East Coast Conference (Division I)

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The East Coast Conference was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference. It was founded as the Middle Atlantic Conference in 1958. In 1974, the name was changed to the East Coast Conference. [1] In 1994, it was absorbed by the Mid-Continent Conference, though Hofstra instead decided to join the North Atlantic Conference. None of the ECC schools which joined the Mid-Con (now The Summit League) are still in the conference today.

According to the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation's web site (http://www.mascac.org/history.html), the East Coast Conference was not a part of the MAC. 11 of the 12 University Division members left to form the original ECC in 1974.

"June 4-6, 1974 - The first major schism to be focused on this study occurs when the MAC University Division, comprised of 12 members, loses 11 members who leave to form their own conference (East Coast Conference). American, Bucknell, Delaware, Drexel, Lafayette, La Salle, Lehigh, Rider, St. Joseph's, Temple and West Chester all leave. Gettysburg, which opts to join the College Division, is the only University Division institution to remain."

[edit] Founding Members

Institution	First Year	Last Year	Next Conference	Current Conference
Bucknell University	1958-1959	1989-1990	Patriot League	Patriot League
University of Delaware	1958-1959	1990-1991	North Atlantic	CAA
Drexel University	1958-1959	1990-1991	North Atlantic	CAA
Gettysburg College	1958-1959	1973-1974		Division III
Lafayette College	1958-1959	1989-1990	Patriot League	Patriot League
Lehigh University	1958-1959	1989-1990	Patriot League	Patriot League
Muhlenberg College	1958-1959	1963-1964		Division III
Rutgers University	1958-1959	1961-1962		Big East
Saint Joseph's University	1958-1959	1981-1982	Atlantic Ten	Atlantic Ten
Temple University	1958-1959	1981-1982	Atlantic Ten	Atlantic Ten

[edit] Former Members

Institution	First Year	Last Year	Next Conference	Current Conference
American University	1965-1966	1983-1984	CAA	Patriot League
Brooklyn College	1991-1992	1991-1992		Division III
University at Buffalo	1991-1992	1993-1994	Mid-Continent	MAC
Central Connecticut State University	1990-1991	1993-1994	Mid-Continent	Northeast
Chicago State University	1993-1994	1993-1994	Mid-Continent	Independent
Hofstra University	1965-1966	1993-1994	North Atlantic	CAA
University of Maryland Baltimore County	1990-1991	1991-1992	Big South	America East
Northeastern Illinois University	1993-1994	1993-1994	Mid-Continent	Dropped Athletics
Rider University	1966-1967	1991-1992	Northeast	MAAC
Towson State University	1982-1983	1991-1992	Big South	CAA
Troy State University	1993-1994	1993-1994	Mid-Continent	Sun Belt
West Chester University	1969-1970	1981-1982	Division II	Division II