Little East Conference

Little East Conference
(LEC)
Established 1986
Association NCAA
Division Division III
Members 8
Sports fielded 19 (men's: 8; women's: 11)
Region New England
Headquarters North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Commissioner Cora H. Brumley (since November 18, 2013)
Website www.littleeast.com
Locations

The Little East Conference (LEC) is an NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletic conference. The member institutions are located in the U.S. states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

History

The Little East Conference officially began on April 28, 1986 as a playing conference for men's and women's basketball among six New England institutions: Eastern Connecticut State University, Plymouth State College (now Plymouth State University), Rhode Island College, Southeastern Massachusetts University (now University of Massachusetts Dartmouth), the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Southern Maine. From the beginning, the conference was officially recognized by the NCAA.

The number of sports contested in the conference has grown to include men's and women's soccer, baseball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track, men's and women's outdoor track, men's lacrosse, softball, swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis and volleyball, as well as the original men's and women's basketball. The number of participating institutions rose to seven with the addition of Western Connecticut State University in 1993-94 and then to eight for the 1997-98 year as Keene State College joined.

Since the inception of the Little East Conference, baseball has been the conference's most recognizable sport. Two conference teams, Eastern Connecticut State University and the University of Southern Maine, have won a combined six Division III National Titles. Each year various conference teams are generally recognized in National top 25 polls as well as New England regional polls.

Current members

Full members

The league currently has eight full members:

Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined
Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, Connecticut Warriors 1889 Public 5,113 1986
Keene State College Keene, New Hampshire Owls 1909 Public 6,400 1997
Plymouth State University Plymouth, New Hampshire Panthers 1871 Public 6,738 1986
Rhode Island College Providence, Rhode Island Anchormen 1854 Public 9,000 1986
University of Massachusetts Boston Boston, Massachusetts Beacons 1852 Public 15,741 1986
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts Corsairs 1895 Public 9,432 1986
University of Southern Maine Gorham, Maine
Lewiston, Maine
Portland, Maine		 Huskies 1878 Public 10,974 1986
Western Connecticut State University Danbury, Connecticut Colonials 1903 Public 6,001 1993

Associate members

Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Primary
Conference		 LEC Sport
Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, Massachusetts Bears 1840 Public 11,201 MASCAC field hockey
tennis
women's swimming
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, Massachusetts Falcons 1894 Public 5,201 MASCAC field hockey
Framingham State University Framingham, Massachusetts Rams 1839 Public 5,903 MASCAC field hockey
Salem State University Salem, Massachusetts Vikings 1854 Public 10,125 MASCAC field hockey
men's lacrosse
tennis
Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts Owls 1838 Public 5,500 MASCAC field hockey
women's swimming
Worcester State University Worcester, Massachusetts Lancers 1874 Public 5,470 MASCAC field hockey
tennis

Membership timeline

Keene State College Western Connecticut State University University of Southern Maine Rhode Island College Plymouth State College University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth University of Massachusetts–Boston Eastern Connecticut State University

Sports

The LEC sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women’s soccer, women's softball, women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and women's volleyball.

Conference facilities

School Baseball stadium Softball stadium Basketball arena Capacity
Eastern Connecticut Eastern Baseball Stadium Spector Field Geissler Gymnasium 3,300
Keene State Owl Athletic Complex Owl Athletic Complex Spaulding Gymnasium 2,000
Plymouth State Panther Park D&M Park Foley Gymnasium 2,000
Rhode Island College RIC Baseball Complex Dayna A. Bazar Memorial Softball Field The Murray Center 2,500
Southern Maine Towers Fields Towers Fields Warren G. Hill Gymnasium 1,400
UMass Boston Monan Park Clark Athletic Center Clark Athletic Center 3,500
UMass Dartmouth UMass Dartmouth Athletic Field UMass Dartmouth Athletic Field Tripp Athletic Center 3,000
Western Connecticut Westside Field Westside Field Feldman Arena 2,800

National champions

The following conference members have won NCAA National Championships:

The Little East Commissioner's Cup

Each year since 2001 at the end of the school year the Conference awards the annual Commissioner's Cup. The Commissioner's Cup measures an institution's overall performance in the 19 sports sponsored by the Little East Conference. For sports in which the conference conducts in-season play, point totals are determined by the order of finish in the final regular season standings with bonus points awarded to the champion of the ensuing postseason conference championship tournament. For sports that do not conduct in-season play (cross country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and swimming and diving) points are awarded based on the order of finish in the conference championship meet.

Since the inaugural Commissioner's Cup has been awarded, Keene State College has won all 10 trophies.

References

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