America East Conference
Not to be confused with American Athletic Conference.
| America East Conference (America East) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1979 |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division I non-football |
| Members | 11 (full: 9; associate: 2) |
| Sports fielded | 18 (men's: 7 sports; women's: 11 sports) |
| Region | Northeastern United States |
| Former names |
ECAC North (1979–1988) North Atlantic Conference (1988–1996) |
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Commissioner | Amy Huchthausen |
| Website | americaeast.com |
| Locations | |
 | |
The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA Division I, whose members are located mainly in the Northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from 1988 to 1996.
History
The America East Conference was founded as the ECAC North, a men's basketball-only athletic conference in 1979. The charter members were the following: The University of Rhode Island, the College of the Holy Cross, Canisius College, Niagara University, Colgate University, Northeastern University, Boston University, the University of Maine, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Vermont. Many other events have occurred since its formation:
- Rhode Island left in 1980.
- Holy Cross left in 1983.
- Siena College joined in 1984.
- The University of Hartford joined in 1985.
- Later, the conference became an all-sports conference, named as the North Atlantic Conference in the 1988-89 season, only for Canisius, Niagara and Siena to leave after the spring of 1989 to join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
- Colgate left in 1990 to join the Patriot League.
- The University of Delaware and Drexel University joined in 1991.
- Hofstra University joined in 1994.
- Towson University joined in 1995.
- On July 1, 1996, the conference's name changed to its present name, the America East Conference.
- During 2001, Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra and Towson left to join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) while the University at Albany, Binghamton University and Stony Brook University replaced them.
- The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) soon joined in 2003.
- Northeastern left in 2005 to join the CAA.
- Most recently, Boston University left to join the Patriot League on July 1, 2013, while the University of Massachusetts Lowell joined from Division II.
Member schools
Full members
There are nine schools with full membership:
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Joined | U.S. News National University Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University at Albany, SUNY | Albany, New York | Great Danes | 1844 | Public | 17,312 | 2001 | #126 |
| Binghamton University, SUNY | Vestal, New York | Bearcats | 1946 | Public | 16,077 | 2001 | #88 |
| University of Hartford | Hartford, Connecticut | Hawks | 1877 | Private | 6,935 | 1985 | #83 (Regional University - North) |
| University of Maine | Orono, Maine | Black Bears | 1865 | Public | 11,247 | 1979 | #173 |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Catonsville, Maryland | Retrievers | 1966 | Public | 13,908 | 2003 | #149 |
| University of Massachusetts Lowell | Lowell, Massachusetts | River Hawks | 1894 | Public | 17,184 | 2013 | #156 |
| University of New Hampshire | Durham, New Hampshire | Wildcats | 1866 | Public | 14,761 | 1979 | #99 |
| Stony Brook University, SUNY | Stony Brook, New York | Seawolves | 1957 | Public | 24,594 | 2001 | #88 |
| University of Vermont | Burlington, Vermont | Catamounts | 1791 | Public | 11,287 | 1979 | #85 |
Associate members
There are currently two schools with associate membership. In 2015, one of the two will leave, while four additional schools will become associate members.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Primary Conference |
AmEast Sport | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield University[1] | Fairfield, Connecticut | Stags | 1942 | Private | 3,800 | MAAC | field hockey | 2007-08 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | Highlanders | 1881 | Public | 10,646 | D-I Independent | women's tennis | 2013-14 |
| Stanford University | Stanford, California | Cardinal | 1891 | Private | 15,877 | Pac-12 | field hockey | 2015-2016 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, California | Tigers | 1851 | Private | 6,196 | WCC | field hockey | 2015-2016 |
| University of California, Berkeley (California) | Berkeley, California | Golden Bears | 1868 | Public | 36,204 | Pac-12 | field hockey | 2015-2016 |
| University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | Davis, California | Aggies | 1905 | Public | 34,175 | Big West | field hockey | 2015-2016 |
- - Fairfield will move its field hockey program to its all-sports conference, the MAAC, in July 2015.[2]
- - Four schools will become associate members in field hockey starting in the fall of 2015. They will include the University of California, Berkeley (more often called just "California"), the University of the Pacific, Stanford University, and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis).[3]
Former members
Former associate members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Primary Conference |
AmEast Sport | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence College | Providence, Rhode Island | Friars | 1917 | Private | 3,850 | Big East | women's volleyball | 2010-11 | 2013-14 |
Membership timeline
Full members (non-football) Other Conference Other Conference
Sports Sponsored
The America East Conference sponsors championship competition in seven men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[4] The most recent change to the roster of America East sports came in 2014–15 with the dropping of men's tennis.[5]
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | ||
| Basketball | ||
| Cross Country | ||
| Field Hockey | ||
| Lacrosse | ||
| Soccer | ||
| Softball | ||
| Swimming & Diving | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Track and Field (Indoor) | ||
| Track and Field (outdoor) | ||
| Volleyball |
Men's sports
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Lacrosse | Soccer | Track & Field (indoor) | Track & Field (outdoor) | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany |  | | | | | | | 7 |
| Binghamton | | | | | | | | 7 |
| Hartford | | | | | | | | 7 |
| Maine | | | |  | | | | 5 |
| New Hampshire | | | | | | | | 5 |
| Stony Brook | | | | | | | | 7 |
| UMass Lowell | | | | | | | | 7 |
| UMBC | | | | | | | | 7 |
| Vermont | | | | | | | | 6 |
| Totals | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 58 |
| School | Football | Golf | Ice Hockey | Skiing | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | CAA | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Binghamton | No | Big Sky | No | No | ECAC | Mid-American | EIWA |
| Hartford | No | Big Sky | No | No | No | Missouri Valley | No |
| Maine | CAA | No | Hockey East | No | ECAC | No | No |
| New Hampshire | CAA | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
| Stony Brook | CAA | No | No | No | No | Missouri Valley | No |
| UMass Lowell | No | Independent | Hockey East | No | No | No | No |
| UMBC | No | No | No | No | CCSA | Missouri Valley | No |
| Vermont | No | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
Women's sports
| School | Basketball | Cross Country | Field Hockey | Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (indoor) | Track & Field (outdoor) | Volleyball | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| Binghamton | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| Hartford | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| Maine | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| New Hampshire | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| Stony Brook | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| UMass Lowell | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| UMBC | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| Vermont | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| Totals | 9 | 9 | 5+1* | 7 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5+1** | 9 | 9 | 7 | 79+2 |
| School | Golf | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Skiing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | MAAC | No | No | No |
| Hartford | MAAC | No | No | No |
| Maine | No | No | Hockey East | No |
| New Hampshire | No | EAGL | Hockey East | EISA |
| Vermont | No | No | Hockey East | EISA |
Facilities
| Member | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball field | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | SEFCU Arena | 4,538 | Varsity Field | N/A |
| Binghamton | Binghamton University Events Center | 5,142 | Varsity Field | 1,000 |
| Hartford | Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion | 4,017 | Fiondella Field | 1,000 |
| Maine | Cross Insurance Center Memorial Gym |
8,000 1,340 |
Larry Mahaney Diamond | 3,000 |
| New Hampshire | Lundholm Gym | 3,500 | Non-baseball school | |
| Stony Brook | Stony Brook University Arena | 4,160 | Joe Nathan Field | 1,000 |
| UMass Lowell | Costello Athletic Center Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell[6][7] |
2,100 6,495 |
Edward A. LeLacheur Park | 4,767 |
| UMBC | Retriever Activities Center | 4,024 | The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC | 1,000 |
| Vermont | Patrick Gym | 3,266 | Non-baseball school | |
The conference does not sponsor football. Four members have football programs, all of which compete in the Colonial Athletic Association: Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, and Stony Brook.
The conference does not sponsor ice hockey. Members who participate in that sport (UMass Lowell, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont) do so as members of Hockey East.
Champions
See also
- America East Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
- America East Conference Baseball Tournament
- America East Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
References
- ↑ http://www.americaeast.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14000&ATCLID=669426
- ↑ "MAAC to Add Field Hockey" (Press release). Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. April 19, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ↑ http://www.americaeast.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=14000&ATCLID=209720287
- ↑ http://www.americaeast.com/
- ↑ "Men’s Tennis Wins 7th Straight AE Title" (Press release). Binghamton University Bearcats. April 27, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
The 2014 championship is be the last men’s tennis event sponsored by the America East and unlike past years, the Bearcats will not advance to the NCAA tournament, as the sport sponsorship (4 schools) fell short of the NCAA requirement.
- ↑ http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_22596851/umass-lowell-move-makes-lot-sense?IADID=Search-www.lowellsun.com-www.lowellsun.com
- ↑ http://www.uml.edu/News/news-articles/2013/Globe-DI-editorial.aspx
External links
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