America East Conference
US collegiate athletic conference
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
North Atlantic Conference (1988–1996)
| |
| Formerly | Eastern College Athletic Conference-North (1979–1988) North Atlantic Conference (1988–1996) |
|---|---|
| Association | NCAA |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Commissioner | Brad Walker (since 2021) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | non-football |
| No. of teams | 9 full (1 associate) |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Region | Northeastern United States Mid-Atlantic (United States) |
| Broadcaster | ESPN |
| Official website | www |
| Locations | |
 | |
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.[1]
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,[2] while the University of Massachusetts Lowell joined from Division II.[3][4]
- In 2020, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) joined from the ASUN Conference.[5]
- 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.[6][7]
- 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,[8] 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.[8][9]
Several media reports indicated that Hartford's last year in the American East Conference would be the 2021–22 season. [10] 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.[11]
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.[12]
Member schools
Current full members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Carnegie Classification |
Endowment (millions) |
Enrollment | Nickname | Joined[a] | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University at Albany, SUNY[b] (UAlbany) |
Albany, New York | 1844 | Public | R1 | $197.3 | 17,746 | Great Danes | 2001 | |
| Binghamton University[c] | Vestal, New York | 1946 | Public | R1 | $250.7 | 17,768 | Bearcats | 2001 | |
| Bryant University | Smithfield, Rhode Island | 1863 | Nonsectarian | M1 | $249.3 | 3,751 | Bulldogs | 2022 | |
| University of Maine | Orono, Maine | 1865 | Public | R1 | $442.2 | 11,404 | Black Bears | 1979 | |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) |
Catonsville, Maryland | 1966 | Public | R1 | $179.1 | 13,767 | Retrievers | 2003 | |
| University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) |
Lowell, Massachusetts | 1894 | Public | R1 | $173 | 18,369 | River Hawks | 2013 | |
| University of New Hampshire | Durham, New Hampshire | 1866 | Public | R1 | $1,060 | 15,400 | Wildcats | 1979 | |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) |
Newark, New Jersey | 1881 | Public | R1 | $203.5 | 12,332 | Highlanders | 2020 | |
| University of Vermont | Burlington, Vermont | 1791 | Public | R1 | $896 | 12,164 | Catamounts | 1979 |
- Notes
Associate members
One school currently holds associate membership:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined[a] | Colors | AmEast sport |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Military Institute (VMI) |
Lexington, Virginia | 1839 | S.M.C. | 1,653 | Keydets | 2017[b] | Men's swimming & diving | Southern (SoCon) | |
| 2017[b] | Women's swimming & diving |
- Notes
- Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- Virginia Military Institute (VMI) joined in men's and women's swimming & diving starting with the 2017–18 school year.[13]
Former full members
- Notes
- Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
- Historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
- Currently known as Canisius University since 2023.
- The Hartford men's basketball team joined the America East a year after it became a full member for other sports (1985–86).
- Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
- Currently known as Siena University since 2025.
- Also known as the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Former associate members
Ten schools have had single-sport membership in the past. Three of these, Fairfield,[14] Monmouth, and Providence,[15] 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,[16] 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.[17] Merrimack College dropped its America East sport following the 2023–24 academic year when the school joined the MAAC.[18] 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.[19]
- Notes
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (basketball only) Associate member (list sports) Other Conference Other Conference
Facilities
| School | Soccer stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball field | Capacity | Lacrosse facility | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium | 8,500 | SEFCU Arena | 4,538 | Varsity Field | N/a | John Fallon Field Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium |
2,500 8,500 |
| Binghamton | Bearcats Sports Complex | 2,534 | Binghamton University Events Center | 5,142 | Baseball Complex | 1,000 | Bearcats Sports Complex | 2,534 |
| Bryant | Beirne Stadium | 5,500 | Chace Athletic Center | 2,700 | Conaty Park | 500 | Beirne Stadium | 5,500 |
| Maine | Mahaney Diamond | 4,400 | Cross Insurance Center | 8,000 | Mahaney Diamond | 4,400 | Non-lacrosse school | |
| New Hampshire | Wildcat Stadium | 11,015 | Lundholm Gym | 3,500 | Non-baseball school | |||
| NJIT | Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium | 1,000 | Wellness and Events Center | 3,500 | Yogi Berra Stadium | 5,000 | Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium | 1,000 |
| UMass Lowell | Cushing Field Complex | N/A | Tsongas Center Costello Athletic Center |
6,495 2,100 |
Edward A. LeLacheur Park | 4,767 | Cushing Field Complex | N/A |
| UMBC | Retriever Soccer Park | 1,500 | Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena | 5,000 | The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC | 1,000 | UMBC Stadium | 4,500 |
| Vermont | Virtue Field | 2,600 | Patrick Gym | 3,228 | Non-baseball school | Virtue Field | 2,600 | |
Sports sponsored
The America East Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[20] 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.[13]
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 7 | – |
| Basketball | 9 | 9 |
| Cross Country | 9 | 9 |
| Field Hockey | – | 8 |
| Lacrosse | 7 | 7 |
| Soccer | 8 | 9 |
| Softball | – | 6 |
| Swimming & Diving | 6 | 7 |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | 9 | 9 |
| Track and Field (outdoor) | 9 | 9 |
| Volleyball | – | 6 |
Men's sports
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Lacrosse | Soccer | Swimming & Diving | Track & Field (indoor) | Track & Field (outdoor) | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Binghamton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Bryant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| New Hampshire | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 5 |
| NJIT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| UMass Lowell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| UMBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Vermont | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| Totals | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5+1 | 9 | 9 | 63+1 |
| Associate Members | |||||||||
| VMI | Yes | 1 | |||||||
- Notes
| School | Fencing | Football | Golf | Ice Hockey | Skiing | Tennis | Volleyball | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | No | CAA Football | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Binghamton | No | No | NEC | No | No | NEC | No | EIWA |
| Bryant | No | CAA Football | OVC | No | No | Big South | No | No |
| Maine | No | CAA Football | No | Hockey East | No | No | No | No |
| New Hampshire | No | CAA Football | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
| NJIT | MACFA | No | No | No | No | Big South | EIVA | No |
| UMass Lowell | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | No | No | No |
| Vermont | No | No | No | Hockey East | EISA | No | No | No |
Women's sports
| School | Basketball | Cross Country | Field Hockey | Lacrosse | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Track & Field (indoor) | Track & Field (outdoor) | Volleyball | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Binghamton | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Bryant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 8 |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| NJIT | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| UMass Lowell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | 8 |
| UMBC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 8 |
| Totals | 9 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6+1 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 76+1 |
| Associate members | |||||||||||
| VMI | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
- Notes
| School | Bowling | Fencing | Golf | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Skiing | Tennis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | No | No | MAAC | No | No | CAA | No | No |
| Binghamton | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | NEC |
| Bryant | ECC | No | OVC | No | No | CAA | No | OVC |
| Maine | No | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | No | No |
| New Hampshire | No | No | No | EAGL | Hockey East | No | EISA | No |
| NJIT | No | MACFA | No | No | No | No | No | Big South |
| Vermont | No | No | No | No | Hockey East | No | EISA | No |
NCAA team championships
| School | Total | Men | Women | Co-ed | Nickname | Most successful sport (Titles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Catamounts | Men’s Soccer |
On December 16, 2024, the Vermont men’s soccer team won the Men’s D1 National Soccer Championship, becoming the first America East school to win a national title in a sport sponsored by the conference.
Men's basketball
All-time school record by winning percentage
This list goes through the 2024–25 season.
| No. | Team | Records | Win Pct. | America East Tournament Championships | America East Regular Season Championships | Final Fours | National Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | 1,379–1,082 | .560 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Vermont | 1,404–1,175 | .544 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | UMass Lowell | 756–688 | .524 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Bryant | 849–925 | .479 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Maine | 1,073–1,363 | .440 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | UMBC | 665–951 | .412 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Binghamton | 760–1,156 | .397 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,002–1,570 | .390 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | NJIT | 413–715 | .366 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| * | Denotes a tie for regular season conference title |
| † | Denotes game went into overtime |
List of regular season champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1979–80* | Boston Northeastern |
19–7 |
| 1980–81 | Northeastern | 21–5 |
| 1981–82 | Northeastern | 8–1 |
| 1982–83* | Boston New Hampshire |
8–2 |
| 1983–84 | Northeastern | 14–0 |
| 1984–85* | Canisius Northeastern |
13–3 |
| 1985–86 | Northeastern | 16–2 |
| 1986–87 | Northeastern | 17–1 |
| 1987–88 | Siena | 16–2 |
| 1988–89 | Siena | 16–1 |
| 1989–90* | Northeastern Boston |
9–3 |
| 1990–91 | Northeastern | 8–2 |
| 1991–92 | Delaware | 14–0 |
| 1992–93* | Drexel Northeastern |
12–2 |
| 1993–94 | Drexel | 12–2 |
| 1994–95 | Drexel | 12–4 |
| 1995–96 | Drexel | 17–1 |
| 1996–97 | Boston | 17–1 |
| 1997–98* | Delaware Boston |
12–6 |
| 1998–99* | Delaware Drexel |
15–3 |
| 1999–00 | Hofstra | 16–2 |
| 2000–01 | Hofstra | 16–2 |
| 2001–02* | Vermont Boston |
13–3 |
| 2002–03 | Boston | 13–3 |
| 2003–04 | Boston | 17–1 |
| 2004–05 | Vermont | 16–2 |
| 2005–06 | Albany | 13–3 |
| 2006–07 | Vermont | 15–1 |
| 2007–08 | UMBC | 13–3 |
| 2008–09* | Binghamton Vermont |
13–3 |
| 2009–10 | Stony Brook | 13–3 |
| 2010–11 | Vermont | 13–3 |
| 2011–12 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
| 2012–13 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
| 2013–14 | Vermont | 15–1 |
| 2014–15 | Albany | 15–1 |
| 2015–16 | Stony Brook | 14–2 |
| 2016–17 | Vermont | 16–0 |
| 2017–18 | Vermont | 15–1 |
| 2018–19 | Vermont | 14–2 |
| 2019–20 | Vermont | 14–2 |
| 2020–21* | UMBC Vermont |
10–4 |
| 2021–22 | Vermont | 17–1 |
| 2022–23 | Vermont | 14–2 |
| 2023–24 | Vermont | 15–1 |
| 2024–25 | Bryant | 14–2 |
| 2025–26 | UMBC | 14–2 |
List of tournament champions
No. 16 UMBC upset of No. 1 Virginia
During the 2018 NCAA tournament, UMBC became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men's tournament, beating the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54.[21][22]
Women's basketball
All-time school record by winning percentage
| No. | Team | Records | Win Pct. | America East Tournament Championships | America East Regular Season Championships | Final Fours | National Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 705–522 | .575 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Albany | 624–578 | .519 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 583–545 | .517 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Vermont | 521–493 | .514 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Stony Brook | 594–602 | .497 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Binghamton | 504–512 | .496 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Hartford | 550–596 | .480 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | UMass Lowell | 537–600 | .472 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | UMBC | 520–711 | .422 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| * | Denotes a tie for regular season conference title |
| † | Denotes game went into overtime |
List of regular season champions
| Year | Regular Season Champion | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1984–85* | New Hampshire Northeastern |
|
| 1985–86 | Northeastern | 10–2 |
| 1986–87 | Northeastern | 12–2 |
| 1987–88* | Boston Maine |
12–2 |
| 1988–89 | Maine | 13–1 |
| 1989–90 | Maine | 11–1 |
| 1990–91 | Maine | 9–1 |
| 1991–92 | Vermont | 14–0 |
| 1992–93 | Vermont | 14–0 |
| 1993–94 | Maine | 12–2 |
| 1994–95 | Maine | 14–2 |
| 1995–96 | Maine | 18–0 |
| 1996–97 | Maine | 17–1 |
| 1997–98 | Vermont | 15–3 |
| 1998–99 | Maine | 17–1 |
| 1999–00 | Vermont | 15–3 |
| 2000–01 | Delaware | 17–1 |
| 2001–02 | Vermont | 14–2 |
| 2002–03 | Maine | 16–0 |
| 2003–04 | Maine | 17–1 |
| 2004–05 | Maine | 16–2 |
| 2005–06 | Hartford | 15–1 |
| 2006–07 | Hartford | 15–1 |
| 2007–08 | Hartford | 14–2 |
| 2008–09 | Boston | 16–0 |
| 2009–10 | Hartford | 16–0 |
| 2010–11 | UMBC | 13–3 |
| 2011–12 | Boston | 15–1 |
| 2012–13 | Albany | 16–0 |
| 2013–14 | Albany | 15–1 |
| 2014–15* | Albany Maine |
14–2 |
| 2015–16* | Albany Maine |
15–1 |
| 2016–17 | New Hampshire | 15–1 |
| 2017–18 | Maine | 13–3 |
| 2018–19 | Maine | 15–1 |
List of tournament champions
Lacrosse
Soccer
2024 NCAA Championship win by the Vermont Catamounts
On December 16th 2024, the University of Vermont Catamounts Men's Soccer team defeated the Marshall University Thundering Herd in the 2024 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament championship game to claim the 2024 College Cup. This marks the first national championship by any America East Conference team in league history.[23]
