The Northeast Conference (NEC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Teams in the NEC compete in Division I for all sports; football competes in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Participating schools are located principally in the Northeastern United States, from which the conference derives its name.
The UC Irvine Anteaters are the athletic teams fielded by the University of California, Irvine. Its athletics programs participate in the NCAA's Division I, as members of the Big West Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. For earlier years of the school's existence, the teams participated at the Division II level with great success as explained below.
The San Diego State Aztecs are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent San Diego State University (SDSU). The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I, as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW). San Diego State University sponsors 17 teams at the varsity level.
The New York Tech Bears were the athletic teams that represented the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) located in Old Westbury, New York, United States in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the East Coast Conference from 1989–90 until their last season of competition in the 2019–20 school year before the institute announced its suspension until further notice.
The Savannah State Tigers and Lady Tigers are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia.
Nicholas Albert Giaquinto is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins, where head coach Joe Gibbs nicknamed him "The Trashman" for his ability to fill many roles on the team. During the 1983 season, Giaquinto played as the first H-Back in NFL history. He played in the 1982 and 1983 Super Bowls with the Redskins and retired after the 1983 season, ending his four-year NFL career. He played college football at the University of Connecticut and the University of Bridgeport. He holds the single-game rushing record at UConn of 277 yards, set in a 1976 game against Holy Cross. He attended Stratford High School in Stratford, Connecticut where he was an All-State and National High School All American selection in football.
The Malone Pioneers are athletic teams of Malone University in Canton, Ohio, United States. The Pioneers compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Malone joined the G-MAC after four seasons in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) from 2012–13 to 2015–16. Malone joined the GLIAC and Division II in the 2011–12 season and completed the NCAA Division II membership process in July 2013 after having previously competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); mostly known for its tenure with the now-defunct American Mideast Conference from 1965–66 to 1988–89, and from 1993–94 to 2010–11. In 2016, the Pioneers began play in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, also known as the G-MAC.
The Chico State Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Chico, located in Chico, California, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Wildcats compete as an associate member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association for all 13 varsity sports. Since 1998, Chico State’s athletic teams have won 99 NCAA Championship berths, 40 CCAA titles, 24 West Region titles and 15 National titles. The school finished third in the 2004–2005 NACDA Director's Cup.
The New Orleans Privateers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of New Orleans, located in the Lake Terrace/Lake Oaks neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The Privateers compete in NCAA intercollegiate athletics as a member of the Southland Conference at the Division I level.
The San Diego Toreros baseball team is the college baseball program that represents the University of San Diego. The Toreros compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the West Coast Conference (WCC). The team plays their home games at Fowler Park.
The Sacred Heart Pioneers are the 32 sports teams representing Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut in intercollegiate athletics. The Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of the Northeast Conference, Atlantic Hockey, Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, and New England Women's Hockey Alliance.
The Sacred Heart Pioneers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Sacred Heart University located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are one of two NCAA Division I FCS independent schools. The school's first football team was fielded in 1993. The 2001 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team compiled a perfect 11–0 record and won the school's first conference championship.
The SIU Edwardsville Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), located in Edwardsville, Illinois, United States. The Cougars' athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and competes at the NCAA Division I level. The SIUE mascot is Eddie the Cougar #57, and the school colors are red and white. Cougar teams have won seventeen NCAA national championships in five sports.
The Merrimack Warriors are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Merrimack College, located in North Andover, Massachusetts, in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sporting competitions. All of the Warrior athletic teams compete at the Division I level. Men's and women's ice hockey compete in the Hockey East conference, and men's lacrosse competes in the America East Conference, while the remaining teams are members of the Northeast Conference. Starting July 1, 2024, Merrimack will leave the NEC, and its primary affiliation for sports will be in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
The Minnesota State Mavericks are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Minnesota State University, Mankato. The school's athletic program includes 21 varsity sports teams. More than 600 students participate each year in athletics for the university. Most of the university's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division II level in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete at the Division I level, respectively in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Minnesota State began competition in the NSIC in 2008–09, due to the dissolution of the North Central Conference. It was also one of the seven WCHA men's hockey members that left that league after the 2020–21 season to reestablish the CCHA, a move that led to the demise of the men's side of the WCHA.
The Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing California State University, Bakersfield, located in Bakersfield, California. The Roadrunners compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Big West Conference.
The UC Riverside baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball team of the University of California, Riverside, located in Riverside, California, United States. The program has been a member of the NCAA Division I Big West Conference since the start of the 2002 season. The program's home venue is the Riverside Sports Complex, located on the university's campus. Justin Johnson serves as the team's interim head coach starting with the 2021 season. The program has won two Division II national championships. It has appeared in four Division II College World Series and 12 NCAA tournaments. It has won eight California Collegiate Athletic Association championships and one Big West Conference championship. As of the start of the 2013 Major League Baseball season, 16 former Highlanders have appeared in Major League Baseball.
Nick Restaino is an American baseball coach. He served as the head coach of the Fordham Rams (2005–2011) and the Sacred Heart Pioneers (2018–2022).
2024 Sacred Heart Pioneers baseball team 
