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

[Fishman'81]

That is the exact reason why you are seeing a ton of college hockey teams being added right now despite the fact it's an expensive sport to operate.

If you get 30 kids paying around 25-30K a year, that's $750-900K to the school revenue.

How does that revenue generally stack up against the operating expenses?

 

[Scott_TG]

How does that revenue generally stack up against the operating expenses?

Unless they have to build new dorms and hire new faculty (other than the sport coaches) the margin is still good.

 

[Fishman'81]

Unless they have to build new dorms and hire new faculty (other than the sport coaches) the margin is still good.

Truly surprised to hear that. I assumed almost every D-3 sport was a "loss-leader" type of deal. Kinda still do...

No way in the world does the average D-3 hockey program turn a profit via the gate, does it?

And, from what I've heard first-hand, the players don't pay anything close to full tuition.

Gotta be something there, just the same, and I'm sure that there is.

 

[***JCB***]

And, from what I've heard first-hand, the players don't pay anything close to full tuition.

From what the insiders have been saying on the Norwich thread there are clearly a few schools that are passing out money but I think the vast majority of schools are getting the tuition one way or another through federal loans or whatnot. There aren't many schools that can hand out grants these days.

 

[Lord_Zubin]

Nowich and Babson Mens Hockey is joining the LEC as an affiliate members. Babson hasnt broken the news yet themselves but according to this norwich article both of them are joining. The NEHC is dead. The reality of having Geneseo, Elmira, Utica, Hobart, and Skidmore in the same conference is one step closer https://norwichathletics.com/news/20...n-2025-26.aspx

 

[Lord_Zubin]

Im about to throw an absolute wildcard out here Albertus Magnus is 1 hour from Manhattenville so they would make decent travel partners. Manhattenville is relatively close to the MAC schools so Im gonna predict Manhattenville and AM to the MAC. Im sure the UCHC/Empire 8 would love to get that roadtrip out of their yearly budgets. Hobart will either join the new empire 8 or maybe the SUNYAC if theyve changed their ways. Salve Regina will probably crawl back to the CCC if theyre allowed to or will probably join the LEC themselves. Skidmore is the true wildcard, they could join the empire 8, the SUNYAC, or the LEC and for the most part fit in geographically.

 

[joecct]

But do you realize the Liberty League is just one team away from forming a D1 hockey league? Bring in an affiliate, and it's done. Though, the ECAC schools will never leave to do that.

Russell - give it 10 years and the playups will be gone. They're (we're) not nationally competitive anymore and the NILs will kill us.

Here comes the State University of Northern New York (SUNNY)!!

 

[Bartman]

It was a nice run in the NEHC, but long road trips would be gone with an Empire 8 hockey league....not sure about the alternative of a possible SUNYAC affiliation. I do know this, Hobart is not moving up to Division I with the other Liberty League members . Just want one more natty this year.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Russell - give it 10 years and the playups will be gone. They're (we're) not nationally competitive anymore and the NILs will kill us.

Here comes the State University of Northern New York (SUNNY)!!

The play-up rule isn't changing (unless the NCAA goes away all together). But the NILs could kill some smaller programs. And the ridiculousness of labor unions will completely kill 90% of all college athletic programs.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Nowich and Babson Mens Hockey is joining the LEC as an affiliate members. Babson hasnt broken the news yet themselves but according to this norwich article both of them are joining. The NEHC is dead. The reality of having Geneseo, Elmira, Utica, Hobart, and Skidmore in the same conference is one step closer https://norwichathletics.com/news/20...n-2025-26.aspx

This is what I wrote on the Norwich thread:

So, I was waiting for this shoe to fall, because I knew a shoe was falling, but didn't know the details.

Now that it has, and like you said, NEHC is dead, I can confidently say expect the Empire 8 to get involved. It may not be exactly what we expect, it may take longer than what we expect, and it may not even be called the Empire 8. But, they will be involved, and it will "save" Elmira. (But I don't know how they will handle the women.)

Now, the next question, as far as NY teams, is what happens to Hobart, Skidmore, and Manhattanville. I don't know, because dumb, dumb me completely forgot to ask my sources when I was at the Hobart game this past Saturday.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Im about to throw an absolute wildcard out here Albertus Magnus is 1 hour from Manhattenville so they would make decent travel partners. Manhattenville is relatively close to the MAC schools so Im gonna predict Manhattenville and AM to the MAC.

I like this thought. And it probably isn't as much of a wildcard as we may perceive it.

 

[PuckVoice]

This is what I wrote on the Norwich thread:

So, I was waiting for this shoe to fall, because I knew a shoe was falling, but didn't know the details.

Now that it has, and like you said, NEHC is dead, I can confidently say expect the Empire 8 to get involved. It may not be exactly what we expect, it may take longer than what we expect, and it may not even be called the Empire 8. But, they will be involved, and it will "save" Elmira. (But I don't know how they will handle the women.)

Now, the next question, as far as NY teams, is what happens to Hobart, Skidmore, and Manhattanville. I don't know, because dumb, dumb me completely forgot to ask my sources when I was at the Hobart game this past Saturday.

Skidmore to the LEC ?

 

[PuckVoice]

How about a 12 team LEC?

LEC North
Castleton
Keene
NEC
Norwich
Plymouth
Skidmore

LEC South
Albertus
Babson
UMB
​​​​​​UMD
Salve
USM

In Division teams twice
Other Division once

16 league games

​​​Top two each Division get byes

 

[Lord_Zubin]

How about a 12 team LEC?

LEC North
Castleton
Keene
NEC
Norwich
Plymouth
Skidmore

LEC South
Albe

A divisional format similar to what college football used would be interesting but uh I think ur missing a few teams in the south might want to edit that

 

[***JCB***]

A divisional format similar to what college football used would be interesting but uh I think ur missing a few teams in the south might want to edit that

It's easy to fill in what he intended:

LEC North
Castleton
Keene
NEC
Norwich
Plymouth
Skidmore

LEC South
Albertus Magnus
Babson
Salve
UMB
UMD
USM

 

[PuckVoice]

A divisional format similar to what college football used would be interesting but uh I think ur missing a few teams in the south might want to edit that

Corrected below

 

[Tom Coughlin]

What's stopping LEC North and LEC South from existing as two separate conferences for AQ purposes?

 

[PuckVoice]

What's stopping LEC North and LEC South from existing as two separate conferences for AQ purposes?

I suppose .... Nothing,
But I doubt the NC$$ would allow it.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

I suppose .... Nothing,
But I doubt the NC$$ would allow it.

There are certain rules where an all sports conference can't just "split up" just for one sport for the sake of an AQ. Let's face it, the NCAA may be dumb, but they are not stupid. They would know what is going on. I forget which sport it was, but a large conference tried to do this by declaring each division as a separate conference. The NCAA said, "Nice try, but no."

 

[Tom Coughlin]

There are certain rules where an all sports conference can't just "split up" just for one sport for the sake of an AQ. Let's face it, the NCAA may be dumb, but they are not stupid. They would know what is going on. I forget which sport it was, but a large conference tried to do this by declaring each division as a separate conference. The NCAA said, "Nice try, but no."

That's good to know.

I'm not anti-AQ, but I don't think a [SUP]conference formed by 5 state schools sick of getting beat up on every year plus a regionally convenient doormat[/SUP] 6 team conference is deserving of an AQ.