The Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in the northeastern United States in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. It is the only Division II collegiate ice hockey conference in the United States.

History

Map
Location of NE10 members: full, affiliate. Not Pictured: Affiliate Thomas Jefferson University

The original 1980 conference was called the "Northeast 7" as the colleges were American International College, Assumption College, Bentley College, Bryant College, the University of Hartford, Springfield College, and Stonehill College. In 1981, Saint Anselm College was the eighth team to join and the resulting "NE-8" stayed this way until 1984 when the University of Hartford left and Merrimack College joined.

The “Northeast 10” name came about in 1987 when Saint Michael's College and Quinnipiac College joined the league. The conference remained stable until 1995 when Springfield College left for Division III. The league stayed at ten members as Le Moyne College joined the league in 1996 from the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) and briefly expanded to eleven when Pace University joined in 1997 from the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC). Quinnipiac moved to the Division I Northeast Conference (NEC) to again return the membership to ten.

The last major expansion took place prior to 2000, when five new schools joined the fold. Franklin Pierce College, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU; formerly New Hampshire College), the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell), and Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) and the College of Saint Rose (Saint Rose) giving the NE10 15 members.

Since the addition of those five institutions, the league has added football, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field as championship sports. The expansion continued in 2003–04 as the conference added another three championships – men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, and men's ice hockey. However, because the NE10 is the sole Division II men's ice hockey league, its postseason champion cannot compete for the NCAA national hockey championship.

David Brunk, the first full-time commissioner in league history, announced in April he was resigning July 1, 2007 to take over the Peach Belt Conference. Brunk had been commissioner since 1998. Julie Ruppert became the next full-time commissioner in June 2008, becoming the first female Division II commissioner in the country.

In 2008, Bryant University announced it would begin the five-year process that would make them a full Division I member by 2012; at the same time the NE10 announced that it had given a bid to University of New Haven and they had accepted. In December 2007, Adelphi University announced it had joined the league and began playing in 2009–10. To start the 2008–09 academic year, the NE10 still had 15 members and expanded to 16 in 2009–10.

On July 1, 2013, UMass Lowell left the NE10 to join the Division I America East Conference. With the departure of UMass Lowell, the Northeast-10 Conference had 15 remaining members.

Two other changes to the conference membership, both taking effect with the 2019–20 school year, were announced in 2018. First, Merrimack announced that it would begin a transition to Division I and join the Northeast Conference (the same move that Bryant made in 2008). Then, Long Island University announced that it would unify its two athletic programs – the Division I LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds and the Division II LIU Post Pioneers, the latter of which was a NE10 affiliate member in field hockey and football at the time of announcement into a single D-I athletic program under the LIU name. As such, the LIU Post field hockey team was merged with LIU Brooklyn's previously existing team in that sport, and the LIU Post football team became the new LIU football team, competing as a Division I FCS team in the Northeast Conference. Thus, the NE10 was at a total of 14 member schools. In 2022, the number was reduced to 13 with Stonehill College's announcement of its departure for Division I's Northeast Conference (NEC).

The next change in conference membership took place on July 1, 2023 when Le Moyne left for the NEC, dropping the NE10 to 12 members for the 2023–24 season.

In 2023, St. Rose announced it was ceasing operations after the 2023–24 academic year, dropping the NE10 to 11 members, effective for the 2024–25 school year.

On May 6, 2025, New Haven announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference and begin its reclassification from Division II, starting on July 1, 2025; thus leaving the NE10 to 10 members, effective for the 2025–26 school year.

Chronological timeline

  • 1980 – The Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) was founded. Charter members included American International College, Assumption College (now Assumption University), Bentley College (now Bentley University), Bryant College (now Bryant University), the University of Hartford, Springfield College and Stonehill College, beginning the 1980–81 academic year.
  • 1981 – Saint Anselm College joined the NE10 in the 1981–82 academic year.
  • 1984 Hartford left the NE10 to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the ECAC North Atlantic Conference (now the America East Conference) after the 1983–84 academic year. Merrimack College joined the NE10 in the 1984–85 academic year.
  • 1987 – Quinnipiac College (now Quinnipiac University) and Saint Michael's College joined the NE10 in the 1987–88 academic year.
  • 1995 – Springfield (Mass.) left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Constitution Athletic Conference after the 1994–95 academic year.
  • 1996 – Le Moyne College joined the NE10 in the 1996–97 academic year.
  • 1997 – Pace University joined the NE10 in the 1997–98 academic year.
  • 1998 – Quinnipiac left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the Northeast Conference (NEC) after the 1997–98 academic year.
  • 2000 – Franklin Pierce College (now Franklin Pierce University), the University of Massachusetts at Lowell (UMass Lowell), New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University), the College of Saint Rose and Southern Connecticut State University joined the NE10 in the 2000–01 academic year.
  • 2001 – Long Island University–Post (LIU Post) joined the NE10 as an associate member for football in the 2001 fall season (2001–02 academic year).
  • 2008 Bryant left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the NEC after the 2007–08 academic year. LIU Post left the NE10 as an associate member for football after the 2007 fall season (2007–08 academic year). The University of New Haven joined the NE10 in the 2008–09 academic year.
  • 2009 – Adelphi University joined the NE10 in the 2009–10 academic year.
  • 2013 UMass Lowell left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the America East Conference after the 2012–13 academic year. LIU Post rejoined the NE10 as an associate member for football (but also included field hockey) in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year).
  • 2019 Merrimack left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the NEC after the 2018–19 academic year. LIU Post left the NE10 as an associate member for football and field hockey after the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year), as the school announced that it would merge with Long Island University–Brooklyn (LIU Brooklyn) to unify its athletic programs after the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year). Four institutions joined the NE10 as associate members, all effective in the 2019–20 academic year: Mercy College, Molloy College and St. Thomas Aquinas College for field hockey and Post University for men's ice hockey
  • 2022 – Stonehill left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the NEC after the 2021–22 academic year.
  • 2023 Le Moyne left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the NEC after the 2022–23 academic year. The College of Staten Island joined the NE10 as an associate member in both men's and women's swimming and diving in the 2023–24 academic year.
  • 2024 Saint Rose left the NE10 as the school announced that it ceased operations after the 2023–24 academic year. Post added football to its NE10 associate membership in the 2024 season (2024–25 academic year).
  • 2025 The American International men's ice hockey team rejoined the NE10 after moving down from Division I to Division II, beginning the 2025–26 academic year. New Haven left the NE10 to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the NEC, beginning the 2025–26 academic year. The University of Bridgeport and Felician University joined the NE10 as associate members in both men's and women's swimming and diving, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
  • 2026 – Mercy, Molloy, and St. Thomas Aquinas will leave the NE10 as associate members for field hockey to move their programs to their full-time conference home of the ECC once it begins play in the 2026 season (2026–27 academic year).

Member schools

Current members

The NE10 currently has 10 full members; all but one are private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColors
Adelphi UniversityGarden City, New York1896Nonsectarian7,603Panthers2009
American International CollegeSpringfield, Massachusetts1885Nonsectarian2,010Yellow Jackets1980
Assumption UniversityWorcester, Massachusetts1904Catholic (Assumptionists)2,044Greyhounds
Bentley UniversityWaltham, Massachusetts1917Nonsectarian4,526Falcons
Franklin Pierce UniversityRindge, New Hampshire1962Nonsectarian1,172Ravens2000
Pace UniversityPleasantville, New York1906Nonsectarian14,092Setters1997
Saint Anselm CollegeGoffstown, New Hampshire1889Catholic (Benedictines)2,111Hawks1981
Saint Michael's CollegeColchester, Vermont1904Catholic (S.S.E.)1,370Purple Knights1987
Southern Connecticut State UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut1893Public9,377Owls2000
Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire1932Nonsectarian2,769Penmen

Notes

Affiliate members

The NE10 currently has 7 affiliate members; all are private schools. Schools outlined in pink will be departing the NE10 in their respective sport after the 2025-26 academic year.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColorsNE10 sport(s)Primary conference
University of BridgeportBridgeport, Connecticut1927Nonsectarian3,838Purple Knights2025Men's swimming and divingCentral Atlantic (CACC)
2025Women's swimming and diving
Felician UniversityRutherford, New Jersey1923Catholic (CSSF)2,427Golden Falcons2025Men's swimming and divingCentral Atlantic (CACC)
2025Women's swimming and diving
Mercy CollegeDobbs Ferry, New York1950Nonsectarian8,774Mavericks2019Field hockeyEast Coast (ECC)
Molloy CollegeRockville Center, New York1955Catholic (Dominican Order)4,845Lions2019Field hockeyEast Coast (ECC)
Post UniversityWaterbury, Connecticut1890For-profit21,699Eagles2019Men's ice hockeyCentral Atlantic (CACC)
2024Football
Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania1824Nonsectarian8,315Rams2025Women's golfCentral Atlantic (CACC)
College of Staten IslandStaten Island, New York1956Public10,973Dolphins2023Men's swimming and divingEast Coast (ECC)
2023Women's swimming and diving
St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSparkill, New York1952Catholic (D.S.S.)1,950Spartans2019Field hockeyEast Coast (ECC)

Notes

Former members

The NE10 had ten former full members; all but one were private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent conference
Bryant UniversitySmithfield, Rhode Island1863Nonsectarian3,499Bulldogs19802008America East (AmEast)
University of HartfordWest Hartford, Connecticut1877Nonsectarian6,792Hawks19801984New England (CNE)
Le Moyne CollegeSyracuse, New York1946Catholic (A.J.C.U.)3,533Dolphins19962023Northeast (NEC)
University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell)Lowell, Massachusetts1894Public18,369River Hawks20002013America East (AmEast)
Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, Massachusetts1947Catholic (O.S.A.)3,726Warriors19842019Metro Atlantic (MAAC)
University of New HavenWest Haven, Connecticut1920Nonsectarian8,819Chargers20082025Northeast (NEC)
Quinnipiac UniversityHamden, Connecticut1929Nonsectarian10,207Bobcats19871998Metro Atlantic (MAAC)
Springfield CollegeSpringfield, Massachusetts1885Nonsectarian5,062Pride19801995New England (NEWMAC)
College of Saint RoseAlbany, New York1920Catholic (S.S.J.)N/AGolden Knights20002024Closed in 2024
Stonehill CollegeEaston, Massachusetts1948Catholic (C.S.C.)2,386Skyhawks19802022Northeast (NEC)

Notes

Former affiliate members

The NE10 had one former affiliate member, which was also a private school.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftNE10 sport(s)Primary conference
Long Island University–PostBrookville, New York1954Nonsectarian8,472Pioneers20012008FootballNortheast (NEC)
20132019
20132019Field hockey

Notes

Membership timeline

Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football) Associate member (sport)

Conference facilities

SchoolFootball stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacityHockey arenaCapacity
AdelphiNon-football schoolCenter for Recreation & Sport2,200Non-hockey school
American InternationalRonald J. Abdow Field4,000Butova Gymnasium2,500TBA
AssumptionGreyhound Stadium1,200Andrew Laska Gymnasium1,200Buffone Arena750
BentleyBentley Athletic Field4,800Dana Center2,600Plays hockey at the D-I level in Atlantic Hockey America. Bentley plays games at Bentley Arena.1,917
Franklin PierceSodexo Field500Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse1,200Jason Ritchie Ice Arena500
PacePace Stadium1,500Goldstein Fitness Center2,400Non-hockey school
PostMunicipal Stadium6,000Football and hockey member onlySports Center of Connecticut
Saint AnselmGrappone Stadium4,500Stoutenburgh Gymnasium1,200Thomas F. Sullivan Arena2,700
Saint Michael'sNon-football schoolRoss Sports Center2,500Cairns Arena600
Southern ConnecticutJess Dow Field6,000James Moore Fieldhouse2,800Non-hockey school
Southern New HampshireNon-football schoolStan Spirou Fieldhouse2,000Ice Den Arena

Presidents' Cup Champions

YearFirst placeSecond placeThird place
1985SpringfieldBryantSt. Anselm
1986Bentley
1987BentleyBryant
1988
1989
1990Merrimack
1991
1992Quinnipiac
1993
1994
1995
1996BentleyQuinnipiacSt. Anselm
1997Merrimack
1998
1999MerrimackSt. Anselm
2000MerrimackBentleyAssumption
2001BentleyMerrimack
2002BryantBentleySouthern Connecticut State
2003UMass Lowell
2004
2005Stonehill
2006StonehillBentley
2007BentleyStonehill
2008
2009BentleyStonehillUMass Lowell
2010StonehillBentleyAdelphi
2011Southern Connecticut State
2012Southern Connecticut StateBentley
2013AdelphiBentleyStonehill
2014StonehillBentley
2015StonehillAdelphiAssumption
2016AdelphiBentleyStonehill
2017StonehillMerrimack
2018MerrimackAdelphiStonehill
2019Assumption
2020*Southern New HampshireStonehillAdelphi
2020**StonehillSouthern Connecticut StateAssumption
2021Franklin PierceAdelphiLe Moyne
2022Southern New HampshireBentley
2023
2024AdelphiBentleySouthern New Hampshire
2025
* Fall Champion. **Winter Champion

Sports

A divisional format was used for baseball.
Northeast Assumption Bentley Franklin Pierce Saint Anselm Saint Michael's Southern New HampshireSouthwest Adelphi American International New Haven Pace Southern Connecticut
Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross CountryYY
Field HockeyY
FootballY
GolfYY
Ice HockeyY
LacrosseYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
Swimming & DivingYY
TennisYY
Track & Field IndoorYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
VolleyballY

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross CountryFootballGolfIce HockeyLacrosseSoccerSwimming & DivingTennisTrack & Field IndoorTrack & Field OutdoorTotal NE10 Sports
AdelphiYYYYYYYYYY10
American InternationalYYYYYYYYYY10
AssumptionYYYYYYYYYYYY11
BentleyYYYYYYYYYYY11
Franklin PierceYYYYYYYYYYY11
PaceYYYYYY6
Saint AnselmYYYYYYYYY9
Saint Michael'sYYYYYYYYY9
Southern ConnecticutYYYYYYYY8
Southern New HampshireYYYYYYYY8
Totals101010887998766104
Affiliate Members
BridgeportY1
FelicianY1
PostYY2
Staten IslandY1

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballCross CountryField HockeyGolfLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimming & DivingTennisTrack & Field IndoorTrack & Field OutdoorVolleyballTotal NE10 Sports
AdelphiYYYYYYYYYYYY12
American InternationalYYYYYYYYYYY11
AssumptionYYYYYYYYYYYY12
BentleyYYYYYYYYYYY11
Franklin PierceYYYYYYYYYYY11
PaceYYYYYYYY8
Saint AnselmYYYYYYYY8
Saint Michael'sYYYYYYYYY9
Southern ConnecticutYYYYYYYYYY10
Southern New HampshireYYYYYYYYYYY11
Totals1010136101010987710120
Affiliate Members
BridgeportY1
FelicianY1
JeffersonY1
MercyY1
MolloyY1
St. Thomas AquinasY1
Staten IslandY1

Other sponsored sports by school

SchoolMenWomenCo-ed
Ice HockeyVolleyballBowlingGymnasticsIce HockeyRowingTriathlonSkiing
AdelphiECC
American InternationalECCIND
AssumptionNEWHAIND
BentleyAHA
Franklin PierceNEWHAIND
Saint AnselmECC
Saint Michael'sEISA
Southern ConnecticutGEC

Notes

Championships

External links