PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Little East Conference (LEC) Presidents Council announced that the University of New England has been accepted as an affiliate member in women’s swimming & diving for the 2022-23 academic year. The addition of the Nor’easters will increase the number of institutions that sponsor women’s swimming & diving to 10.
"We are excited to welcome the University of New England into the Little East Conference as an affiliate member in women's swimming & diving,” said LEC Commissioner Pamela S. Samuelson. “The addition of UNE's program will add to the competitive depth in the sport at a time when LEC women's swimming & diving has been on an upward trajectory. Both their competitiveness and alignment with the values of our conference will serve to provide our student-athletes with an even better collegiate experience."
"We are very grateful for this opportunity to have our women's swimming program compete in the Little East Conference," shared UNE Director of Athletics Heather Davis. "Last year, our student-athletes had their first experience as a conference member, with a championship meet and awards throughout the season. It's exciting that we now get to continue in that direction with the LEC."
The Nor’easters competed as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in 2021-22, where they placed third of 10 teams at the conference championship meet. They went on to place fifth of 13 teams at the 2022 New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships, and in addition to registering a 5-3 dual meet record for the season.
"I am thrilled to be joining the LEC," added UNE head coach Rick Hayes. "I have had the pleasure of working with and competing against these institutions and coaches over the last 16 years and know our expectations align with theirs. The LEC values of success academically, athletically, and personally mirror those of our program. We are very excited to be part of this growing conference."
UNE will join current LEC women’s swimming & diving members Bridgewater State University (affiliate), Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State College, UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State University, Rhode Island College, Western Connecticut State University, Western New England University (affiliate) and Westfield State University (affiliate).
ABOUT THE LITTLE EAST CONFERENCE
The Little East Conference was established on April 28, 1986 as a single sport league by six public institutions located throughout New England. The LEC member men's and women's basketball teams commenced play in 1986-87 with double round-robin regular season and six-team championship tournament. The Little East has since become a multi-sport league with nine primary members, nine affiliate members, and 21 championships. The LEC has risen to become New England's premier athletic conference for public institutions in NCAA Division III. Our nine colleges and universities dedicate themselves to an ongoing fulfillment of the Division III mission of passion, responsibility, sportsmanship and citizenship.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
The University of New England is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.