United East Conference


The United East Conference, formerly known as the North Eastern Athletic Conference, 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, Bard College, Cazenovia College, Chestnut Hill College, D'Youville College, Keuka College, Keystone College, Pennsylvania State University, Berks-Lehigh Valley College, Philadelphia Biblical University, Polytechnic University, the State University of New York at Purchase, and Villa Julie College.
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, SUNY Purchase and Stevenson; while the new members were: Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, Wells College and Wilson College of Pennsylvania. 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, Keystone and Philadelphia Biblical. The new members were the State University of New York at Cobleskill and the State University of New York Institute of Technology ; the latter is now known as SUNY Polytechnic Institute. 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, Rutgers University–Camden, the State University of New York at Oneonta, and the University of Dallas. The University of Dallas also added women's volleyball to compete for 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, Pennsylvania State University at Abington and the State University of New York at 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 Gallaudet University as its twelfth member. In the 2011–12 season, the NEAC gained one new full member in Lancaster Bible College as its thirteenth full member; while Rutgers–Camden added men's tennis into its NEAC associate membership. The partnership between the NEAC and the NAC ended for baseball and women's lacrosse following the 2011–12 season. For the 2012–13 season, the NEAC added Hilbert College as an associate member for men's lacrosse.
At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, the NEAC lost one full member in Penn State–Harrisburg, returning back to twelve schools. 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, putting the conference to fourteen schools. 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, being Pennsylvania State University at Altoona and former full member D'Youville; while Medaille and Hilbert added that sport into their NEAC associate memberships.
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, beginning the 2018–19 school year. The next change of membership came in 2019–20 with the return of Penn State–Harrisburg and the departure of Saint Elizabeth for the Colonial States Athletic Conference. In July 2020, the NEAC lost four members, with Keuka departing for the Empire 8 Athletic Conference and Cazenovia, SUNY Cobleskill, and SUNY Poly leaving for the North Atlantic Conference. The NEAC membership returned to nine in 2021, with the arrival of St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Recent events

On August 2, 2021, the conference revealed that it was rebranding itself as the United East Conference. 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. The conference has never used the abbreviation of "UEC" in its branding.
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.
On July 6, 2022, the United East announced that Clarks Summit joined the conference as an associate member in men's golf and men's tennis starting in the 2022–23 academic year.
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.
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.
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. Consequently, all ten members from the CSAC, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University joined the United East.
On January 4, 2024, the United East accepted Pennsylvania State University, Brandywine's application to become a full member of the conference beginning in 2024–25.
On July 12, 2024, the United East announced the addition of Neumann University as an associate member for men's volleyball, beginning the 2025 spring season of the 2024–25 academic year.
On July 1, 2024, Clarks Summit University announced that it had ceased operations.
On December 16, 2024, the United East announced the addition of Immaculata University as an associate member for men's volleyball, beginning the 2026 spring season of the 2025–26 academic year.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The United East currently has fifteen full members, eleven of which are private, with two public and four hybrid:
InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Cairn UniversityLanghorne, Pennsylvania1913Nondenominational2,200Highlanders2004;
2023
Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown, Pennsylvania1867U.C.C.1,820Falcons2023
Gallaudet UniversityWashington, D.C.1864Quasigovernmental1,740Bison2010
Keystone CollegeLa Plume, Pennsylvania1868Nonsectarian1,600Giants2004;
2023
Lancaster Bible CollegeLancaster, Pennsylvania1933Nondenominational954Chargers2011
Notre Dame of Maryland UniversityBaltimore, Maryland1873Catholic
3,824Gators2023

Williamsport, Pennsylvania1914Public5,976Wildcats2014
Penn State AbingtonAbington, Pennsylvania1950Hybrid3,400Nittany Lions2009
Penn State BerksReading, Pennsylvania1958Hybrid3,216Nittany Lions2004
Penn State BrandywineMiddletown, Pennsylvania1967Hybrid1,227Lions2024
Penn State HarrisburgMiddletown, Pennsylvania1966Hybrid1,695Nittany Lions2007;
2019
Rosemont CollegeRosemont, Pennsylvania1922Catholic
903Ravens2023
1840Public1,517Seahawks2021
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania1939Assemblies of God742Patriots2023
Wilson CollegeChambersburg, Pennsylvania1869Presbyterian1,098Phoenix2007;
2023

;Notes:

Associate members

The United East currently has five associate members; all but one are private schools.
InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedUnited East
sport
Primary
conference
Carlow UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1929Catholic
2,400Celtics2023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Carlow UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1929Catholic
2,400Celtics2023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Carlow UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1929Catholic
2,400Celtics2023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Carlow UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1929Catholic
2,400Celtics2023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Immaculata UniversityEast Whiteland, Pennsylvania1920Catholic
1,427Mighty Macs2025Atlantic East (AEC)
Neumann UniversityAston, Pennsylvania1965Catholic
2,244Knights2024Atlantic East (AEC)
Pratt InstituteBrooklyn, New York1887Private5,137Cannoneers2023Atlantic East (AEC)
Rutgers University–CamdenCamden, New Jersey1766Public6,158Scarlet
Raptors
2008New Jersey (NJAC)

;Notes:

Former members

The United East had fourteen full members, all but four are private schools:
InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Bard CollegeAnnandale-on-
Hudson, New York
1860Episcopal2,062Raptors20042007Liberty (LL)
Bryn Athyn CollegeBryn Athyn, Pennsylvania1877New Church330Lions2014;
2023
2018;
2025
N/A
Cazenovia CollegeCazenovia, New York1824Nonsectarian1,000Wildcats20042020Closed in 2023
Chestnut Hill CollegePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania1924Catholic
2,000Griffins20042007Central Atlantic (CACC)
Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit, Pennsylvania1932Baptist1,142Defenders2004;
2023
2007;
2024
Closed in 2024
D'Youville UniversityBuffalo, New York1908Catholic
3,200Spartans20042009East Coast (ECC)
Keuka CollegeKeuka Park, New York1890Nonsectarian1,521Wolves20042020Empire 8 (E8)
New York University Tandon School of Engineering
Brooklyn, New York1854Nonsectarian4,487Fighting
Blue Jays
20042007N/A
Saint Elizabeth UniversityMorristown, New Jersey1899Catholic
1,200Eagles2009;
2023
2019;
2025
Atlantic East (AEC)
State University of New York at Cobleskill
Cobleskill, New York1911Public2,500Fighting
Tigers
20082020North Atlantic (NAC)
State University of New York at Morrisville
Morrisville, New York1908Public2,486Mustangs20092023S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York Polytechnic Institute
Utica, New York1966Public2,760Wildcats20082020Empire 8 (E8)
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase, New York1967Public4,000Panthers20042007Skyline
Stevenson UniversityStevenson, Maryland1947Nonsectarian3,929Mustangs20042007MAC Commonwealth
Wells CollegeAurora, New York1868Nonsectarian480Express20072023Closed in 2024

;Notes:

Former associate members

The United East has had 16 former associate members, with ten being private schools and six public. One of these schools, Rutgers–Camden, is currently a United East associate in a different sport.
InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftUnited East
sport
Primary
conference
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20192020Men's lacrosseAllegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Alfred State CollegeAlfred, New York1908Public3,737Pioneers20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown,
Pennsylvania
1867U.C.C.1,885Falcons20132020Women's swimmingUnited East
Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit,
Pennsylvania
1932Baptist1,142Defenders20222023Men's golfClosed in 2024
Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit,
Pennsylvania
1932Baptist1,142Defenders20222023Men's tennisClosed in 2024
Irving, Texas1956Catholic2,576Crusaders20082010VariousSouthern (SCAC)
Buffalo, New York1908Catholic
3,200Spartans20142018Men's volleyballEast Coast (ECC)
Hilbert CollegeHamburg, New York1957Catholic
1,100Hawks20142017Men's volleyballAllegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Hilbert CollegeHamburg, New York1957Catholic
1,100Hawks20122023Men's lacrosseAllegheny Mountain (AMCC)
La Roche UniversityMcCandless,
Pennsylvania
1963Private1,465Redhawks20202023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
La Roche UniversityMcCandless,
Pennsylvania
1963Private1,465Redhawks20202023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Medaille UniversityBuffalo, New York1937Nonsectarian3,253Mavericks20082023Men's lacrosseClosed in 2023
Medaille UniversityBuffalo, New York1937Nonsectarian3,253Mavericks20082023Women's lacrosseClosed in 2023
Medaille UniversityBuffalo, New York1937Nonsectarian3,253Mavericks20142018Men's volleyballClosed in 2023
Mount Aloysius CollegeCresson, Pennsylvania1853Catholic
1,600Mounties20202023Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Penn State–AltoonaAltoona, Pennsylvania1939Hybrid4,182Nittany
Lions
20142018Men's volleyballAllegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Penn State BehrendErie, Pennsylvania1948Hybrid4,700Lions20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Penn State BehrendErie, Pennsylvania1948Hybrid4,700Lions20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Penn State BehrendErie, Pennsylvania1948Hybrid4,700Lions20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Penn State BehrendErie, Pennsylvania1948Hybrid4,700Lions20232024Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)
Rosemont CollegeRosemont, Pennsylvania1922Catholic
903Ravens20212023Men's golfUnited East
Rutgers University–CamdenCamden, New Jersey1766Public6,158Scarlet
Raptors
20112014Men's tennisNew Jersey (NJAC)
State University of New York
at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York1816Public3,098Bears20082010Men's tennisS.U. New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York
at Potsdam
Potsdam, New York1816Public3,098Bears20192020Men's volleyballS.U. New York (SUNYAC)
Wilson CollegeChambersburg,
Pennsylvania
1869Presbyterian1,098Phoenix20212023Men's golfUnited East

;Notes

Membership timeline


DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:2004 till:2028
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5
Colors =
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
id:FullxF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
id:AssocF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
id:AssocOS value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
id:OtherC1 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
id:OtherC2 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift: anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Baptist Bible (Pa.)
bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2022 text:CSAC
bar:1 shift: color:AssocOS from:2022 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:1 color:FullxF from:2023 till:2024 text:Clarks Summit
bar:2 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Bard
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
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:2023 text:NAC, then dropped athletics
bar:4 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Chestnut Hill
bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:end text:CACC
bar:5 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2009 text:D'Youville
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2009 till:2020 text:AMCC
bar:5 color:AssocOS from:2014 till:2018 text:AMCC
bar:5 color:OtherC2 from:2020 till:end text:ECC
bar:6 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2020 text:Keuka
bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:E8
bar:7 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Keystone
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:7 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:
bar:8 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:NYU Poly
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
bar:10 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2008 text:Philadelphia Biblical
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:10 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Cairn
bar:11 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:SUNY Purchase
bar:11 shift: color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:end text:Skyline
bar:12 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2007 text:Villa Julie
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
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2019 text:CAC
bar:13 color:FullxF from:2019 till:end text:
bar:14 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2023 text:Wells
bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:2024 text:AMCC
bar:15 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2018 text:Wilson (Pa.)
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2021 text:CSAC
bar:15 shift: color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:15 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:
bar:16 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2020 text:SUNY Cobleskill
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:NAC
bar:17 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2020 text:SUNY Poly
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:NAC
bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:2010 text:Dallas
bar:19 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:2023 text:Medaille
bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:end text:Rutgers–Camden
bar:21 color:AssocOS from:2008 till:2010 text:SUNY Oneonta
bar:22 color:FullxF from:2009 till:end text:Penn State–Abington
bar:23 color:FullxF from:2009 till:2019 text:Saint Elizabeth (N.J.)
bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:2019 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:23 color:FullxF from:2023 till:2025 text:
bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text:AEC
bar:24 color:FullxF from:2009 till:2023 text:SUNY Morrisville
bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:NAC
bar:25 color:FullxF from:2010 till:end text:Gallaudet
bar:26 color:FullxF from:2011 till:end text:Lancaster Bible
bar:27 color:AssocOS from:2012 till:2023 text:Hilbert
bar:28 color:AssocOS from:2013 till:2020 text:Cedar Crest
bar:28 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:
bar:29 color:FullxF from:2014 till:2018 text:Bryn Athyn
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2023 text:CSAC
bar:29 color:FullxF from:2023 till:2025 text:
bar:30 color:FullxF from:2014 till:end text:Penn College
bar:31 color:AssocOS from:2014 till:2018 text:Penn State–Altoona
bar:32 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2020 text:Alfred State
bar:32 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:
bar:33 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2020 text:SUNY Potsdam
bar:34 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2023 text:La Roche
bar:35 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2023 text:Mount Aloysius
bar:36 color:FullxF from:2021 till:end text:St. Mary's (Md.)
bar:37 shift: color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2023 text:Rosemont
bar:37 color:FullxF from:2023 till:2025 text:
bar:37 color:AssocOS from:2025 till:2026 text:
bar:38 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Notre Dame (Md.)
bar:39 color:FullxF from:2023 till:end text:Valley Forge
bar:40 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Carlow
bar:41 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:Penn State–Behrend
bar:42 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Pratt
bar:43 shift: color:FullxF from:2024 till:end text:Penn State–Brandywine
bar:44 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Neuman
bar:45 shift: color:AssocOS from:2025 till:end text:Immaculata
bar:N color:green from:2004 till:2021 text:North Eastern Athletic Conference
bar:N color:blue from:2021 till:2023 text:United East
bar:N color:green from:2023 till:end text:United East
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:2005
TextData =
fontsize:M
textcolor:black
pos: tabs:
text:^"United East Conference membership history"
  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.
<#

Sports

Conference sports

The United East sponsors championships in the following sports:
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
Basketball
Cross country
Field hockey
Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Tennis
Track & field (indoor)
Track & field (outdoor)
Volleyball

Divisions

Effective in the 2023–24 school year: 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 DivisionVolt Division
CairnGallaudet
Cedar CrestLancaster Bible
KeystonePenn College
Notre Dame Penn State–Abington
RosemontPenn State–Berks
Valley ForgePenn State–Brandywine
WilsonPenn State–Harrisburg
St. Mary's

;Notes:

Men's sports

;Notes
;Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the United East that are played by United East schools
SchoolFootballRowingSailingSwimmingWrestling
GallaudetODACAEC
KeystoneINDIND
Penn CollegeAMCC
St. Mary'sMARCMAISAAEC

Women's sports

;Notes
;Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the United East that are played by United East schools
SchoolEquestrianGolfRowingSailingSwimmingTriathlonWrestling
Cedar CrestAECIND
GallaudetAEC
Lancaster BibleIND
St. Mary'sMARCMAISAAEC
WilsonIHSA