Little East Conference

The Little East Conference is an all-sport NCAA Divison III conference with all of its' member teams based in New England. The league itself is based out of Providence, Rhode Island.
On July 24, 2023 the conference announced that it would start sponsoring a men's ice hockey league begining with the 2025-26 playing season. The starting of the Keene State Owls men's ice hockey team automatically triggered the conference sponsoring men's ice hockey as this would become the sixth men's ice hockey program among it primary membership, which would guarantee an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Championship. Part of the announcement also included the desire of the conference to offer women's ice hockey in short order.https://littleeast.com/news/2023/7/24/lec-announces-mens-ice-hockey-as-conferences-22nd-championship-sport.aspxhttps://www.uscho.com/2023/07/24/little-east-conference-to-join-ncaa-mens-division-iii-hockey-ranks-in-2025-26-eyeing-womens-hockey-membership-as-well/
The remaining members that don't offer ice hockey for either gender are Eastern Connecticut State University, Rhode Island College, and Western Connecticut State University. U-Mass Dartmouth presently doesn't offer women's ice hockey.
==Subsequent Additions==
*On February 13, 2024 the New England Pilgrims men's ice hockey team and New England Pilgrims women's ice hockey team were added to the league. The addition of the women's team enabled the conference to also start sponsoring women's ice hockey when it begins play with the 2025-26 seasonhttps://littleeast.com/news/2024/2/8/lec-announces-new-england-college-as-mens-and-womens-ice-hockey-affiliate-womens-ice-hockey-as-conferences-23rd-championship-sport.aspx
*On March 7, 2024 it was announced that the Babson Beavers men's ice hockey team and the Norwich Cadets men's ice hockey team would join the conference.
*On April 18, 2024 Western Connecticut State University announced the addition of seven new NCAA team sports including men's and women's ice hockey. The university presently has an American Collegiate Hockey Association and will elevate the team to varsity status and they will join the Little East Conference for the 2025-26 playing season. The women's program is starting from scratch and will play at the ACHA level with the 2024-25 season with plans to achieve varsity NCAA status by 2026-27. The teams will be based out of the Danbury Ice Arena in Danbury, Connecticut which is located near one of the university's campuseshttps://www.uscho.com/2024/04/18/western-connecticut-state-announces-plans-to-add-mens-womens-ncaa-d-iii-hockey-programs/https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/sports/article/westconn-wcsu-new-sports-athletic-teams-19409823.php. The men's team had previously been intended to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2015-16 season but that was cancelled due to budget constraints at the university.
*On May 19, 2024 it was announced that the Norwich Cadets women's ice hockey team would be joining the Little East Conference as an affiliate member for women's ice hockey.https://www.uscho.com/2024/05/19/little-east-announces-addition-of-norwich-to-womens-hockey-conference-for-inaugural-25-26-season/
==Men's Membership==
Team 	Location 	Arena
Babson Beavers 	Wellesley, Massachusetts	Babson Skating Center
Castleton Spartans 	Castleton, Vermont 	Spartan Arena
Keene State Owls 	Keene, New Hampshire 	Keene ICE
Mass-Boston Beacons 	Boston, Massachusetts 	Beacons Ice Arena
Mass-Dartmouth Corsairs 	Dartmouth, Massachusetts	Hetland Arena
New England Pilgrims 	Henniker, New Hampshire 	Lee Clement Arena
Norwich Cadets 	Northfield, Vermont 	Kreitzberg Arena
Plymouth State Panthers 	Plymouth, New Hampshire 	Hanaway Rink
Southern Maine Huskies 	Gorham, Maine 	USM Ice Arena
Western Connecticut Colonials	Danbury, Connecticut 	Danbury Ice Arena
==Women's Membership==
Team 	Location 	Arena
Castleton Spartans 	Castleton, Vermont 	Spartan Arena
Keene State Owls 	Keene, New Hampshire 	Keene ICE
Mass-Boston Beacons 	Boston, Massachusetts 	Beacons Ice Arena
New England Pilgrims 	Henniker, New Hampshire	Lee Clement Arena
Norwich Cadets 	Northfield, Vermont 	Kreitzberg Arena
Plymouth State Panthers 	Plymouth, New Hampshire	Hanaway Rink
Southern Maine Huskies 	Gorham, Maine 	USM Ice Arena
Western Connecticut Colonials	Danbury, Connecticut 	Danbury Ice Arena
Category:NCAA Division III Conferences
Category:Established in 2023