Bryant | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2017-18 | Saint Francis (PA) | Bryant | Saint Francis (PA) | |||||
| 2016-17 | Sacred Heart | Bryant | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2015-16 | Sacred Heart | Bryant | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2014-15 | Bryant | Bryant | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2013-14 | Bryant | Bryant | Saint Francis (PA) | |||||
| 2012-13 | Monmouth | Monmouth | Saint Francis (PA) | - | 2011-12 | Sacred Heart | Monmouth | Sacred Heart |
| 2010-11 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2009-10 | Sacred Heart | Monmouth | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2008-09 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2007-08 | Sacred Heart | Monmouth | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2006-07 | Monmouth | Monmouth | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2005-06 | Monmouth | Monmouth | Long Island | |||||
| 2004-05 | Monmouth | Monmouth | Saint Francis (PA) | |||||
| 2003-04 | Monmouth | Monmouth | Sacred Heart | |||||
| 2002-03 | UMBC | Monmouth | UMBC | |||||
| 2001-02 | UMBC | Monmouth | UMBC | |||||
| 2000-01 | UMBC | UMBC | UMBC | |||||
| 1999-2000 | UMBC | UMBC | UMBC | |||||
| 1998-99 | UMBC | Monmouth | UMBC | |||||
| 1997-98 | Monmouth | |||||||
| 1996-97 | Mount St. Mary's | |||||||
| 1995-96 | Mount St. Mary's | |||||||
| 1994-95 | Mount St. Mary's | |||||||
| 1993-94 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1992-93 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1991-92 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1990-91 | Monmouth | |||||||
| 1989-90 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1988-89 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1987-88 | Fairleigh Dickinson | |||||||
| 1986-87 | Long Island |
| Arute Field | 5,500 | William H. Detrick Gymnasium | 3,200 | CCSU Baseball Field | |||
| Non-football school | Jones Convocation Center | 7,000 | Non-baseball school | ||||
| Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field | 2,200 | Football (and bowling)-only member | |||||
| Non-football school | Bogota Savings Bank Center | 5,000 | Naimoli Family Baseball Complex | 500 | |||
| Non-football school | Ted Grant Court | 2,637 | Dick Rockwell Field | ||||
| Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium | 6,000 | Steinberg Wellness Center | 3,000 | LIU Post Baseball Field | |||
| Saxon Stadium | 2,300 | Mercyhurst Athletic Center | 1,800 | Mercyhurst Baseball Field | 1,000 | ||
| Joe Walton Stadium | 3,000 | Football (and men's lacrosse)-only member | |||||
| DeGol Field | 3,450 | DeGol Arena | 3,500 | Non-baseball school | |||
| W.B. Mason Stadium | 2,400 | Merkert Gymnasium | 1,560 | Lou Gorman Field | |||
| Wagner College Stadium | 3,500 | Spiro Sports Center | 2,500 | SIUH Community Park | 7,171 | ||
| Joe Cannon Stadium | 1,500 | ||
| Soldier Field | 500 | ||
| Hawk Stadium | 1,000[40] | ||
| Marty L. Miller Field | 1,500[41] |