PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Little East Conference (LEC) Commissioner Pamela S. Samuelson announced that Babson College and Norwich University will serve as associate members for men's ice hockey as the LEC begins its inaugural season in 2025-26. He announced that he would be joining the league. The addition of these two programs brings the LEC's men's ice hockey membership to nine programs.
“On behalf of the presidents and athletic directors of the Little East Conference, I am excited to welcome Babson College and Norwich University as associate members of men's ice hockey,” said Samuelson. “Their additions further strengthen what we believe will be a competitive sport on a national level for the LEC and continue a long-standing rivalry for members currently playing in the New England Hockey Conference. It will make it possible.”
Samuelson announced that the Little East Conference would begin sponsoring men's ice hockey in July 2023 and welcomed the University of New England as an associate member on February 13, 2024. The LEC is comprised of six core men's ice hockey members from the University of Massachusetts, Keene State University. His three schools are Boston, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Plymouth State University, the University of Southern Maine, the University of Vermont Castleton, and affiliated member institutions Babson College, University of New England, and Norwich University.
“We are excited to be joining the LEC in its first year of what is expected to be a strong men's ice hockey league,” said Norwich Director of Athletics Ed Hockenberry. “At Norwich, we have greatly cherished our time as members of the NEHC, but as the DIII hockey landscape evolves and the geographic realignment of our region continues, the LEC is the best fit for us going forward. “We have determined that it features the ideal combination of strong competition, streamlined travel, and maintaining long-standing relationships with our league opponents.”
Babson Vice President Pamela P. Barefoot and Vice President of Athletics Brian M. Barefoot said, “We are moving the men's ice hockey program to the Little East Conference as major league-wide moves impact Babson and the NEHC. I have decided to do so.” Athletics Progress Mike Lynch. “LEC hockey includes many familiar foes from the NEHC in favorable geographic locations. The conference maintains the same access Babson experienced in terms of automatic eligibility to the NCAA Tournament. We provide our student-athletes with continued opportunities to play their best game” regional and national teams. ”
The LEC immediately earns an automatic berth to the 2025-26 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship, with at least six core members sponsoring the sport in its first year. The addition of men's and women's ice hockey in 2025-26 will increase the LEC's championship sponsorship to 23 sports, making Little East the second-largest Division III conference in New England by championship offering.
About Little East Conference
The Little East Conference (LEC) was founded in 1986 when six public institutions came together to create a single athletics conference and is now New England's premier NCAA Division III public institution. It has expanded to include competitive conferences. The LEC will soon feature 23 championship sports and sponsor high-quality competition for student-athletes while following Division III's mission of “Passion, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Citizenship.”
The Little East is comprised of nine major institutions covering all six New England states. Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State University (NH), Boston, MA, Dartmouth College, MA, Plymouth State University (NH), Rhode Island College, University of Southern Maine, Castleton University of Vermont and Western Connecticut State University.
About Babson College
Babson College develops and empowers entrepreneurial leaders who create, grow, and manage sustainable economic and social value everywhere. We are building the entrepreneurial leaders the world needs most: powerful people who can navigate change, deal with ambiguity, overcome complexity, and motivate teams in organizations of all types and sizes. Develop leaders with functional knowledge, skills, and vision. Recognized globally by U.S. News & World Report as an international leader in entrepreneurship education, we offer undergraduate, graduate, executive programs, and partnership opportunities tailored to the needs of the world.
About Norwich University
Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults for the Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a wide range of traditional and distance learning programs leading to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Norwich University was founded by Captain Alden Partridge of the United States Army in 1819 and is the oldest private military university in the United States. Norwich is one of six senior military colleges in our country and is the birthplace of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).
