Conference of New England

Last updated
Conference of New England
Conference of New England logo.png
FormerlyCommonwealth Coast Conference (1984–2024)
Association NCAA
Founded1984
CommissionerPatrick Colbert (since 2023)
Sports fielded
  • 20
    • men's: 10
    • women's: 10
Division Division III
No. of teams11
Headquarters Biddeford, Maine, U.S.
Region New England
Official website cnesports.org
Locations
Map of the USA with The Commonwealth Coast Conference region highlighted.png

The Conference of New England (CNE), formerly known as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in New England in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Contents

Overview

Previous logo Commonwealth Coast Conference Full Primary Logo Introduced June 2019.jpg
Previous logo

The CCC and Commonwealth Coast Football unveiled a new family of logos during a June 2019 visual rebrand. [1]

History

Conference of New England
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
100km
62miles
Blue pog.svg
Saint Joseph
Blue pog.svg
New England College
Blue pog.svg
Colby–Sawyer
Blue pog.svg
Maine Maritime
Green pog.svg
Johnson & Wales
Green pog.svg
Hartford
Green pog.svg
Suffolk
Blue pog.svg
Husson
Green pog.svg
Western New England
Green pog.svg
Wentworth
Green pog.svg
Univ. of New England
Green pog.svg
Roger Williams
Green pog.svg
Nichols
Green pog.svg
Gordon
Green pog.svg
Endicott
Green pog.svg
Curry
Location of current members:
Green pog.svg full member
Blue pog.svg associate member

Recent events

On June 21, 2022, the University of Hartford announced that it would join the CCC, starting the 2023–24 academic year; [2] while Salve Regina announced it would leave both the CCC and CCC Football to join the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), once concluding the 2022–23 school year. [3]

On December 8, 2022, Johnson & Wales (R.I.) announced it would join the CCC as soon as the 2024–25 academic year. [4] first as an associate member for men's and women's ice hockey, before eventually going for full membership status, [5]

In 2023, two schools announced they would be reinstating their varsity football programs and joining the CCC for football, starting the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year); first Maine Maritime Academy on January 9, [6] then New England College followed suit on November 14. [7]

On August 1, 2024, 40 years after it was founded, the conference announced that it would be rebranding as the Conference of New England (CNE), effective with the 2024–25 season. [8]

Chronological timeline

  • 1984 – On 1984, the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) was founded. Charter members included Anna Maria College, Curry College, Emerson College, Hellenic College, Salve Regina College (now Salve Regina University), the United States Coast Guard Academy (Coast Guard) and Wentworth Institute of Technology (Wentworth Tech), beginning the 1984–85 academic year.
  • 1985:
    • Hellenic left the CCC when the school dropped its athletic program after lasting only one season after the 1984–85 academic year.
    • Roger Williams College (now Roger Williams University) joined the CCC in the 1985–86 academic year.
  • 1986 – The CCC was granted membership within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III ranks in the 1986–87 academic year.
  • 1987:
  • 1988 – Regis College joined the CCC in the 1988–89 academic year.
  • 1989:
  • 1992 – Eastern Nazarene College joined the CCC in the 1992–93 academic year.
  • 1995 – Colby–Sawyer College and Nichols College joined the CCC in the 1995–96 academic year.
  • 1999 – Endicott College and the University of New England of Maine joined the CCC in the 1999–2000 academic year.
  • 2007 – Western New England University joined the CCC in the 2007–08 academic year.
  • 2011 – Four member schools left the CCC to join their respective new home primary conferences, all effective after the 2010–11 academic year:
  • 2016 – Becker College, Johnson and Wales University, Providence and Suffolk University joined the CCC as associate members for men's ice hockey in the 2016–17 academic year.
  • 2017:
    • The CCC added football as a sponsored sport, although not directly as it absorbed the former and defunct New England Football Conference and rebranded as Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC Football) in the 2017 fall season (2017–18 academic year).
    • Becker added football to join the CCC Football league in the 2017 fall season (2017–18 academic year).
  • 2018:
    • Eastern Nazarene left the CCC to join the NECC after the 2017–18 academic year.
    • Johnson & Wales (R.I.) and Suffolk left the CCC as associate members for men's ice hockey after the 2017–18 academic year.
  • 2019 – Husson University joined CCC Football in the 2019 fall season (2019–20 academic year).
  • 2020 – Suffolk upgraded as a full member of the CCC for all sports in the 2020–21 academic year.
  • 2022 – Due to changes in NCAA legislation regarding the number of member schools required for an automatic qualifier (AQ), football was fully incorporated into the CCC multi-sport conference, eliminating the need for the single-sport Commonwealth Coast Football league, beginning the 2022–23 academic year.
  • 2023:
  • 2024:
    • The University of Saint Joseph of Connecticut (with Colby–Sawyer returning) joined the CCC as associate members for men's tennis in the 2025 spring season (2024–25 academic year).
    • The CCC was rebranded as the Conference of New England (CNE), effective beginning the 2024–25 academic year.
    • Johnson & Wales (R.I.) returned to the CNE as an associate member for men's and women's ice hockey for the 2024–25 academic year.
    • The CNE announced that it would add a women's golf championship in 2025–26, coinciding with the addition of the sport by full member Roger Williams; giving the CNE the six women's golf members needed to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA championship. [9]
  • 2025:
    • Johnson & Wales (R.I.) will upgrade as a full member of the CNE for all sports, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
    • Maine Maritime Academy (with New England (N.H.) following suit) reinstated their varsity football programs and joined the CNE as associate members for football, beginning the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
    • The CNE announced that it would add men's volleyball as its 22nd championship sport, effective starting in the 2026-27 academic year. [10]

Member schools

Current members

The CNE currently has 11 full members, all private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Colors
Curry College Milton, Massachusetts 1879Nonsectarian2,410 Colonels 1984   
Endicott College Beverly, Massachusetts 1939Nonsectarian4,528 Gulls 1999   
Gordon College Wenham, Massachusetts 1889 Evangelical 1,816 Fighting Scots 1987   
University of Hartford West Hartford, Connecticut 1877Nonsectarian6,792 Hawks 2023   
Johnson & Wales University Providence, Rhode Island 1914Nonsectarian4,652 Wildcats 2025 [b]    
Nichols College Dudley, Massachusetts 1815Nonsectarian1,518 Bison 1995   
Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island 1956Nonsectarian4,702 Hawks 1985     
Suffolk University Boston, Massachusetts 1906Nonsectarian6,832 Rams 2020 [c]    
University of New England Biddeford, Maine 1831Nonsectarian7,208 Nor'easters 1999   
Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, Massachusetts 1904Nonsectarian4,397 Leopards 1984     
Western New England University Springfield, Massachusetts 1919Nonsectarian3,702 Golden Bears 2007   
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Johnson & Wales competed in the CCC as an associate member for men's ice hockey from 2016–17 to 2017–18, and later on for both men's and women's ice hockey during the 2024–25 school year, before became an full member starting in 2025–26.
  3. Suffolk competed in the CCC as an associate member for men's ice hockey from 2016–17 to 2017–18.

Associate members

The CNE currently has five associate members, all private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Primary
conference
CNE
sport(s)
Colors
Colby–Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire 1946Nonsectarian2,262 Chargers 2024 Great Northeast (GNAC) Men's tennis  
Husson University Bangor, Maine 1898Nonsectarian3,476 Eagles 2019 North Atlantic (NAC) Football  
Maine Maritime Academy Castine, Maine 1941Public941 Mariners 2025 North Atlantic (NAC) Football  
New England College Henniker, New Hampshire 1946Nonsectarian4,327 Pilgrims 2025 Great Northeast (GNAC) Football    
University of Saint Joseph West Hartford, Connecticut 1932Catholic
(R.S.M.)
2,467 Blue Jays 2024 Great Northeast (GNAC) Men's tennis  
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Former members

The CNE had nine former full members, with all but one being private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Left [b] Current
conference
Anna Maria College Paxton, Massachusetts 1946 Catholic 1,432 AMCats 19842011 Massachusetts (MASCAC)
Colby–Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire 1837Nonsectarian1,200 Chargers 19952011 Great Northeast (GNAC)
Eastern Nazarene College Quincy, Massachusetts 1900 Nazarene 1,063 Lions 19922018Closed in 2025
Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts 1880Nonsectarian4,290 Lions 19841989 New England (NEWMAC)
Hellenic College Brookline, Massachusetts 1937 GOArch 222 Owls 19841985N/A [c]
New England College Henniker, New Hampshire 1946Nonsectarian1,460 Pilgrims 19892011 Great Northeast (GNAC)
Regis College [d] Weston, Massachusetts 1927Catholic
(Sisters of St. Joseph)
1,737 Pride 19882011 Great Northeast (GNAC)
Salve Regina University Newport, Rhode Island 1934 Catholic
(Sisters of Mercy)
2,771 Seahawks 19842023 New England (NEWMAC)
United States Coast Guard Academy
(Coast Guard)
New London, Connecticut 1876Federal1,045 Bears 19841987 New England (NEWMAC)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. Hellenic dropped its athletics program following the 1984–85 school year.
  4. This institution is a former women's college, which later had become a co-educational college (Regis (Mass.) since 2007–08).

Former associate members

The CNE had three former associate members, all private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Left [b] Primary
conference
CCC/CNE
sport(s)
Becker College Worcester, Massachusetts 1784Nonsectarian1,892 Hawks 2016m.i.h.2021m.i.h.Closed in 2021Men's ice hockey
2017fb.2021fb.Football
Johnson & Wales University Providence, Rhode Island 1914Nonsectarian4,652 Wildcats 2016m.i.h.2018m.i.h.C. New England (CNE)Men's ice hockey
2024m.i.h.2025m.i.h.
2024w.i.h.2025w.i.h.Women's ice hockey
Suffolk University Boston, Massachusetts 1906Nonsectarian16,095 Rams 20162018C. New England (CNE)Men's ice hockey
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.

Membership timeline

Maine Maritime UniversityUniversity of Saint JosephUniversity of HartfordHusson UniversitySuffolk UniversityJohnson and Wales UniversityBecker CollegeWestern New England UniversityUniversity of New England (United States)Endicott CollegeNichols CollegeGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceNorth Atlantic ConferenceColby–Sawyer CollegeNorth Atlantic ConferenceNew England Collegiate ConferenceEastern Nazarene CollegeGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceNew England Collegiate ConferenceNorth Atlantic ConferenceNew England CollegeGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceNew England Collegiate ConferenceRegis College, MassachusettsGordon College (Massachusetts)Roger Williams UniversityWentworth Institute of TechnologyNew England Women's and Men's Athletic ConferenceSalve Regina UniversityHellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of TheologyNew England Women's and Men's Athletic ConferenceGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceEmerson CollegeCurry CollegeNew England Women's and Men's Athletic ConferenceConstitution Athletic ConferenceUnited States Coast Guard AcademyMassachusetts State Collegiate Athletic ConferenceGreat Northeast Athletic ConferenceAnna Maria CollegeConference of New England

 Full member (all sports)  Full member (non-football)  Associate member (football)  Associate member (sport) 

Sports

The CNE sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in 20 sports. The conference started sponsoring football in the 2017–18 season, absorbing the former football-only New England Football Conference. From 2017 to 2021 football was operated as a single-sport conference branded Commonwealth Coast Football. [11] Due to changes in NCAA legislation regarding the number of members required for a conference to receive and automatic qualifier (AQ), football was fully incorporated into the multi-sport conference in 2022, eliminating the need for the football-only league. Women's ice hockey was added as a conference sport in 2020–21 when the CNE took over operations of the Colonial Hockey Conference. [12] Women's golf will be added in 2025–26. [9]

Championship sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
Green check.svgY
Basketball
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Cross Country
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Field Hockey
Green check.svgY
Football
Green check.svgY
Golf
Green check.svgY
2025–26
Ice Hockey
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Lacrosse
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Soccer
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Softball
Green check.svgY
Tennis
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Track & Field
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Volleyball
2026–27
Green check.svgY

Men's Sports

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross CountryFootballGolfIce HockeyLacrosseSoccerTennisTrack & FieldTotal CNE Sports
CurryGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg9
EndicottGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svg9
GordonGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg8
HartfordGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg8
Johnson & WalesGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgRed x.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgRed x.svg5
New EnglandRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svg8
NicholsGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
Roger WilliamsGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg9
SuffolkGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg8
Wentworth TechGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg9
Western New EnglandGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
Totals1011105+399101110+2893+5
Associate Members
Colby–SawyerGreen check.svg1
HussonGreen check.svg1
Maine MaritimeGreen check.svg1
New England (NH)Green check.svg1
Saint JosephGreen check.svg1

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the CNE

SchoolEquestrianRowingSailingSwimmingVolleyballWrestling
Curry NEVC
EndicottGreen check.svg NEVC
GordonGreen check.svg METS
Johnson & WalesGreen check.svgCo-Ed NEWA
Nichols NEVC
Roger WilliamsGreen check.svgCo-EdGreen check.svgCo-Ed NJAC NEWA
Wentworth Tech GNAC
Western New England NEWA

Women's Sports

SchoolBasketballCross CountryField HockeyGolfIce HockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftballTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballTotal CNE Sports
CurryGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg9
EndicottGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
GordonGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
HartfordGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
Johnson & WalesGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg9
New EnglandGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg11
NicholsGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg11
Roger WilliamsGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg2026-27Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
SuffolkGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
Wentworth TechGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgRed x.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg7
Western New EnglandGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgRed x.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg10
Totals111186711111191111107

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the CNE

SchoolEquestrianRowingRugbySailingSwimmingWrestling
EndicottGreen check.svg
GordonGreen check.svg METS
Johnson & WalesGreen check.svgCo-Ed
New England NIRA LEC
Roger WilliamsGreen check.svgCo-EdGreen check.svgCo-Ed NJAC
Western New England LEC Green check.svg

References

  1. "CCC Unveils Visual Rebrand and Identity Initiative". Commonwealth Coast Conference. June 17, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  2. University of Hartford Athletics Joins Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) - University of Hartford Athletics
  3. "NEWMAC Welcomes Salve Regina University as Newest Member Effective July 1, 2023" (Press release). New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  4. "CCC Accepts Johnson & Wales University As Newest Conference Member". JWU Providence Athletics. 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022.
  5. "Conference History". cnesports.org. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  6. "Maine Maritime Academy to Reinstate Football Program - About MMA - Maine Maritime Academy" . Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  7. "New England College Set to Join Commonwealth Coast Conference as an Associate Member for Football" . Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  8. "The Conference of New England is Here" (Press release). Conference of New England. August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "CNE to Add Women's Golf Starting in 2025-26" (Press release). Conference of New England. September 12, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  10. "CNE to Add Men's Volleyball as 22nd Sport in 2026-27". cnesports.org. 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  11. "Commonwealth Coast Conference To Administer Football Championship Beginning in 2017-18". Commonwealth Coast Conference. October 5, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  12. "CCC To Administer Women's Ice Hockey Starting In 2020-21". Commonwealth Coast Conference. October 4, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2022.