Little East Conference

History

Recent events

Chronological timeline

• 1986 – On April 28, 1986, the Little East Conference was founded. Charter members included Eastern Connecticut State University, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts University, Plymouth State College, 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, all effective in the 2000–01 academic year:
• * 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
• 2003 – Salem State added men's tennis into its Little East associate membership in the 2004 spring season.
• 2004 – Two institutions added certain single sports into their Little East associate memberships, both effective in the 2005 spring season :
• * Bridgewater State for men's and women's tennis
• * and Salem State for women's tennis
• 2010 – Three institutions added certain single sports into their Little East associate memberships, all effective in the 2010–11 academic year:
• * Worcester State for women's tennis
• * and Bridgewater State and Westfield State for women's swimming & diving
• 2014 – Bridgewater State left the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving after the 2013–14 academic year.
• 2018 – Castleton University joined the Little East in the 2018–19 academic year.
• 2019 – Massachusetts Maritime Academy joined the Little East as an associate member for men's lacrosse in the 2020 spring season.
• 2020:
• * Worcester State left the Little East as an associate member for women's tennis after the 2020 spring season.
• * Western New England University joined the Little East as an associate member for women's swimming & diving in the 2020–21 academic year; although due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn't begin to compete within conference play until 2021–22.
• 2021 – Bridgewater State added men's swimming & diving into its Little East associate membership in the 2021–22 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.
• * Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State left the Little East as associate members for field hockey after the 2022 fall season ; as the MASCAC announced to have it as a sponsored sport.
• 2024 – Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy and the State University of New York at Delhi joined the Little East as associate members for men's and women's swimming & diving in the 2024–25 academic year.
• 2025 – Five institutions joined the Little East as associate members, all effective in the 2025–26 academic year:
• * Babson College for men's ice hockey
• * Husson and Westfield State for women's golf
• * and New England College and Norwich University for men's and women's ice hockey

  Member schools

Current members

Associate members