SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College has accepted an invitation to become a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC) in Division I athletics starting this fall.
In joining with the eight other institutions who are NEC members, Le Moyne’s 21 NCAA sports teams will move from Division II to Division I, allowing them to “showcase its athletics programs in some of the nation’s largest markets while competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics,” the school contended in its Wednesday announcement.
NEC schools include Wagner College; Central Connecticut State University; Fairleigh Dickinson University; Long Island University; Merrimack College; Sacred Heart University; St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania; and Stonehill College of Easton, Massachusetts, per the NEC website.
The decision to make the move is one that follows a “comprehensive study and discernment process involving all key campus constituencies,” Le Moyne noted.
“On behalf of the Northeast Conference Council of Presidents, we are thrilled to welcome Le Moyne College to the NEC family,” NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris said. “During our membership evaluation process, it became abundantly clear there was tremendous mission alignment between the NEC and Le Moyne from an academic, athletic and community perspective. I would like to thank President Linda LeMura, Board Chair Pete DiLaura and Athletic Director Bob Beretta for their leadership through this process. Due to their significant planning and preparation, it’s evident the Dolphins are poised to make the jump to Division I. We look forward to kicking off our relationship this fall.”
Le Moyne’s news means the city of Syracuse will now have two Division I athletics programs as the Dolphins join the Syracuse University Orange in competing in sports at that level.
The process
In accepting the invitation to join the NEC, Le Moyne concludes a 15-month-long process, which included hiring an outside consultant to conduct a feasibility study.
In June 2022, the school formed an ad-hoc committee that included members of the Le Moyne’s leadership team, faculty and trustees. The committee met regularly, conferring with the college’s faculty senate, alumni, members of the Jesuit community, student-athletes and their parents, and community leaders.
The process also included consultation with presidents who have moved from Division II to Division I athletics, as well as others who provided insight into the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics, the financial implications of competing in other conferences, and the “relative risk of staying in Division II.”
Upon conclusion of its work, the committee voted to support a reclassification to Division I, followed by a vote by Le Moyne’s board of trustees in favor of the move.
“The move to Division I and the Northeast Conference is a milestone event for Le Moyne College,” LeMura, the college’s president, said in the news release. “Since the College’s founding in 1946, athletics has been a vital component of our Jesuit ideal of cura personalis – care for the mind, body and soul. By making this move, we are building on a strong foundation of excellence that has been a hallmark of our student-athletes and our programs.”
Le Moyne has competed in Division I athletics in some sports in the past, most notably men’s baseball and women’s lacrosse.