1970s
October 1, 1979
Seven New England colleges and universities form a new athletic conference (to be named later) to encompass several sports. The institutions include American International, Assumption, Bentley, Bryant, Hartford, Springfield and Stonehill.
The new conference will initially encompass men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's soccer, softball and women's tennis.
The colleges selected for the conference are based on several criteria, including proximity to each other, sports offered, compatibility of athletic programs, and educational philosophies.
Al Shields, the Director of Athletics at Bentley, is named the first conference commissioner. The 'founding fathers' of the Northeast-10 began with Shields, Tom Folliard of Stonehill, Leon Drury of Bryant, and Andy Laska of Assumption. The four later convinced Ed Steitz of Springfield, Gordie McCullough of Hartford and Milt Piepul of American International to join them.
1980s
June 10, 1980
After a year of planning, New England's newest athletic conference, the Northeast-7, is officially announced and recognized by the NCAA as an allied member.
The conference would apply for automatic qualifying status to NCAA tournament play following a two-year probationary period.
September 16, 1980
The first Northeast-7 Conference contest takes place when American International visits Assumption in men's soccer.
December 11, 1980
The first Northeast-7 basketball game takes place as host Bryant defeats Hartford, 76-69.
March 1981
The first baseball games in conference history take place. In a doubleheader, Assumption tops Stonehill, 6-4, before Stonehill takes game two of the twinbill, 16-6.
June 16, 1981
The Northeast-8 is born as the conference announces the addition of Saint Anselm College. Saint Anselm's acceptance is immediate, but the Hawks do not begin conference competition until 1983-84.
December 7, 1981
Springfield defeats American International in the first Northeast-8 women's basketball conference game.
April 1982
Bryant wins the inaugural Northeast-8 golf championship.
April 3, 1983
Stonehill and Assumption split in a doubleheader in the first ever Northeast-8 softball games.
October 8, 1983
The first women's cross country championship race is run, with Springfield besting the five team field with a low of 31 points.
June 12, 1984
Merrimack College accepts an invitation to join the Northeast-8. Merrimack replaces Hartford, which leaves the conference to join the Division I ranks.
September 1984
Springfield captures the first Northeast-8 women's tennis championship with 28 points.
March 1985
American International, led by future NBA standout Mario Elie, becomes the first Northeast-10 men's basketball program to reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II national championship tournament. Elie would go on to become a two-time NBA Finals champion throughout an 11-year career.
September 12, 1985
The sport of women's soccer debuts as Stonehill shuts out host Saint Anselm, 2-0.
July 1, 1987
Quinnipiac and Saint Michael's join the conference. The two additions lead to the changing of the organization's name to the Northeast-10.
January 1989
Bob Burke, Director of Athletics at American International, is selected to serve as conference commissioner.
1990s
March 21, 1994
The sport of men's lacrosse debuts as a Northeast-10 sport. Bentley tops Assumption, 15-5.
May 1994
Merrimack becomes the first Northeast-10 Conference school to win a national championship, as the Lady Warriors softball team downs Humboldt State, 6-2, for the NCAA Division II title.
June 1995
The Northeast-10 shrinks to nine members when Springfield changes its NCAA status to Division III.
May 2, 1995
F. Paul Bogan is selected as the first full-time commissioner of the conference. He is the third individual to assume the duties of commissioner at the Northeast-10.
June 1996
Le Moyne College is accepted to the conference.
September 7, 1996
The sport of field hockey debuts as Saint Michael's downs host Assumption, 2-0.
October 14, 1996
Quinnipiac announces it will shift its programs to NCAA Division I status as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC).
January 1997
Pace University is accepted into the Northeast-10 for the 1997-98 academic year, bringing the conference member total to 11.
July 1998
David R. Brunk is selected as the fourth commissioner in the history of the Northeast-10.
March 25, 1999
The sport of women's lacrosse debuts with Bentley downing American International, 13-8, and Saint Michael's topping Assumption, 16-7.
September 22, 1999
The Northeast-10 announces it will expand by five institutions beginning with the 2000-01 academic year as Franklin Pierce College, New Hampshire College (now known as Southern New Hampshire University), The University of Massachusetts Lowell, The College of Saint Rose, and Southern Connecticut State University are all accepted as conference members. The expansion makes the Northeast-10 the second largest Division II conference in the nation at the time.
November 5, 1999
The Northeast-10 website debuts at www.northeast10.org.
2000s
September 21, 2000
The Northeast-10 announces it will offer four more championship sports with the additions of men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field for the 2001-02 academic year. The additions bring the total number of Northeast-10 championships to 19.
January 2001
The Northeast-10 Conference creates its own football conference beginning with the 2001 season to create its 20th sport.
May 22, 2001
Southern Connecticut's Kateema Riettie wins the individual national championship in javelin at the NCAA Track & Field Championships.
August 31, 2001
The first Northeast-10 football game takes place as host Bentley edges Saint Anselm, 27-24.
November 4, 2001
Bentley becomes the second conference school to win a national title as the Falcons defeat East Stroudsburg, 4-2, in the NCAA Division II field hockey championship game.
May 25, 2002
Southern Connecticut's Kateema Riettie repeats as the individual national champion in the javelin at the NCAA Track & Field Championships.
May 11, 2003
Stonehill becomes the third Northeast-10 member to be crowned national champion as the Skyhawks defeat Longwood (Va.), 9-8, in the women's lacrosse national title game.
June 3, 2003
The Northeast-10 announces it will sponsor men's and women's swimming and diving as its 21st and 22nd championship sports for the 2003-04 season.
June 9, 2003
The Northeast-10 announces it will sponsor men's ice hockey as its 23rd championship sport beginning in 2003-04. The sport gives the conference 23 championship sports, which is the most of any NCAA Division II conference in the nation.
November 12, 2003
The first men's ice hockey game takes place under the Northeast-10 banner as Southern New Hampshire downs Franklin Pierce, 6-2.
May 30, 2004
Le Moyne wins the men's lacrosse national championship, 11-10, in overtime over Limestone. It is the first men's national championship for the Northeast-10 and fourth team title overall.
March 26, 2005
The Bryant men's basketball team becomes the first conference school to appear in the national championship game, falling to Virginia Union, 63-58.
May 15, 2005
Stonehill wins its second national championship in women's lacrosse, topping West Chester, 16-10, in the title game.
November 13, 2005
UMass Lowell claims the national championship in field hockey with a 2-1 win over Bloomsburg.
May 2, 2006
Le Moyne wins its second national championship in men's lacrosse, defeating Dowling, 12-5.
June 5, 2006
The Northeast-10 celebrates its 25th anniversary and announces its inaugural Hall of Fame class. The inaugural class includes 25 inductees.
March 15, 2007
Saint Rose's Brandon Birchak wins the national championship in three meter diving.
March 24, 2007
Southern Connecticut wins its first NCAA Championship in women's basketball, defeating Florida Gulf Coast, 61-45.
May 25, 2007
UMass Lowell's Nicole Plante wins the national championship in the 10,000-meters with a time of 35:23.49.
May 27, 2007
In men's lacrosse, Le Moyne wins its second straight NCAA Championship and third in four years by defeating Mercyhurst, 6-5.
October 19, 2007
Bryant University announces it will leave the conference at the conclusion of the 2007-08 academic year to join the Division I ranks as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC).
December 2, 2007
The Franklin Pierce men's soccer team claims the national championship with a 1-0 victory over Lincoln Memorial University. It marks the first men's soccer national championship in the history of the Northeast-10.
March 15, 2008
Le Moyne's Alison Lesher and Southern Connecticut's Kristen Frost become the first student-athletes in Northeast-10 history to capture individual national championships in the sport of swimming. Lesher wins the 200-yard butterfly, while Frost claims four national championships in the 1650, 1000, 500, and 200-yard freestyle events.
May 1, 2008
Julie Ruppert is named the fifth full-time commissioner in the history of the Northeast-10 Conference. Ruppert's hiring makes her the first female commissioner in NCAA Division II history.
July 2008
The University of New Haven joins the Northeast-10 Conference, giving it 15 members.
July 2009
Adelphi University joins the Northeast-10 Conference, bringing the league's total to 16 member institutions.
2010s
May 23, 2010
The Adelphi women's lacrosse team defeats West Chester to claim their second consecutive national title in the sport.
May 30, 2010
UMass Lowell's Jacqui Barrett wins the national title in the shot put with a toss of 50' 8.25".
December 4, 2010
UMass Lowell's field hockey team wins the national championship with a 1-0 victory over Shippensburg to cap a perfect 24-0 season at the NCAA Division II Fall Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
March 9, 2011
Southern Connecticut sophomore Amanda Thomas wins the national championship in San Antonio, Texas in the 200-yard individual medley.
March 11, 2011
Stonehill's Corey Thomas wins the national championship in the high jump in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
March 12, 2011
New Haven's Shannon Gagne wins three national championships at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, becoming just the second student-athlete in history to win three titles (200m, 400m, long jump).
May 22, 2011
Adelphi's women's lacrosse team wins its third consecutive national championship, defeating Limestone, 17-4, in Garden City, N.Y.
November 26, 2011
New Haven defeats Kutztown 44-37 in the NCAA Football Championship second round, advancing to the National Quarterfinals, matching the furthest any NE10 team had advanced.
December 3, 2011
The Saint Rose women's soccer team wins the national championship with a 2-1 victory over Grand Valley State in Pensacola, Florida.
March 11, 2012
American International's Dominic Smith and Southern Connecticut's Nick Lebron win national championships at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Minnesota. Smith wins the 400m dash, Lebron claims the heptathlon title.
March 14, 2012
Southern Connecticut's Amanda Thomas wins the national title in the 200-yard individual medley in Mansfield, Texas.
March 15, 2012
Thomas wins the 400-yard individual medley and is named NCAA Division II Women's Swimmer of the Meet.
October 5, 2012
The Northeast-10 announces a formal partnership with Team IMPACT, a non-profit that matches children with life-threatening illnesses to college athletic teams.
December 17, 2012
LIU Post joins the NE10 as an associate member in football and field hockey beginning in 2013-14.
February 14, 2013
UMass Lowell announces it will reclassify to Division I athletics beginning in 2013-14.
March 6, 2013
Amanda Thomas wins her third-straight national title in the 200-yard IM and is named NCAA Swimmer of the Meet.
May 26, 2013
Le Moyne men's lacrosse wins the national championship with an 11-10 victory over Mercyhurst in Philadelphia, Pa.
December 7, 2013
Southern New Hampshire men's soccer wins its second national championship, defeating Carson-Newman 2-1 in Evans, Ga.
March 14, 2014
Southern Connecticut's Raymond Cswerko wins the national title in the men's 200 butterfly.
March 15, 2014
Southern Connecticut's Nick Lebron wins his second indoor heptathlon national title.
March 28, 2014
Bentley women's basketball caps a perfect season with a national championship, defeating West Texas A&M 73-65 in Erie, Pa.
May 18, 2014
Adelphi women's lacrosse completes a 22-0 season with a 7-5 win over Lock Haven in Salem, Va., for their sixth NCAA title in the sport.
March 7-8, 2015
NE10 Basketball Championships are broadcast nationally on ESPN3 for the first time.
March 16, 2015
Southern Connecticut's women's 4x400 relay team wins the national title at the Indoor Track & Field Championships in Alabama.
April 25, 2015
Merrimack wins the NE10's first women's golf championship. The league officially adds the sport as its 24th.
May 17, 2015
Adelphi defeats Lock Haven 5-4 in overtime to win back-to-back women's lacrosse national titles—its NCAA-best seventh.
December 2015
The NCAA Academic Success Rate report shows NE10 graduates its student-athletes at the highest rate in Division II.
January 2016
The NE10 partners with SME to rebrand the conference.
March 2016
Merrimack’s Carly Muscaro wins the 400m national title; AIC’s DMR team wins national title at Indoor Track & Field Championships.
May 11, 2016
Stonehill President Rev. John Denning, C.S.C., begins a four-year term on the NCAA Division II Presidents Council.
May 29, 2016
Le Moyne men’s lacrosse defeats Limestone 8-4 for the NCAA title, finishing 20-0 and earning their fifth championship.
December 1, 2016
The NE10 unveils its new brand campaign (NE10 Embrace), identity system, and website. Social media rollout trends nationally with #NE10EMBRACE.
December 2016
The first ‘Embrace The Impact’ week is announced, highlighting community engagement across the conference.
February 3, 2017
Al Shields, NE10 founding father and longtime Bentley AD, passes away.
March 4, 2017
Saint Anselm defeats Southern New Hampshire in the NE10 Men’s Basketball title game, broadcast nationally on NESN-Plus.
March 11, 2017
Merrimack’s Carly Muscaro wins national titles in the 200m and 400m at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
April 2017
Saint Michael’s Danny Divis and Justin McKenzie receive the Hockey Humanitarian Award for their work in mental health advocacy.
May 21, 2017
Adelphi women’s lacrosse claims its eighth national title with a 6-4 win over Florida Southern in Bloomsburg, Pa.
May 27, 2017
Merrimack’s Carly Muscaro wins her fifth and sixth national titles at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Florida (200m and 400m).
October 2017
The NE10 launches its ‘Friday Feature’ series spotlighting academic and campus initiatives.
November 2017
The NE10 is recognized as Division II’s top academic conference by the NCAA Academic Success Rate metric.
January 17, 2018
Bentley’s Barbara Stevens becomes the fifth women’s basketball coach to win 1,000 career games with a win over Adelphi.
March 9, 2018
Southern Connecticut’s Destiney Coward wins the national title in the weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Championships (20.79m).
May 20, 2018
Le Moyne women’s lacrosse wins its first-ever NCAA Championship with a 16-11 win over Florida Southern.
May 27, 2018
Merrimack men’s lacrosse wins its first NCAA title with a 23-6 win over Saint Leo at Gillette Stadium.
October 1, 2018
The inaugural Elite 24 Award is presented to Bentley's Ellis Yoder (Golf) for the highest GPA at an NE10 Championship site.
November 13, 2018
Mercy, Molloy, and St. Thomas Aquinas are announced as associate NE10 members for field hockey starting in 2019.
May 19, 2019
Adelphi women’s lacrosse wins its ninth NCAA title with an 11-5 victory over West Chester.
May 24, 2019
AIC’s Leakey Kipkosgei wins the 3000m steeplechase national title at NCAA Outdoor Championships (8:52.86).
May 25, 2019
Franklin Pierce’s CeCe Telfer wins the national title in the 400m hurdles with a personal-best 57.53.
May 26, 2019
Merrimack men’s lacrosse defends its title with a 16-8 win over Limestone to claim back-to-back NCAA Championships.
June 30, 2019
Merrimack officially departs the NE10 and moves to Division I as a member of the Northeast Conference.
November 23, 2019
AIC’s Ezra Mutai wins the first-ever NE10 individual national championship in cross country.
2020s
March, 2020
NE10 announces a pause in competition due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
February 15, 2021
NE10 announces a resumption of conference NE10 competition for the spring season.
March 2021
The NE10 begins conference play for baseball, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse and softball.
April 22, 2021
Le Moyne men's golf captures the first NE10 Championship since March of 2020.
May 28, 2021
AIC's Ezra Mutai wins the NCAA DII Championship in the 10k.
May 30, 2021
Le Moyne Men's Lacrosse claims its sixth National Championship.
August 12, 2021
Commissioner Julie Ruppert is named to the prestigious NCAA Constitution Committee.
October, 2021
NE10 leads all of Division II in Make-A-Wish fundraising during the 2020-21 academic year, spearheaded by the efforts of the University of New Haven and Adelphi University.
March 12, 2022
AIC's Callum Elson (mile) wins NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field championship in Pittsburg, Kansas.
May 28, 2022
AIC's Callum Elson (1500m) and SCSU's Jordan Davis (javelin throw) win NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field championships on the campus of Grand Valley State University.
June 23, 2022
The NE10 begins its year-long celebration of the Title IX 50th Anniversary.
June 30, 2022
Stonehill officially ends its tenure as an NE10 member and moves to Division I as a member of the Northeast Conference.
August, 2022
The NE10 announces its partnership with Hudl (formerly BlueFrame Technology), the new official home of NE10 NOW - the conference's digital streaming platform.
December 3, 2022
Franklin Pierce men's soccer wins its second NCAA Division II Championship with a 2-0 victory over Colorado State University-Pueblo at Interbay Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
May 10, 2023
The NE10 welcomes Post University as an associate conference member in the sport of football, effective for the 2024 season.
May 16, 2023
The NE10 announces that the College of Staten Island will be joining the league as an associate member in the sport of swimming & diving, effective for the 2023-24 season.
May 21, 2023
Pace women's lacrosse wins the program's first-ever NCAA Division II Championship with a convincing 19-9 win over West Chester at Key Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
June 30, 2023
Le Moyne officially ends its tenure as an NE10 member and moves to Division I as a member of the Northeast Conference.
December 11, 2023
Franklin Pierce men's soccer wins the NCAA Division II Championship, 4-0, in a rematch with Colorado State Pueblo from '22. It's the Ravens' third title and second in two years.
May 26, 2024
Adelphi men's lacrosse wins the 8th National Championship in program history, toppling Lenoir-Rhyne at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. It's the first title for Adelphi as a member of the NE10 and the school's first since 2001.
June, 2024
The College of Saint Rose closes, officially ending its tenure as a member of the NE10.
July 16, 2024
The NE10 announces multi-million dollar media rights agreement with FloSports.
November 24, 2024
St. Anselm field hockey defeats defending National Champion Kutztown, 1-0, in OT to claim the school's first national title in any sport.
December 12, 2024
Bentley volleyball defeats unbeaten No. 1 Ferris State in the Elite 8, becoming the first NE10 volleyball team ever to advance to the Final Four.
May 25, 2025
Adelphi defeats No. 1 Tampa, 9-8 in OT to claim the school's ninth and the NE10's 10th DII men's lacrosse national championship.
June 1, 2025
The University of New Haven departs the NE10 to join the Division I Northeast Conference.