East Coast Conference

East Coast Conference
East Coast Conference
ECC
Established	1989
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	10 (9 in 2022)
Sports fielded	18 men's: 8; women's: 10; ;
Region	Northeastern United States
Headquarters	Central Islip, New York
Commissioner	Robert Dranoff (since 2008)
Website	eccsports.org
Locations

The East Coast Conference (ECC) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II. Member institutions are located in the northeastern United States in the states of Connecticut and New York, as well as the District of Columbia.

History[]

[Interactive fullscreen map]

Location of ECC members:

full

The East Coast Conference was founded in 1989 as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference. 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)
Molloy College (1989–present)
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) (1989–2020)
Pace University (1989–1997)
Queens College (1989–present)
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 College (2013–present)
D'Youville College (2020–present)
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 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]

Member schools[]

Current members[]

Reclassifying members in yellow.

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined
University of Bridgeport	Bridgeport, Connecticut	1927	Private (Nonsectarian)	5,543	Purple Knights	2000
Daemen College	Amherst, New York	1947	Private (Nonsectarian)	2,100	Wildcats	2013
University of the District of Columbia	Washington, D.C.	1851	Public	5,471	Firebirds	2011
D'Youville College	Buffalo, New York	1946	Private (Catholic)	2,900	Saints	2020
Mercy College	Dobbs Ferry, New York	1950	Private (Nonsectarian)	10,000	Mavericks	1989
Molloy College	Rockville Centre, New York	1955	Private (Catholic)	3,533	Lions	1989
Queens College	Flushing, New York	1937	Public	17,639	Knights	1989
Roberts Wesleyan College	Rochester, New York	1866	Private (Free Methodist)	2,000	Redhawks	2012
St. Thomas Aquinas College	Sparkill, New York	1952	Private (Catholic)	2,400	Spartans	2000
College of Staten Island	Staten Island, New York	1956	Public	13,798	Dolphins	2020

Affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	ECC sport	Primary conference
Adelphi University	Garden City, New York	1896	Private (Nonsectarian)	8,110	Panthers	2015–16^[a]	bowling	Northeast-10
Bloomfield College	Bloomfield, New Jersey	1868	Private (Presbyterian)	2,100	Bears	2018–19	bowling	CACC
Caldwell University	Caldwell, New Jersey	1939	Private (Catholic)	1,800	Cougars	2018–19	bowling	CACC
Chestnut Hill College	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1924	Private (Catholic)	2,301	Griffins	2017–18	bowling	CACC
Felician University	Rutherford, New Jersey	1923	Private (Catholic)	2,109	Golden Falcons	2015–16	bowling	CACC
Frostburg State University^[b]	Frostburg, Maryland	1898	Public	5,215	Bobcats	2019–20	lacrosse (M)	Mountain East
Georgian Court University	Lakewood, New Jersey	1908	Private (Catholic)	3,153	Lions	2012–13^m.i.t.f. 2013–14^w.i.t.f.	track & field indoor (M) track & field indoor (W)^[c]	CACC
Holy Family University	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1954	Private (Catholic)	2,100	Tigers	2016–17^m.i.t.f. 2016–17^w.i.t.f.	track & field indoor (M) track & field indoor (W)	CACC
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	Kutztown, Pennsylvania	1866	Public (PASSHE)	10,634	Golden Bears	2015–16	bowling	PSAC
Lincoln University	Chester County, Pennsylvania	1854	State-related (HBCU)	2,376	Lions	2019–20^bs. 2019–20^w.soc.	baseball soccer (W)	CIAA
Mercyhurst University^[d]	Erie, Pennsylvania	1926	Private (Catholic)	3,217	Lakers	2019–20	bowling	PSAC
Wilmington University	New Castle, Delaware	1968	Private (Nonsectarian)	3,300	Wildcats	2017–18	bowling	CACC

Notes

^ Adelphi was a full member of the ECC from 1989–90 to 2008–09.
^ Currently reclassifying from NCAA Division III.
^ Georgian Court was also an affiliate in women's outdoor track & field in the 2012–13 school year.
^ Mercyhurst was in the ECC as an affiliate member in men's lacrosse from 2005–06 to 2011–12.

Future affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joining	ECC sport	Primary conference
Saint Anselm College	Goffstown, New Hampshire	1889	Private (Benedictines\|Catholic)	1,945	Hawks		2022–23	bowling	Northeast-10

Former members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Nickname	Joined	Left	Current conference
Concordia College	Bronxville, New York	1881	Private (Lutheran LCMS)	Clippers	1989	2009	Closed in 2021^[a]
Dowling College	Oakdale, New York	1963	Private (Nonsectarian)	Golden Lions	1989	2016	Closed in 2016
Long Island University–Post	Brookville, New York	1954	Private (Nonsectarian)	Pioneers	1989	2019	NEC (NCAA D-I, as LIU Sharks) ^[b]
University of New Haven	West Haven, Connecticut	1920	Private (Nonsectarian)	Chargers	2002	2008	Northeast-10
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Newark, New Jersey	1881	Public	Highlanders	1997	2000	America East (NCAA D-I)
New York Institute of Technology	Old Westbury, New York	1955	Private (Nonsectarian)	Bears	1989	2020	Suspended athletics
Pace University	New York City, New York	1906	Private (Nonsectarian)	Setters	1989	1997	Northeast-10
Philadelphia University^[c]	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1884	Private (Nonsectarian)	Rams	1991	2005	CACC
College of Saint Rose	Albany, New York	1920	Private (Catholic)	Golden Knights	1991	2000	Northeast-10
Southampton College of Long Island University	Southampton, New York	1963	Private (Nonsectarian)	Colonials	1989	2005	Closed in 2005

Notes

^ Concordia's campus was later sold to nearby Iona College.^[8]
^ Long Island University merged the LIU Post athletic program with the Division I program of its Brooklyn campus after the 2018–19 school year. The new athletic program, competing as the LIU Sharks, inherited Brooklyn's memberships in Division I and the Northeast Conference.
^ 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.

Former affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Nickname	Joined	Left	ECC sport	Primary conference
Chestnut Hill College	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1924	Private (Catholic)	Griffins	2009–10	2016–17	lacrosse (M)	CACC
Dominican College	Orangeburg, New York	1952	Private (Catholic)	Chargers	2006–07	2016–17	lacrosse (M)	CACC
Franklin Pierce University	Rindge, New Hampshire	1962	Private (Nonsectarian)	Ravens	2015–16	2017–18	bowling	Northeast-10
Lake Erie College	Painesville, Ohio	1856	Private (Nonsectarian)	Storm	2009–10	2011–12	lacrosse (M); lacrosse (W)	G-MAC
Lincoln Memorial University	Harrogate, Tennessee	1897	Private (Nonsectarian)	Railsplitters	2016–17	2020–21	bowling	South Atlantic
Mercyhurst University^[a]	Erie, Pennsylvania	1926	Private (Catholic)	Lakers	2005–06	2011–12	lacrosse (M)	PSAC
Salem University	Salem, West Virginia	1888	Private (For-profit)	Tigers	2016–17	2016–17	bowling	Independent
Seton Hill University	Greensburg, Pennsylvania	1883	Private (Catholic)	Griffins	2009–10	2011–12	lacrosse (M); lacrosse (W)	PSAC
Tusculum University	Tusculum, Tennessee	1794	Private (Presbyterian)	Pioneers	2019–20	2020–21	bowling	South Atlantic
Wheeling Jesuit University^[b]	Wheeling, West Virginia	1954	Private (Catholic)	Cardinals	2009–10	2011–12	lacrosse (M)	Mountain East

Notes

^ Mercyhurst remains in the ECC as an affiliate member in bowling.
^ Known as Wheeling University since 2019.

Membership timeline[]

Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only) Associate member (sport)

Sports[]

The East Coast Conference sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in the following sports:

**Conference sports**
Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Bowling		Y
Cross xountry	Y	Y
Lacrosse	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & field indoor	Y	Y
Track & field outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's sponsored sports by school[]

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross country	Lacrosse	Soccer	Tennis	Track & field indoor	Track & field outdoor	Total ECC sports
Bridgeport	Y	Y	Y		Y				4
Daemen		Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	6
District of Columbia		Y		Y	Y	Y			4
D'Youville	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y				5
Mercy	Y	Y		Y	Y				4
Molloy	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	7
Queens	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Roberts Wesleyan		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
St. Thomas Aquinas	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Staten Island	Y	Y	Y		Y		Y	Y	6
Totals	7	10	8	6	10	5	6	6	58
Affiliate members
Frostburg State				Y					1
Georgian Court							Y		1
Holy Family							Y		1
Lincoln (PA)	Y								1

Women's sponsored sports by school[]

School	Basketball	Bowling ^[a]	Cross country	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Tennis	Track & field indoor	Track & field outdoor	Volleyball	Total ECC sports
Bridgeport	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y				Y	6
Daemen	Y	Y	Y		Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	8
District of Columbia	Y		Y	Y			Y	Y	Y		6
D'Youville	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y			Y	8
Mercy	Y			Y	Y	Y				Y	5
Molloy	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
Queens	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Roberts Wesleyan	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y	8
St. Thomas Aquinas	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		9
Staten Island	Y		Y		Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	7
Totals	10	5	9	8	9	7	6	7	7	8	76
Affiliate members
Adelphi		Y									1
Bloomfield		Y									1
Caldwell		Y									1
Chestnut Hill		Y									1
Felician		Y									1
Georgian Court								Y			1
Holy Family								Y			1
Kutztown		Y									1
Lincoln (PA)					Y						1
Mercyhurst		Y									1
Wilmington		Y									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[]

School	Men					Women
School	Football^[a]	Golf	Swimming & diving	Volleyball ^[b]	Wrestling	Fencing ^[b]	Field Hockey	Golf	Gymnastics ^[b]	Rowing	Swimming & diving
Bridgeport			METS						ECAC		METS
Daemen		IND		IND
D'Youville				IND
Mercy							ECAC
Molloy							IND
Queens			METS			NIWFA					METS
Roberts Wesleyan			IND								IND
St. Thomas Aquinas	CSFL	IND					IND
Staten Island			METS								METS

^ Although football is an official NCAA sport, the only ECC member with a football program, St. Thomas Aquinas, plays sprint football, a weight-restricted variant that is not governed by the NCAA.
^ ^a ^b ^c De facto Division I sport. The NCAA conducts a combined Division I/II championship in men's volleyball, and a single championship open to members of all three divisions in fencing and women's gymnastics.

References[]

^ "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. 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.
^ Whitford, Emma (January 29, 2021). "Another Concordia College Closes". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved April 2, 2021.

External links[]

Official website

[8] Adelphi was a full member of the ECC from 1989–90 to 2008–09.

[9] Currently reclassifying from NCAA Division III.

[10] Georgian Court was also an affiliate in women's outdoor track & field in the 2012–13 school year.

[11] Mercyhurst was in the ECC as an affiliate member in men's lacrosse from 2005–06 to 2011–12.

[13] Concordia's campus was later sold to nearby Iona College.^[8]

[14] Long Island University merged the LIU Post athletic program with the Division I program of its Brooklyn campus after the 2018–19 school year. The new athletic program, competing as the LIU Sharks, inherited Brooklyn's memberships in Division I and the Northeast Conference.

[15] 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.

[16] Mercyhurst remains in the ECC as an affiliate member in bowling.

[17] Known as Wheeling University since 2019.

[18] De facto Division I sport. The NCAA sponsors a single national bowling championship open to members of all three divisions.

[19] Although football is an official NCAA sport, the only ECC member with a football program, St. Thomas Aquinas, plays sprint football, a weight-restricted variant that is not governed by the NCAA.

[DI-20] De facto Division I sport. The NCAA conducts a combined Division I/II championship in men's volleyball, and a single championship open to members of all three divisions in fencing and women's gymnastics.

[1] "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.

[2] "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.

[3] "ECC Accepts College of Staten Island as League's 10th Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. March 1, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2019.

[4] "Tusculum Joins ECC as Women's Bowling Associate Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. August 23, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.

[5] "ECC to Add D'Youville as Conference's 11th Member" (Press release). East Coast Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.

[6] "Division II Announcement" (Press release). D'Youville Saints. July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.

[7] "University Of Bridgeport Unanimously Accepted Into The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference". UB Purple Knights. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.

[12] Whitford, Emma (January 29, 2021). "Another Concordia College Closes". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved April 2, 2021.

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v t East Coast Conference
Current full members	Bridgeport Purple Knights (leaving in 2022) Daemen Wildcats District of Columbia Firebirds D'Youville Saints Mercy Mavericks Molloy Lions Queens Knights Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans Staten Island Dolphins
Future full members	None
Current bowling affiliates	Adelphi Panthers Bloomfield Bears Caldwell Cougars Chestnut Hill Griffins Felician Golden Falcons Kutztown Golden Bears Mercyhurst Lakers Wilmington Wildcats
Current indoor track & field affiliates	Georgian Court Lions Holy Family Tigers
Current men's lacrosse affiliate	Frostburg State Bobcats
Current baseball and women's soccer affiliate	Lincoln Lions
Former full members	Concordia Clippers Dowling Golden Lions LIU Post Pioneers New Haven Chargers NJIT Highlanders New York Tech Bears Pace Setters Philadelphia Rams Saint Rose Golden Knights Southampton Colonials
Former affiliate members	Chestnut Hill Griffins (men's lacrosse) Dominican Chargers (men's lacrosse) Franklin Pierce Ravens (bowling) Lake Erie Storm (men's and women's lacrosse) Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (bowling) Mercyhurst Lakers (men's lacrosse) Salem Tigers (bowling) Seton Hill Griffins (men's and women's lacrosse) Tusculum Pioneers (bowling) Wheeling Cardinals (men's lacrosse)

v NCAA Division II all-sports conferences
Atlantic	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Independent — Bluefield State College Salem University
Central	Great American Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
East	Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference East Coast Conference Northeast-10 Conference
Midwest	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Great Midwest Athletic Conference
South	Gulf South Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sunshine State Conference
South Central	Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Southeast	Conference Carolinas Peach Belt Conference South Atlantic Conference
West	California Collegiate Athletic Association Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pacific West Conference
Division II	Independents