East Coast Conference
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2013) |
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| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1989 |
| Commissioner | Jessica Grasso (since 2024) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division II |
| No. of teams | 9 |
| Headquarters | Colonia, New Jersey |
| Region | Northeastern United States |
| Official website | eccsports.org |
| Locations | |
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The East Coast Conference (ECC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located primarily in the state of New York, with a single member located in the District of Columbia.
History
[edit]
The East Coast Conference was founded in 1989 as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC). Its charter members included Adelphi University (1989–2009), Concordia College (1989–2009), C. W. Post College (1989–2019), Dowling College (1989–2016), Mercy College (1989–present), Mercy College (1989–present), New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) (1989–2020), Pace University (1989–1997), Queens College (1989–present) and Southampton College of Long Island University (1989–2005).
Other members that joined were: University of Bridgeport (2000–2022), University of New Haven (2002–2008), New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) (1997–2000), Philadelphia University (1991–2005), College of Saint Rose (1991–2000), St. Thomas Aquinas College (2000–present), University of the District of Columbia (2011–present), Roberts Wesleyan College (2012–present), Daemen University (2013–present), D'Youville University (2020–present) and College of Staten Island (2020–present).
The ECC has become a lacrosse powerhouse, seeing six ECC teams win the Division II Men's Lacrosse championship over the past 10 years. In addition, at least 1 ECC team has competed in 13 the last 14 championship games. Recent ECC champions include Adelphi (1998, 1999, 2001), C.W. Post (1996, 2006 Tri-Champion), Dowling College (2006 Tri-Champion), NYIT (1997, 2003, 2005, 2008), and Mercyhurst College (2006 Tri-Champion, 2007)
Two changes to the conference membership were announced in the fall of 2018. First, it was announced on October 3, 2018 that Long Island University would unite its two athletic programs—the Division II LIU Post program and Division I program at LIU Brooklyn—into a single Division I program under the overall university name effective in 2019–20.[1] Second, it was announced on December 7, 2018 that beginning with the 2020 season (2019–20 school year), Frostburg State University will join the conference as an associate member in men's lacrosse, contingent on being accepted into Division II by the NCAA.[2]
The next change in conference membership was announced in March 2019, when the College of Staten Island (CSI), preparing to begin a transition from NCAA Division III, was accepted as a member effective with the 2020–21 school year.[3] The following August, Tusculum University was announced as a bowling affiliate, effective in 2019–20.[4] In March 2020, then-current Division III member D'Youville College ("University" since 2022) was announced as a future member effective in 2020–21, contingent on NCAA approval of that school's transition to D-II;[5] the NCAA's acceptance was officially announced on July 10, 2020.[6]
In December 2021, the University of Bridgeport published its acceptance into the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference as its new member for the 2022–23 school year.[7]
Chronological timeline
[edit]- 1989 - The East Coast Conference (ECC) was founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC). Its charter members included Adelphi University, Concordia College of New York, Dowling College, the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University (LIU Post), Mercy College, Molloy College, the New York Institute of Technology (New York Tech or NYIT), Pace University, Queens College and Southampton College of Long Island University, effective beginning the 1989-90 academic year.
- 1991 - The Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (now Thomas Jefferson University) and the College of Saint Rose joined the NYCAC, effective in the 1991-92 academic year.
- 1997 - Pace left the NYCAC to join the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10), effective after the 1996-97 academic year.
- 1997 - The New Jersey Institute of Technology (New Jersey Tech or NJIT) joined the NYCAC, effective in the 1997-98 academic year.
- 2000 - Two institutions left the NYCAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: New Jersey Tech (NJIT) to join the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and Saint Rose to join the NE-10, both effective after the 1999-2000 academic year.
- 2000 - The University of Bridgeport and St. Thomas Aquinas College joined the NYCAC, effective in the 2000-01 academic year.
- 2002 - The University of New Haven joined the NYCAC, effective in the 2002-03 academic year.
- 2005 - Two institutions left the NYCAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Philadelphia to join the CACC, and LIU–Southampton to discontinue its athletic program and close the school, both effective after the 2004-05 academic year.
- 2005 - Mercyhurst University joined the NYCAC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse, effective in the 2006 spring season (2005-06 academic year).
- 2006 - The NYCAC has been renamed as the East Coast Conference (ECC), effective in the 2006-07 academic year.
- 2006 – Dominican College of New York, known since 2022 as Dominican University New York, joined the ECC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse, effective in the 2007 spring season (2006-07 academic year).
- 2008 - Adelphi left the ECC to join the NE-10, effective after the 2007-08 academic year.
- 2009 - Two institutions left the ECC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Adelphi to join the NE-10, and Concordia (N.Y.) to join the CACC, both effective after the 2008-09 academic year.
- 2009 - Four institutions joined the ECC as affiliate members: Chestnut Hill College and Wheeling Jesuit University for only men's lacrosse, Lake Erie College and Seton Hill University for men's and women's lacrosse, all effective in the 2010 spring season (2009-10 academic year).
- 2011 - The University of the District of Columbia joined the ECC, effective in the 2011-12 academic year.
- 2012 - Three institutions left the ECC as affiliate members: Lake Erie and Seton Hill for men's and women's lacrosse for men's lacrosse, and Mercyhurst and Wheeling Jesuit for only men's lacrosse, all effective after the 2012 spring season (2011-12 academic year).
- 2012 - Roberts Wesleyan College joined the ECC, effective in the 2012-13 academic year.
- 2012 - Georgian Court University joined the ECC as an affiliate member for men's & women's indoor track & field, effective in the 2007 spring season (2006-07 academic year).
- 2013 - Daemen College ("University" since 2022) joined the ECC, effective in the 2013-14 academic year.
- 2015 - Felician University, Franklin Pierce University and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania joined the ECC as affiliate members for bowling (with Adelphi re-joining for that sport), effective in the 2016 spring season (2015-16 academic year).
- 2016
- Dowling left the ECC to announce that the school would close, effective after the 2015-16 academic year.
- Three institutions joined the ECC as affiliate members: Holy Family University for men's and women's indoor track & field, and Lincoln Memorial University and Salem University for bowling, all effective in the 2017 spring season (2016-17 academic year).
- 2017
- Three institutions left the ECC as affiliate members: Chestnut Hill and Dominican (N.Y.) for men's lacrosse, and Salem for bowling, all effective after the 2017 spring season (2016-17 academic year).
- Wilmington University of Delaware joined the ECC as an affiliate member for bowling (with Chestnut Hill rejoining for that sport), effective in the 2018 spring season (2017-18 academic year).
- 2018
- Franklin Pierce left the ECC as an affiliate member for bowling, effective after the 2018 spring season (2017-18 academic year).
- Bloomfield College and Caldwell University joined the ECC as affiliate members for bowling, effective in the 2019 spring season (2018-19 academic year).
- 2019
- Long Island University, the parent of LIU Post, announced that it would merge the Post athletic program with the D-I athletic program of its Brooklyn campus after the 2018–19 academic year, creating a D-I program that now competes as the LIU Sharks.
- Three institutions joined the ECC as affiliate members: Frostburg State University for men's lacrosse, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania for baseball and women's soccer, and Tusculum University for bowling, all effective in the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year).
- 2020
- New York Tech (NYIT) left the ECC to announce that the school would suspend its athletic programs until further notice (at least two years), effective after the 2019-20 academic year.
- D'Youville College ("University" since 2022) and the College of Staten Island joined the ECC, effective in the 2020-21 academic year.
- 2021 – Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum left the ECC as affiliate members for bowling, effective after the 2021 spring season (2020-21 academic year).
- 2022
- Bridgeport announced that it would leave the ECC to join the CACC, effective after the 2021-22 academic year.
- Division I member Bryant University[8] and Saint Anselm College joined as affiliate members in bowling, effective with the 2022-23 academic year.
- Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Felician University, and Wilmington University of Delaware left the ECC as affiliate members for bowling when their full-time conference home of the CACC launched a bowling league in the 2022–23 season.
- 2023 – The ECC announced it would sponsor men's volleyball in the 2024 season (2023–24 school year) with four schools, three of which started men's volleyball programs in that season. Full members Roberts Wesleyan and St. Thomas Aquinas were joined by associates American International College and Dominican (NY). Alliance University was originally announced as a fifth sponsoring member, but the university announced it would permanently close on July 1 before they had played a single game. Of these schools, only American International played men's volleyball in the 2023 season.[9]
- 2024
- Lincoln (PA) left the ECC as an affiliate member in baseball and women's soccer, effective after the 2023-24 academic year.
- Mercyhurst left the ECC as an affiliate member for bowling, effective after the 2023-24 academic year.
Member schools
[edit]Current members
[edit]The ECC currently has nine full members, all but three are private schools.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daemen University | Amherst, New York | 1947 | Nonsectarian | 2,642 | Wildcats | 2013 | |
| University of the District of Columbia | Washington, D.C. | 1851 | Public (HBCU) | 3,351 | Firebirds | 2011 | |
| D'Youville University | Buffalo, New York | 1946 | Catholic | 2,524 | Saints | 2020 | |
| Mercy University | Dobbs Ferry, New York | 1950 | Nonsectarian | 8,615 | Mavericks | 1989 | |
| Molloy University | Rockville Centre, New York | 1955 | Catholic | 4,807 | Lions | 1989 | |
| Queens College | Queens, New York | 1937 | Public | 17,001 | Knights | 1989 | |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | Rochester, New York[a] | 1866 | Free Methodist | 1,579 | Redhawks | 2012 | |
| St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, New York | 1952 | Catholic | 2,033 | Spartans | 2000 | |
| College of Staten Island | Staten Island, New York | 1956 | Public | 10,238 | Dolphins | 2020 |
- ^ The Roberts Wesleyan campus has a Rochester mailing address, but is physically located in North Chili, New York.
Affiliate members
[edit]The ECC currently has 8 affiliate members, most of which are private schools.
- Notes
- ^ Adelphi was a full member of the ECC from 1989–90 to 2008–09.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- ^ Dominican previously competed in the ECC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse from 2006–07 to 2016–17.
- ^ Georgian Court also previously competed in the ECC as an affiliate member for women's outdoor track & field during the 2012–13 school year.
Former members
[edit]The ECC had ten former full members, all but one were private schools:
- Notes
- ^ Adelphi remains in the ECC as an affiliate member for bowling.
- ^ Concordia (N.Y.)'s campus was later sold to nearby Iona College, now Iona University.[10]
- ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- ^ Long Island University merged the Post athletic program with the NCAA Division I program of its Brooklyn campus in 2019. The merged program inherited the Division I membership of the Brooklyn campus, and now competes in the Northeast Conference as the LIU Sharks.
- ^ As of July 1, 2022, New York Tech (NYIT) suspended its athletic program after the 2019–20 school year.
- ^ Merged with Thomas Jefferson University, a healthcare-only institution with no athletic program, in 2017. The PhilaU athletic program, now branded as "Jefferson", moved in its entirety to the merged institution.
- ^ LIU Southampton's campus was later sold to Stony Brook University in 2006.[11]
Former affiliate members
[edit]The ECC has 16 former affiliate members, all but one of which are private schools.
- Notes
- ^ Alliance was announced as a men's volleyball associate on May 17, 2023. However, the university later announced it would shut down permanently on September 1, 2023, before they had played a single game in the ECC.
- ^ Known as Dominican University New York since 2022. Joined the ECC for men's volleyball in 2023–24.
- ^ During its tenure as an affiliate member of the ECC, Lake Erie was otherwise an NCAA D-II Independent during the 2009–10 school year, becoming a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in 2010 and remaining in that conference through 2016–17.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- ^ During its tenure as an affiliate member of the ECC, Seton Hill's primary home conference was the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).
- ^ Known as Wheeling University since 2019.
Membership timeline
[edit]
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only) Associate member (sport)
Sports
[edit]The East Coast Conference sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in the following sports:
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  |
|
| Basketball | |
|
| Bowling |
| |
| Cross country | |
|
| Lacrosse | |
|
| Soccer | |
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| Softball |
| |
| Tennis | |
|
| Track & field indoor | |
|
| Track & field outdoor | |
|
| Volleyball | |
|
Men's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country |
Lacrosse | Soccer | Tennis | Track & field indoor |
Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball[a] | Total ECC sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daemen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[b] | 6 | ||
| District of Columbia |
|
|
|
|
4 | |||||
| D'Youville |
|
|
|
|
|
[b] | 5 | |||
| Mercy |
|
|
|
|
4 | |||||
| Molloy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 | ||
| Queens (NY) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 | ||
| Roberts Wesleyan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 | |
| St. Thomas Aquinas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
| Staten Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 | |||
| Totals | 6+1 | 9 | 7 | 6+1 | 9 | 5 | 6+3 | 6 | 2+2 | 56+7 |
| Affiliate members | ||||||||||
| American International |
|
1 | ||||||||
| Dominican (NY) |
|
1 | ||||||||
| Frostburg State |
|
1 | ||||||||
| Georgian Court |
|
1 | ||||||||
| Holy Family |
|
1 | ||||||||
| Post |
|
1 | ||||||||
- ^ De facto Division I sport. The NCAA sponsors a joint men's volleyball championship for Divisions I and II.
- ^ a b Daemen and D'Youville currently play men's volleyball in the Division I Northeast Conference.
Women's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Basketball | Bowling [a] | Cross country |
Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track & field indoor |
Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball | Total ECC sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daemen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 | |
| District of Columbia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 | ||||
| D'Youville |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 | ||
| Mercy |
|
|
|
|
|
5 | |||||
| Molloy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
| Queens (NY) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 | ||
| Roberts Wesleyan |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8 | ||
| St. Thomas Aquinas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
| Staten Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 | |||
| Totals | 9 | 5+5 | 8 | 7 | 8+1 | 6 | 6 | 7+3 | 7 | 8 | 71+9 |
| Affiliate members | |||||||||||
| Adelphi |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Bryant |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Georgian Court |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Holy Family |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Kutztown |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Post |
|
1 | |||||||||
| Saint Anselm |
|
1 | |||||||||
- ^ De facto Division I sport. The NCAA sponsors a single national bowling championship open to members of all three divisions.
Other sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Men | Women | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football[a] | Golf | Swimming & diving |
Fencing [b] | Field Hockey |
Swimming & diving | |||
| Daemen | IND | |||||||
| Mercy | NE-10 | |||||||
| Molloy | CSFL | NE-10 | ||||||
| Queens (NY) | METS | NIWFA | METS | |||||
| Roberts Wesleyan | IND | IND | ||||||
| St. Thomas Aquinas | CSFL | IND | NE-10 | |||||
| Staten Island | NE-10 | NE-10 | ||||||
- ^ Although football is an official NCAA sport, the only ECC members with football programs, Molloy and St. Thomas Aquinas, play sprint football, a weight-restricted variant that is not governed by the NCAA.
- ^ De facto Division I sport. The NCAA conducts a single fencing championship open to members of all three divisions.
References
[edit]- ^ "Long Island University Announces Unification Into One LIU Division I Program" (Press release). LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds. October 3, 2018. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "ECC Adds Frostburg State University as Men's Lacrosse Associate Members". Frostburg State University Athletics (Press release). West Babylon, New York: East Coast Conference. December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
- ^ "ECC Accepts College of Staten Island as League's 10th Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. March 1, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ "Tusculum Joins ECC as Women's Bowling Associate Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. August 23, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "ECC to Add D'Youville as Conference's 11th Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- ^ "Division II Announcement" (Press release). D'Youville Saints. July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ^ "University Of Bridgeport Unanimously Accepted Into The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference". UB Purple Knights. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
- ^ "Women's Bowling set to join ECC as affiliate member" (Press release). Bryant Bulldogs. June 29, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- ^ "ECC to Sponsor Men's Volleyball Beginning in Spring of 2024" (Press release). East Coast Conference. May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ Whitford, Emma (January 29, 2021). "Another Concordia College Closes". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ "Stony Brook University Completes Purchase of Former Southampton College Property". Stony Brook University. October 4, 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2007-07-01.