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LEC (Little East Conference) - Keene State - Conference Realignment 2025-26

Lord_Zubin said:
Its been announced that New England College is joining the LEC when the conference begins in 2025-2026 which will leave the NEHC with 6 teams all very spread far apart which i believe is the dealth nail for this conference. While teams like hobart elmira work with the UCHC babson with the CCC/Mascac/LEC and honestly norwich with the LEC fits great who knows where skdimore and albertus magnus end up https://littleeast.com/news/2024/2/8...hip-sport.aspx
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When St. John Fisher starts their team, the Empire 8 will have enough full members playing hockey to sanction hockey. And if they do, by E8 bylaws, those teams have to play in the E8 hockey conference. This means Elmira would move over. So would Utica (talk about a conference death knell, as that could do in the UCHC since Brockport and Geneseo would also have to go to the E8).

I also know that Hobart (and presumably William Smith) are asking around to see if any conference would be open to the idea of having them as affiliate members for hockey. Of course, they need to be pro-active in times like these.

As for Plattsburgh, they can't go anywhere unless the whole school leaves SUNYAC. If that happens, what all sports conference would they join? And would that conference not have hockey, allowing the hockey team to join NEHC?
 
I feel like the empire 8 would just absorb the UCHC kinda like what the sunyac did for the newhl on the women's side yeah it's a bunch of paperwork and name changes but at the end of the day it will pretty much be the same conference. also goodbye to the nehc for sure then it will be interesting to see where these teams end up
 
Skidmore and Norwich could affiliate with the SUNYAC for hockey. They would geographically fit in really well with Plattsburgh, Potsdam and Canton


Empire 8 could take Hobart, even if its just to add William Smith to give them six on the women's side (this assumes they accept Hilbert as an affiliate for WHKY as they have for football):


E8 Women:

Elmira
Utica
Nazareth
William Smith
St. John Fisher
Hilbert


It would leave Manhattanville in the NYC outer suburbs and Pittsburgh-area Chatham without a home...they technically would be entitled to a two year grace period with the UCHC's autobid but I can't imagine the NCAA letting that happen...I am cackling at the thought of Manhattanville and Chatham deciding to be a conference of 2 for a couple of seasons and the rage people would have seeing them get a Pool A bid...
 
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The sunyac could take Skidmore and Norwich but they kinda have a track record of not allowing anybody other than suny schools in their conference even as affiliate members
 
Lord_Zubin said:
The sunyac could take Skidmore and Norwich but they kinda have a track record of not allowing anybody other than suny schools in their conference even as affiliate members
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it may be nothing but speculation and wishful thinking but there is talk that the departure of Geneseo and Brockport has caused a lot of the old orthodoxy the SUNYAC held, specifically the one you're talking about, to go out the window.
 
I sure hope so cause that would mean hobart would also be on the table and id think theyd much prefer their location vs skidmores theyd make a great travel partner for oswego given the schools are about 1 hour apart
 
Will somebody please list who is in what conference for 24-25? The Eastern D3 hockey shuffling is like the FBS conferences.
 
Ill try keep in mind the major reshuffle isnt until 2025-2026
SUNYAC minus Geneseo and Brockport add Canton
NEHC minus Johnson & Wales add Salve Regina add Albertus Magnus
NESCAC Stays the same good ol reliable nescac
CCC add Johnson & Wales minus Salve Regina
MASCAC who honestly cares that conference sucks
MAC the new kid on the block Alvernia, Arcadia, Kings, Lebanon Valley, Stevenson, Wilkes, Neumann, Misericordia in their 1st year
UCHC Brockport, Geneseo, Nazareth, Utica, Chatham, Manhattenville
 
2025-2026 is where shit really hits the fan (assume all 2024-2025 changes have already been made)
NESCAC-No change
SUNYAC- No change (so far)
CCC- No change
Empire 8- St John Fisher, Nazareth, Utica, Elmira, Geneseo, Brockport,
Little East- New England College, Keene State, UMass Boston, Plymouth State, University of Southern Maine, Castleton, UMass Dartmouth
MASCAC- Anna Maria, Rivier, Fitchburg State, Westfield state, Framingham state, Salem State, Worchester State, Mass College Liberal Arts
MAC- Alvernia, Arcadia, Kings, Lebanon Valley, Stevenson, Wilkes, Neumann, Misericordia

CONFERENCES ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
NEHC-Hobart, Skidmore, Norwich, Babson, Albertus Magnus, Salve Regina (Those schools are all so far apart and with much closer conferences next to several members one of them will jump ship)
UCHC Chatham,Manhattenville (RIP the UCHC)
 
https://www.hartford.edu/admission/a...coming%20years. "the University plans to add tennis, field hockey, and ice hockey in coming years". They are now a full CCC Member starting this year so no changes will be made when they join the frey eventually. also worth noting hartford has both m and w tennis as well as fh listed on their website but the links just redirect back to the main page
 
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jerrynu26 said:
The holdup for Norwich would be there are not enough women's teams in the LEC for an autobid yet. And if SUNYAC loses more teams, Plattsburgh COULD come to the NEHC (and would be welcomed).
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Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like the Norwich women need to find a new home ASAP as well as them, WS, Elmira, Salem and Salve will be the only teams left after next year's shuffle. With rumors that WS/Hobart and Elmira might be moving along both Norwich teams need to work hard to not be on the outside looking in.
 
Lord_Zubin said:
2025-2026 is where **** really hits the fan (assume all 2024-2025 changes have already been made)
NESCAC-No change
SUNYAC- No change (so far)
CCC- No change
Empire 8- St John Fisher, Nazareth, Utica, Elmira, Geneseo, Brockport,
Little East- New England College, Keene State, UMass Boston, Plymouth State, University of Southern Maine, Castleton, UMass Dartmouth
MASCAC- Anna Maria, Rivier, Fitchburg State, Westfield state, Framingham state, Salem State, Worchester State, Mass College Liberal Arts
MAC- Alvernia, Arcadia, Kings, Lebanon Valley, Stevenson, Wilkes, Neumann, Misericordia

CONFERENCES ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
NEHC-Hobart, Skidmore, Norwich, Babson, Albertus Magnus, Salve Regina (Those schools are all so far apart and with much closer conferences next to several members one of them will jump ship)
UCHC Chatham,Manhattenville (RIP the UCHC)
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Just when I was getting used to the NEHC, Hobart will need to look at all possible options. The consistency of being part of the NEHC has been good even with the travel, but seems like change is in the air.
 
***JCB*** said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like the Norwich women need to find a new home ASAP as well as them, WS, Elmira, Salem and Salve will be the only teams left after next year's shuffle. With rumors that WS/Hobart and Elmira might be moving along both Norwich teams need to work hard to not be on the outside looking in.
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I still think the SUNYAC as an affiliate would be great for both teams but especially the Norwich women. Plattsburgh, Norwich, Cortland and Oswego makes a strong top half and Canton and Morrisville are seemingly on the rise. Potsdam and Buff State appear beyond help...
 
Pioneer247 said:
Hobart, Skidmore and Manhattanville getting affiliate membership to the E8 and playing in that conference would be fun
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E8 travel way better for Hobart/WS v NEHC travel currently. Budget is always a factor these days. The current NEHC has some nice prestige with prior Natty's by Babson , Norwich and now Hobart. Elmira is a nice travel partner as well. It will be interesting to track developments.
 
After historically being somewhere between not-good and really-bad, Skidmore has put together a few very good seasons in a row. They aren't a top-tier name in hockey, but a nice program. Will be curious to see where they land. Empire 8 seems the most logical.

Wonder if Skidmore has ever approached the NESCAC for membership overall? From an academic and reputational standpoint, would put them with a different caliber of college.
 
Pioneer247 said:
Hobart, Skidmore and Manhattanville getting affiliate membership to the E8 and playing in that conference would be fun
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I know overall geneseo will save a bunch of money moving to the empire 8 but man in hockey terms that was a short sighted move. if russ knew st john fisher was adding hockey i have a hard time believing geneseo didnt know that was a possibility long b4 russ ever learned. Now theyre going to a conference that will def include Utica and Elmira in 2025-2026 most likely hobart and maybe skidmore??? talk about a murderers row.
 
MikeMidd said:
After historically being somewhere between not-good and really-bad, Skidmore has put together a few very good seasons in a row. They aren't a top-tier name in hockey, but a nice program. Will be curious to see where they land. Empire 8 seems the most logical.

Wonder if Skidmore has ever approached the NESCAC for membership overall? From an academic and reputational standpoint, would put them with a different caliber of college.
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Sometimes I feel like the Ivy League would be more likely to add a new member than the NESCAC.
 
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