United East Conference Explained

United East Conference
Founded:2004
Association:NCAA
Division:Division III
Teams:17
Sports:20
Mens:10
Womens:10
Region:Mid-Atlantic
Formerly:North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC)
Headquarters:Latham, New York, U.S.
Commissioner:Stephanie Dutton
Website:https://gounitedeast.com
Map:UEC-USA-states.png
Map Size:250
Color:
  1. c2d402;
Font Color:
  1. 000000

The United East Conference (UEC), formerly known as the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III.

Member institutions are located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

History

The North Eastern Athletic Conference was founded in 2004. The original membership consisted of the following schools: Baptist Bible College (now known as Clarks Summit University), Bard College, Philadelphia Biblical University (now known as Cairn University), Cazenovia College, Chestnut Hill College, D'Youville College (now a university), Keuka College, Keystone College, Penn State-Berks, Polytechnic University (later known as the Polytechnic Institute of New York University and now fully merged into NYU as its Tandon School of Engineering), State University of New York at Purchase (SUNY Purchase), and Villa Julie College (now known as Stevenson University).

At the conclusion of the 2006–07 season, the NEAC had a shifting of membership losing five institutions and gaining three new members. The departing members were: Bard, Chestnut Hill, Polytechnic (N.Y.), SUNY Purchase, and Stevenson; while the new members were: Penn State-Harrisburg, Wells College, and Wilson College (Pa.). The NEAC consisted of 10 members in the 2007–08 season.

At the conclusion of the 2007–08 season, the NEAC lost an additional three institutions while gaining two new members. The departing members were: Baptist Bible, Cairn, and Keystone (all to the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference, later renamed the Colonial States Athletic Conference). The new members were State University of New York at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill) and State University of New York Institute of Technology (SUNYIT); the latter is now known as SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly). The NEAC consisted of nine members in the 2008–09 season.

The NEAC accepted four associate member institutions for the 2008–09 season; they were: Medaille College (later a university; for men's and women's lacrosse), Rutgers University–Camden (for men's golf), State University of New York at Oneonta (for men's tennis), and the University of Dallas (in men's soccer, men's golf, men's & women's cross country, and men's & women's basketball). The University of Dallas also competed in women's volleyball to the NEAC in the 2009–10 season.

At the conclusion of the 2008–09 season, the NEAC lost an additional founding member in D'Youville. In the 2009–10 season, the NEAC welcomed three additional new members in the College of Saint Elizabeth, Penn State-Abington, and State University of New York at Morrisville (SUNY Morrisville). The NEAC had accepted four associate member institutions in that same season. Additionally, the NEAC also began a three year partnership with the North Atlantic Conference in four sports: baseball; women's lacrosse; and men's and women's tennis. Departing the NEAC at the conclusion of the 2009–10 season were associate members the University of Dallas and SUNY Oneonta.

In the 2010–11 season, the NEAC welcomed by Gallaudet University. In the 2011–12 season, the NEAC gained one new full member in Lancaster Bible College while Rutgers–Camden (already an associate member in men's golf) joined the NEAC in men's tennis. The partnership between the NEAC and the NAC ended for baseball and women's lacrosse following the 2011–12 season.

At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, the NEAC lost one full member in Penn State Harrisburg. In the 2013–14 season, the NEAC added Cedar Crest College as an associate member for women's swimming. Beginning in the 2014–15 season, the NEAC accepted two new full members in Bryn Athyn College and Pennsylvania College of Technology. Also in that same season, Wilson College, a former women's college that became co-educational in the 2013–14 school year, began a men's athletic program, and four other schools became men's volleyball associates.

Changes in the NEAC membership have continued to the present. On August 30, 2017, Bryn Athyn and Wilson announced that they would leave the NEAC for the Colonial States Athletic Conference in the 2018–19 school year.[1] The next change of membership came in 2019–20 with the return of Penn State Harrisburg[2] and the departure of Saint Elizabeth for the Colonial States Athletic Conference.[3] In July 2020, the NEAC lost four members, with Keuka departing for the Empire 8 Conference[4] and Cazenovia, SUNY Cobleskill, and SUNY Poly leaving for the North Atlantic Conference.[5] The NEAC membership returned to 9 in 2021 with the arrival of St. Mary's College of Maryland.[6]

On August 2, 2021, the conference revealed that they were rebranding themselves as the United East Conference.[7] The conference said that the name “United East” was chosen because it describes the conference’s commitment to collaborate on a shared mission in a diverse environment while also still giving a nod to the geographical placement of the member schools.

On March 1, 2022, SUNY Morrisville announced that it would leave the United East to join the North Atlantic Conference starting in the 2023–24 academic year.[8]

On July 6, 2022, the United East Conference announced that Clark Summit joined the conference as an associate member in men's golf and men's tennis starting in the 2022–23 academic year.[9] [10]

On August 15, 2022, Wells announced that it would leave the United East to join the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference starting in the 2023–24 academic year.[11]

On December 19, 2022, the United East Conference and the Colonial States Athletic Conference announced their intent to merge beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. The merger was intended to address the evolving landscape of higher education by stabilizing conference membership and solidifying the sport sponsorship currently offered by the existing conferences. This merger also provided member institutions an opportunity to decrease the number of associate memberships necessary to support the current sport offerings on each respective campus. When the merger was finalized sports with a large number of members would compete in north and south divisions.[12] [13]

On June 23, 2023, the CSAC and United East officially announced that the merged conference would retain the United East name, officially ending the CSAC on July 1, 2023.[14] Consequently, all ten members from the CSAC (Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University, Keystone College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, the University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College of Pennsylvania) joined the United East.

On January 4, 2024, the United East accepted Penn State Brandywine's application to become a full member of the conference beginning in 2024–25.[15]

On July 1, 2024, Clarks Summit University announced that it had ceased operations.[16]

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The United East currently has seventeen full members, eleven of which are private, with two public and four hybrid:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Skye Division
Bryn Athyn CollegeBryn Athyn, Pennsylvania1877New Church330Lions2014;
2023
Cairn UniversityLanghorne, Pennsylvania1913Nondenominational2,200Highlanders2004;
2023
Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown, Pennsylvania1867United Church of Christ1,820Falcons2023
Keystone CollegeLa Plume, Pennsylvania1868Nonsectarian1,600Giants2004;
2023
Notre Dame of Maryland UniversityBaltimore, Maryland1873Catholic
3,824Gators2023
Rosemont CollegeRosemont, Pennsylvania1922Catholic
903Ravens2023
Saint Elizabeth UniversityMorristown, New Jersey1899Catholic
1,200Eagles2009;
2023
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania1939Assemblies of God742Patriots2023
Wilson CollegeChambersburg, Pennsylvania1869Presbyterian1,098Phoenix2007;
2023
Volt Division
Gallaudet UniversityWashington, D.C.1864Quasigovernmental1,740Bison2010
Lancaster Bible CollegeLancaster, Pennsylvania1933Nondenominational954Chargers2011

(Penn College)
Williamsport, Pennsylvania1914Public5,976Wildcats2014
Penn State AbingtonAbington, Pennsylvania1950Public–private hybrid3,400Nittany Lions2009
Penn State BerksReading, Pennsylvania19583,216Nittany Lions2004
Penn State BrandywineMiddletown Township, Pennsylvania18671,227Lions2024
Penn State HarrisburgMiddletown, Pennsylvania19661,695Nittany Lions2007;
2019
1840Public1,517Seahawks2021
Notes:

Associate members

The United East currently has four associate members, all but one are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedPrimary
conference
United East
sport(s)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers2023AMCCmen's outdoor track and field;
women's outdoor track and field
La Roche UniversityMcCandless, Pennsylvania1963Private1,465Redhawks2020AMCCmen's lacrosse;
women's lacrosse
Mount Aloysius CollegeCresson, Pennsylvania1853Private1,600Mounties2020AMCCwomen's lacrosse
Rutgers University–CamdenCamden, New Jersey1766Public6,158Scarlet Raptors2008NJACmen's golf
Penn State–BehrendErie, Pennsylvania1948State-related4,700Lions2023AMCCmen's outdoor track and field;
women's outdoor track and field
Pratt InstituteBrooklyn, New York1887Private5,137Cannoneers2023AECmen's volleyball
Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar, Virginia1901Private353Vixens2023ODACfield hockey;
women's lacrosse
Notes:

Former members

The United East had twelve full members, all but four are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Bard CollegeAnnandale-on-Hudson, New York1860Episcopal2,062Raptors20042007Liberty League
Cazenovia CollegeCazenovia, New York1824Nonsectarian1,000Wildcats20042020N/A
Chestnut Hill CollegePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania1924Catholic
2,000Griffins20042007CACC
Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit, Pennsylvania1932Baptist1,142Defenders2004;
2023
2007;
2024
Closed in 2024
D'Youville UniversityBuffalo, New York1908Catholic
3,200Spartans20042009ECC
Keuka CollegeKeuka Park, New York1890Nonsectarian1,521Wolves20042020Empire 8
New York University Tandon School of EngineeringBrooklyn, New York1854Nonsectarian4,487Fighting Blue Jays20042007N/A
State University of New York at Cobleskill
(SUNY Cobleskill)
Cobleskill, New York1911Public2,500Fighting Tigers20082020NAC
State University of New York at Morrisville
(SUNY Morrisville)
Morrisville, New York19082,486Mustangs20092023SUNYAC
State University of New York Polytechnic Institute
(SUNY Poly)
Utica, New York19662,760Wildcats20082020Empire 8
State University of New York at Purchase
(SUNY Purchase)
Purchase, New York19674,000Panthers20042007Skyline
Stevenson UniversityStevenson, Maryland1947Nonsectarian3,929Mustangs20042007MAC Commonwealth
Wells CollegeAurora, New York1868Nonsectarian480Express20072023Closed in 2024
Notes:

Former associate members

The United East has had eleven former associate members, with eight being private schools and three public. One of these schools, Rutgers–Camden, is currently a United East associate in a different sport.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftPrimary
conference
United East
sport(s)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20192020AMCCmen's lacrosse
Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown, Pennsylvania1867United Church of Christ1,885Falcons20132021United Eastwomen's swimming
Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit, Pennsylvania1932Baptist1,142Defenders2022;
2022
2023;
2023
N/Amen's golf;
men's tennis
Irving, Texas1956Catholic2,576Crusaders20082010SCACvarious
Buffalo, New York1908Catholic
3,200Spartans20142017ECC
men's volleyball
Hilbert CollegeHamburg, New York1957Catholic
1,100HawksAMCCmen's volleyball
20122023men's lacrosse
Medaille UniversityBuffalo, New York1937Nonsectarian3,253Mavericks2008
2014
2023
2017
N/Amen's lacrosse;
women's lacrosse;
men's volleyball
Penn State–AltoonaAltoona, Pennsylvania1939Public-private hybrid4,182Nittany Lions20142017AMCCmen's volleyball
Rosemont CollegeRosemont, Pennsylvania1922Catholic
903Ravens20212023United Eastmen's tennis
Rutgers University–CamdenCamden, New Jersey1766Public6,158Scarlet Raptors20112014NJACmen's tennis
Wilson CollegeChambersburg, Pennsylvania1869Presbyterian1,098Phoenix20212023United Eastmen's golf
Notes

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:2004 till:2027

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 two

PlotData=

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Baptist Bible (Penn.) (2004–2008) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2022 text:CSAC bar:1 color:AssocOS from:2022 till:2023 text: bar:1 color:FullxF from:2023 till:2024 text:Clarks Summit (2023–2024)

bar:2 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Bard (2004–2007) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2010 text:Skyline bar:2 color:OtherC2 from:2010 till:end text:Liberty

bar:3 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2020 text:Cazenovia (2004–2020) bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:2023 text:NAC, then dropped athletics

bar:4 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Chestnut Hill (2004–2007) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:end text:CACC

bar:5 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2009 text:D'Youville (2004–2009) bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2009 till:2020 text:AMCC bar:5 color:OtherC2 from:2020 till:end text:ECC

bar:6 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2020 text:Keuka (2004–2020) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:E8

bar:7 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Keystone (2004–2008) bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2023 text:CSAC bar:7 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)

bar:8 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:NYU Poly (2004–2007) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2014 text:Skyline, then dropped athletics

bar:9 color:FullxF from:2004 till:end text:Penn State–Berks (2004–present)

bar:10 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Philadelphia Biblical (2004–2008) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2023 text:CSAC bar:10 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Cairn (2023–present)

bar:11 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:SUNY Purchase (2004–2007) bar:11 shift:(20) color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:end text:Skyline

bar:12 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Villa Julie (2004–2007) bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2012 text:CAC bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:MAC Commonwealth

bar:13 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2013 text:Penn State–Harrisburg (2007–2013) bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2019 text:CAC bar:13 color:FullxF from:2019 till:end text:(2019–present)

bar:14 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2023 text:Wells (2007–2023) bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:AMCC

bar:15 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2018 text:Wilson (PA) (2007–2018) bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2021 text:CSAC bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2023 bar:15 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)

bar:16 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2020 text:SUNY Cobleskill (2008–2020) bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:NAC

bar:17 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2020 text:SUNY Poly (2008–2020) bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:NAC

bar:18 color:FullxF from:2009 till:end text:Penn State–Abington (2009–present)

bar:19 color:FullxF from:2009 till:2019 text:Saint Elizabeth (N.J.) (2009–2019) bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:2019 till:2023 text:CSAC bar:19 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)

bar:20 color:FullxF from:2009 till:2023 text:SUNY Morrisville (2009–2023) bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:NAC

bar:21 color:FullxF from:2010 till:end text:Gallaudet (2010–present)

bar:22 color:FullxF from:2011 till:end text:Lancaster Bible (2011–present)

bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2013 till:2021 text:Cedar Crest (2013–2021; w.swim) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:2021 till:2023 text:CSAC bar:23 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present full)

bar:24 color:FullxF from:2014 till:2018 text:Bryn Athyn (2014–2018) bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2023 text:CSAC bar:24 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)

bar:25 color:FullxF from:2014 till:end text:Penn College (2014–present)

bar:26 color:FullxF from:2021 till:end text:St. Mary's (Md.) (2021–present)

bar:27 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2023 text:Rosemont (Penn.) bar:27 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present full)

bar:28 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Notre Dame (Md.) (2023–present)

bar:29 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Valley Forge (2023–present)

bar:30 color:FullxF from:2024 till:end text:Penn State–Brandywine (2024–future)

bar:N color:green from:2004 till:2021 text:North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) bar:N color:blue from:2021 till:end text:United East

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:2005

Sports

See also: United East Men's Basketball Championship.

Conference sports

The UEC sponsors championships in the following sports:

Divisions

Men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, and women’s tennis are separated into divisions based on their former conference affiliations before the United East and CSAC merger. The remaining sports play conference schedules with no divisions or have a conference-wide championship at the end of the season.

Skye Division Volt Division
Bryn Athyn Gallaudet
Cairn Lancaster Bible
Cedar Crest Penn College
Keystone Penn State Abington
Notre Dame (MD) Penn State Berks
Rosemont Penn State Brandywine
Saint Elizabeth (NJ) Penn State Harrisburg
Valley Forge St. Mary's (MD)
Wilson

Men's sports

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
country
GolfLacrosseSoccerTennisTrack
& Field
(Indoor)
Track
& Field
(Outdoor)
VolleyballTotal
Sports
Bryn Athyn5
Cairn7
Gallaudet6
Keystone6
Lancaster Bible9
Notre Dame (MD)3
Penn College7
Penn State Abington7
Penn State Berks6
Penn State Harrisburg8
Rosemont6
Saint Elizabeth6
St. Mary's8
Valley Forge5
Wilson5
Totals 14 16 15 8+1 6+1 16 9 4 7+2 6+1 101+5
Alfred State1
La Roche1
Penn State Behrend1
Penn State Brandywine6
Pratt1
Rutgers-Camden1
Notes
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the United East that are played by United East schools
SchoolFootballIce
Hockey
RowingSailingSwimmingWrestling
Bryn Athyn
Gallaudet
Keystone Independent
Penn College Independent
St. Mary's

Women's sports

SchoolBasketballCross
country
Field
Hockey
LacrosseSoccerSoftballTennisTrack
& Field
(Indoor)
Track
& Field
(Outdoor)
VolleyballTotal
Sports
Bryn Athyn7
Cairn7
Cedar Crest9
Gallaudet7
Keystone8
Lancaster Bible10
Notre Dame (MD)9
Penn College6
Penn State Abington7
Penn State Berks6
Penn State Harrisburg8
Rosemont6
Saint Elizabeth6
St. Mary's9
Valley Forge5
Wilson6
Totals 17 16 7+1 9+3 17 14 12 4 9+2 17 122+6
Alfred State1
La Roche1
Mount Aloysius1
Penn State Behrend1
Penn State Brandywine6
Sweer Briar2
Notes
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the United East that are played by United East schools
SchoolGolfRowingSailingSwimmingWrestling
Cedar Crest Independent
Gallaudet
Lancaster Bible
Penn State Harrisburg
St. Mary's

See also

Notes and References

  1. CSAC Adds Two New Members for 2018-19 . Colonial States Athletic Conference . August 30, 2017 . September 26, 2017.
  2. NEAC Welcomes Penn State Harrisburg for 2019-20 . North Eastern Athletic Conference . July 9, 2018 . July 11, 2018.
  3. CSAC Adds New Member for 2019-20 . Colonial States Athletic Conference . March 21, 2018 . July 11, 2018.
  4. Keuka College to Join the Empire 8 Conference Beginning in the Fall of 2020 . Empire 8 Conference . January 30, 2019 . March 26, 2019.
  5. North Atlantic Conference Expands with Three New Members in 2020–21 . North Atlantic Conference . August 20, 2019 . September 11, 2019.
  6. St. Mary's College of Maryland to Join North Eastern Athletic Conference in 2021 . North Eastern Athletic Conference . December 12, 2019 . December 16, 2019.
  7. The United East Has Arrived . United East Conference . August 2, 2021 . August 2, 2021.
  8. Web site: SUNY Morrisville to join North Atlantic Conference in 2023 - SUNY Morrisville .
  9. Web site: Clarks Summit Joins United East in Men's Tennis & Men's Golf - United East Conference .
  10. Web site: Clarks Summit Joins United East Conference in Men's Tennis and Golf - Clarks Summit University Athletics .
  11. Web site: Wells College to Join the AMCC Starting 2023-24 . 15 August 2022 .
  12. CSAC AND UNITED EAST CONFERENCE - INTENT TO MERGE . Colonial States Conference . December 19, 2022 . March 6, 2023.
  13. Web site: CSAC and United East Conference - Intent to Merge .
  14. Web site: United East Conference and Colonial States Athletic Conference Officially Merge . The Southern Maryland Chronicle . June 23, 2023.
  15. News: Penn State Brandywine to join United East Conference in 2024-25 . January 10, 2024 . PennState . January 4, 2024.
  16. Web site: Clarks Summit University is closing . Emily . Cherkauskas . . July 1, 2024 . July 1, 2024.