MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Northeast-10 Conference announced on Wednesday afternoon that the University of Bridgeport and Felician University will be joining the conference as associate members in the sports of men's and women's swimming & diving over the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
The Felician women's swimming & diving program will compete at the 2025 NE10 Championship in February, while its men's program joins for the 2026 NE10 Championship. Both Bridgeport programs will begin NE10 competition at the 2026 Championship.
"The NE10 is pleased to extend associate membership to the University of Bridgeport and Felician University in the sport of swimming & diving," said NE10 Commissioner Julie Ruppert. "We are happy to welcome them to the Conference. This is a win-win situation for the NE10, providing long-term stability to a valued sport for both the Conference and our institutions. We look forward to sharing the excellent student-athlete experience for which the NE10 is known to this new group of swimming & diving student-athletes at Bridgeport and Felician."
With the addition of the Felician women's program, the NE10 will have eight institutions competing in this year's Championship on the women's side - which includes two associate members in Felician and the College of Staten Island. In 2026, the NE10 Championship will feature nine men's and women's programs.
What They Are Saying:
Andrew Toriello, Director of Athletics at Felician University
"We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the NE10 Conference as associate members for Men's and Women's Swimming. Joining the NE10 conference opens incredible opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at a high level and strengthens our commitment to excellence in athletics. We're excited to see our athletes thrive in this new chapter for Felician University!"
Jay Moran, Vice President of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Bridgeport
"We are thrilled to have our newly restored swimming and diving programs join the Northeast-10 Conference next year. We know the traditions that exist in the NE10 and the highly competitive institutions that are already entrenched in swimming and diving, and it expands our geographic map in the Northeast region. We believe this is a perfect fit for our teams, and I know our Purple Knights are going to love competing in the NE10!"
Evan Sholudko, Head Swimming & Diving Coach at the University of Bridgeport
"I am beyond excited to be joining the Northeast-10 Conference for swimming and diving. This is an incredible opportunity for our future student-athletes and the University of Bridgeport. I believe the great tradition of the NE10 is a perfect fit for the direction our newly restored program is taking."
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.