The Little East Conference (LEC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. The member institutions are located in all six states of New England.

History

Recent events

On May 20, 2026, Lasell University, and Worcester State University accepted an invitation to join the Little East as associate members for women's golf, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.

On May 20, 2026, Gordon College accepted an invitation to join the Little East as associate members for men's and women's swimming & diving, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.

On October 8, 2025, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Salem State accepted an invitation to leave the Little East as associate members for men's lacrosse to join the MASCAC as full members, as the MASCAC has announced it to be a sponsored sport, beginning the 2026-27 academic year.

Chronological timeline

• 1986 – On April 28, 1986, the Little East Conference (LEC) was founded. Charter members included Eastern Connecticut State University, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts University (now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth), Plymouth State College (now Plymouth State University), 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 (2003–04 academic year).

2004 – Two institutions added certain single sports into their Little East associate memberships, both effective in the 2005 spring season (2004–05 academic year):

• 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 (now Vermont State University–Castleton) 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 (2019–20 academic year).

2020:

• Worcester State left the Little East as an associate member for women's tennis after the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year).

• 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 (with the return of women'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 (2022–23 academic year); 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 (SUNY 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 (and/or added other single sports into their associate memberships), 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

• SUNY Delhi left the Little East as an associate member for men's and women's swimming & diving after the 2024-25 season to join the SUNYAC.

2026

Three institutions joined the Little East as associate members (and/or added other single sports into their associate memberships), all effective in the 2026–27 academic year:

• Lasell University and Worcester State for women's golf

• Gordon College for men's and women's swimming & diving

  Mass Maritime and Salem State left the Little East as associate members for men's lacrosse after the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year); as the MASCAC announced to have it as its 20th sponsored sport.

• 2027 – VTSU–Castleton will leave the Little East to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the 2026–27 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The Little East currently has nine full members, all are public schools:

1. Notes:

Associate members

The Little East currently has 15 associate members, all but seven are private schools:

1. Notes:

Future associate members

The Little East will have one new associate members, a private schools:

1. Notes:

Former associate members

The Little East had six former associate members, all of which were also public schools:

1. Notes:

Membership timeline

Sports

Conference Sports

Men's sports

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Little East Conference that are played by Little East schools

Women's sports

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Little East Conference that are played by Little East schools

Notes

References

External links