The America East Conference (AmEast) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I whose members are located in the Northeastern United States. The conference is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1979, the conference has nine core members including eight public research universities, three of which – the University of Maine, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Vermont – are the flagship universities of their states. Two non-flagship university centers of the State University of New York – the University at Albany and Binghamton University – are in the conference along with UMass Lowell, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Bryant University. Bryant is the latest institution to join the conference in 2022, when Stony Brook University and the University of Hartford departed the conference. It is the only private university among the core members.
The America East Conference sponsors 18 sports (8 men's and 10 women's).
History The America East Conference was founded as the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North, a men's basketball-only athletic conference, in 1979. The conference was known as the Eastern College Athletic Conference-North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from 1988 to 1996. The charter members were 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. The America East Conference made history during the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 16, 2018, when No. 16 seed UMBC defeated No. 1 seed Virginia, marking the first time in men's tournament history that a No. 1 seed had lost to a No. 16 seed.
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. The conference became an all-sports conference, named 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; now the Coastal Athletic Association) 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. Boston University left to join the Patriot League on July 1, 2013, while the University of Massachusetts Lowell joined from Division II. In 2020, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) joined from the ASUN Conference. In March 2022, Bryant University accepted an invitation to join the America East Conference, leaving the Northeast Conference. This move took effect on July 1. On July 1, 2022, Stony Brook University left to join the all-sports Colonial Athletic Association (now the Coastal Athletic Association); it had been a member of the CAA's technically separate football arm, CAA Football, since 2013. Then-current field hockey associate Monmouth left to join the CAA, which sponsors that sport. In 2022, the University of Hartford left the conference during its transition down to Division III. At the time this move was announced, the school's departure from the conference had been planned for 2023, but this was eventually changed to 2022.
On May 6, 2021, Hartford's governing board voted to begin the process of transitioning the school from Division I to NCAA Division III. Under the plan, Hartford would formally apply to the NCAA for reclassification in January 2022, stop awarding athletic scholarships to incoming students from 2022–23 forward, and join an as-yet-undetermined D-III conference in 2023 before becoming a full D-III member in 2025–26.
Several media reports indicated that Hartford's last year in the American East Conference would be the 2021–22 season. This was confirmed on June 21, 2022, when the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC; now known as the Conference of New England) announced that it would be Hartford's partner in the school's reclassification process, with the Hawks joining that league effective in 2023–24. Hartford played most of its sports in the 2022–23 season as a D-I independent.
At the time, Hartford was the only private university in the conference; this status transferred to Bryant when it joined in July 2022.
On July 20, 2022, the conference announced that Merrimack College would join as a men's lacrosse member for the 2022–23 season.
Member schools Current full members Institution Location Founded Type CarnegieClassification Endowment Enrollment Nickname JoinedColors Albany, New York 1844 Public R1 $197.3 17,426 Great Danes 2001 Binghamton University Vestal, New York 1946 Public R1 $250.7 18,652 Bearcats 2001 Bryant University Smithfield, Rhode Island 1863 Private Spec/Bus $249.3 4,053 Bulldogs 2022 Orono, Maine 1865 Public R1 $442.2 11,601 Black Bears 1979 Catonsville, Maryland 1966 Public R1 $179.1 13,530 Retrievers 2003 Lowell, Massachusetts 1894 Public R1 $200.0 16,826 River Hawks 2013 Durham, New Hampshire 1866 Public R1 $1,060 13,041 Wildcats 1979 Newark, New Jersey 1881 Public R1 $203.4 12,309 Highlanders 2020 University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont 1791 Public R1 $896.0 14,425 Catamounts 1979
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Former full members Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Colors Currentconference Boston University Boston, Massachusetts 1839 Nonsectarian Terriers 1979 2013 Patriot Canisius College Buffalo, New York 1870 Catholic Golden Griffins 1979 1989 Metro Colgate University Hamilton, New York 1819 Nonsectarian Raiders 1979 1990 Patriot Newark, Delaware 1743 Private &Public Fightin'Blue Hens 1991 2001 Conf. USA (CUSA) Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1891 Nonsectarian Dragons 1991 2001 Coastal (CAA) West Hartford, Connecticut 1877 Nonsectarian Hawks 1984 2022 C. New England (CNE) Hofstra University Hempstead, New York 1935 Nonsectarian Pride 1994 2001 Coastal (CAA) Worcester, Massachusetts 1843 Catholic Crusaders 1979 1983 Patriot Niagara University Niagara University, New York 1856 Catholic Purple Eagles 1979 1989 Metro Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts 1898 Nonsectarian Huskies 1979 2005 Coastal (CAA) Kingston, Rhode Island 1888 Public Rams 1979 1980 Atlantic 10 (A-10) Siena College Loudonville, New York 1937 Catholic Saints 1984 1989 Metro Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York 1957 Public Seawolves 2001 2022 Coastal (CAA) Towson University Towson, Maryland 1866 Public Tigers 1995 2001 Coastal (CAA)
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Former associate members Ten schools have had single-sport membership in the past. Three of these, Fairfield, Monmouth, and Providence, moved their America East sports into their all-sports conferences. Another such school, NJIT, left when it joined a conference that sponsored its America East sport, but returned as a full member in July 2020 (by which time the AmEast had dropped that sport). Pacific dropped its America East sport following the 2018–19 academic year due to budget cuts. Merrimack College dropped its America East sport following the 2023–24 academic year when the school joined the MAAC. Both Stanford and Cal moved their America East sports into the ACC following the 2023–24 academic year when both of the schools joined the conference.
Institution Location Founded Nickname Joined Left Colors AmEastsport(s) Primaryconference Conferencein formerAmEast sport(s) Fairfield University Fairfield, Connecticut 1942 Stags 2007 2015 Field hockey Metro Coastal (CAA) Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts 1947 Warriors 2022 2024 Men's lacrosse Metro Monmouth University West Long Branch, New Jersey 1933 Hawks 2019 2022 Field hockey Coastal (CAA) New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey 1881 Highlanders 2013 2015 Women's tennis America East (AmEast) Southland (SLC) Providence College Providence, Rhode Island 1917 Friars 2010 2014 Women's volleyball Big East Quinnipiac University Hamden, Connecticut 1929 Bobcats 2001 2005 Men's lacrosse Metro Stanford University Stanford, California 1891 Cardinal 2015 2024 Field hockey Atlantic Coast (ACC) Davis, California 1905 Aggies 2015 2025 Field hockey Mountain West (MW) Mountain Pacific (MPSF) Berkeley, California 1868 Golden Bears 2015 2024 Field hockey Atlantic Coast (ACC) Stockton, California 1851 Tigers 2015 2019 Field hockey West Coast (WCC) N/A Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia 1839 Keydets 2017 2026 Men's swimming & diving Southern (SoCon) NEC Women's swimming & diving
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Membership timeline
Facilities AlbanyBob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium8,500SEFCU Arena4,538Varsity FieldJohn Fallon Field Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium2,500 8,500BinghamtonBearcats Sports Complex2,534Binghamton University Events Center5,142Baseball Complex1,000Bearcats Sports Complex2,534Bryant Beirne Stadium 5,500 Chace Athletic Center 2,700 Conaty Park 500 Beirne Stadium 5,500MaineMahaney Diamond4,400Cross Insurance Center8,000Mahaney Diamond4,400colspan=2 rowspan=2 New HampshireWildcat Stadium11,015Lundholm Gym3,500colspan=2 NJITLubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium1,000Wellness and Events Center3,500Yogi Berra Stadium5,000Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium1,000UMass LowellCushing Field ComplexN/ATsongas CenterCostello Athletic Center6,4952,100Edward A. LeLacheur Park4,767Cushing Field ComplexN/AUMBCRetriever Soccer Park1,500Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena5,000The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC1,000UMBC Stadium4,500 VermontVirtue Field2,600Patrick Gym3,228colspan=2 Virtue Field2,600
Commissioner Cup The Commissioner Cup is awarded annually to the best athletic program in the conference. +Commissioner Cup Championships by SchoolBoston12Delaware10Albany9Binghamton2Stony Brook2Bryant1Vermont1
YearWinnerRunner-up2026VermontBryant2025BryantAlbany2024BinghamtonAlbany2024BinghamtonAlbany2022AlbanyVermont2021Stony BrookAlbany2020Not awarded2019Stony BrookAlbany2018AlbanyStony Brook2017AlbanyStony Brook2016AlbanyStony Brook2015AlbanyStony Brook2014AlbanyStony Brook2013AlbanyStony Brook2012BostonAlbany
YearWinnerRunner-up2011BostonAlbany2010BostonStony Brook2009BostonAlbany2008BostonAlbany2007BostonAlbany2006BostonBinghamton2005AlbanyBoston2004BostonMaine2003BostonNew Hampshire2002BostonNew Hampshire2001DelawareHofstra2000DelawareBoston1999DelawareNew Hampshire1998DelawareBoston1997DelawareBoston
YearWinnerRunner-up1996Delaware1995Delaware1994Delaware1993Delaware1992Delaware1991Boston1990Boston
Sports sponsored The America East Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports. The most recent changes to the roster of America East sports were announced in 2016, with the dropping of women's tennis after the 2015–16 season due to a lack of sponsoring teams and the revival of men's swimming and diving effective in the 2017–18 school year.
+ Teams in America East Conference competitionSportMen'sWomen'sBaseballBasketballCross countryField hockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimming & DivingTrack and Field (Indoor)Track and Field (outdoor)Volleyball
Men's sports
+Men's sponsored sports by school School Baseball Basketball Cross Country Lacrosse Soccer Swimming & Diving Track & Field(indoor) Track & Field (outdoor) TotalSports Albany 7 Binghamton 8 Bryant 8 Maine 6 New Hampshire 5 NJIT 8 UMass Lowell 7 UMBC 8 Vermont 6 Totals 7 9 9 7 8 5 9 9 63
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