Northeast Conference The Northeast Conference ( NEC ) is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA . The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men ' s Football ( formerly Division I - AA ) and to Division I Sports for all other sports . Participating schools are primarily located in the northeastern United States . The circuit was named the ECAC Metro Conference when it was established in 1981 . The original eleven member schools were Fairleigh Dickinson University , Long Island University , Loyola College in Maryland ( left in 1989 ) , Marist College ( left in 1997 ) , Robert Morris University , St . Francis College ( N . Y . ) , St . Francis College ( Pa . ) , Siena College ( left in 1984 ) , Towson State University ( left in 1982 ) , the University of Baltimore ( left in 1983 ) and Wagner College . The conference ' s name was changed to its present form on August 1 , 1988 . Other names considered were Big North , Great North , North Shore , Northern , Northeastern , Eastern and Eastern Private Intercollegiate . The Northeast Conference has expanded seven times since 1981 . The expansions and additions from the original charter members were in 1985 ( Monmouth University ) , 1989 ( Mount St . Mary ' s University ) , 1992 ( Rider University , who left in 1997 ) , 1997 ( Central Connecticut State University ) , 1998 ( Quinnipiac University and the University of Maryland , Baltimore County who left in 2003 ) , 1999 ( Sacred Heart University ) and 2008 ( Bryant University ) . The Northeast Conference has a total of twelve members in 23 championship sports : baseball , men ’ s and women ’ s basketball , women ’ s bowling , men ’ s and women ’ s cross country , field hockey , football , men ’ s and women ’ s golf , men ’ s and women ’ s indoor track & field , women ’ s lacrosse , men ’ s and women ’ s outdoor track & field , men ’ s and women ’ s soccer , softball , women ’ s swimming , men ’ s and women ’ s tennis , and women ’ s volleyball . Men ' s lacrosse became the league ’ s 23rd sport by the 2011 season . There are also nine affiliate members that compete in football , field hockey , and women ' s bowling . The Northeast Conference ' s ranks increased to 12 in 2008 with the addition of Bryant University . Member schools . There are a total of twenty - two institutions that compete in the Northeast Conference twelve full - time member schools and ten affiliate member schools . - Monmouth and Quinnipiac announced on December 14 , 2012 they will leave the NEC for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ( MAAC ) in 2013 . At that time , Monmouth ' s football plans were unknown ; the MAAC does not currently sponsor the sport . These plans became clear on February 14 , 2013 , when the Big South Conference announced that Monmouth would become a football - only member of that conference in 2014 . The Hawks will play the 2013 season as an independent . - Albany football will leave the NEC after the 2012 season to join the Colonial Athletic Association . Membership timeline . Sports Sponsored . The Northeast Conference sponsors championship competition in ten men ' s and thirteen women ' s NCAA sanctioned sports . Eight schools are Associate members in three of those sports . NEC Rivalries . The NEC has 6 rivalry match - ups in the conference ; which is most prevalent during NEC ' s men ' s and women ' s basketball " Rivalry Week . " The concept of playing back - to - back games against a local rival the same week is the only one of its kind among the nation ' s 31 NCAA Division I conferences . The NEC rivalries are as follows :