University of New Haven Accepts Northeast Conference Membership Invite, Field Hockey Moves to Division I

Content Courtesy of New Haven Chargers

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — The University of New Haven has accepted a full membership invitation from the Northeast Conference (NEC) Council of Presidents and will officially join the league on July 1, 2025. The announcement was made today by NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris and University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen, Ph.D.

Located on Connecticut's southern coast, New Haven will begin its transition to NCAA Division I and the NEC during the 2025-26 academic year. The Chargers will attain full Division I membership in 2028-29 following the NCAA-mandated reclassification period.

"We are thrilled to welcome the University of New Haven to the Northeast Conference family," said NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. "Making the move to Division I is a bold step, and we're honored that New Haven chose to take that step with us. From the start, it was clear that they share our values – putting academics, competitive excellence and the student-athlete experience at the forefront. I want to thank President Jens Frederiksen and Athletic Director Devin Crosby for their thoughtful leadership throughout this process. I'm also grateful to the NEC Council of Presidents for their support and shared vision as we continue to shape the future of the conference. We're excited to partner with the Chargers as they make their mark in Division I and help elevate the NEC."

Beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, New Haven is set to become the NEC's tenth full-time member. The Chargers will join NEC charter members Fairleigh Dickinson University, Long Island University, Saint Francis University and Wagner College, along with Central Connecticut State University (joined in 1997), Stonehill College (2022), Le Moyne College (2023), Chicago State University (2024) and Mercyhurst University (2024).

A member of the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference since 2008, New Haven sponsors 20 varsity programs, 19 of which align with NEC sponsored sports. The Chargers field teams in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's golf, women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, women's tennis, men's and women's track & field (indoor and outdoor) and women's volleyball. The Chargers also sponsor women's rugby.

New Haven will be integrated into NEC athletic schedules beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, with the exception of football. The timing of New Haven football's addition to the conference schedule is still to be determined.

During its reclassification, the Chargers will immediately be able to participate in NEC Championships in NCAA non-automatic qualifier sports: cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. New Haven athletic programs will gain full NEC Championship access as early as the 2026-27 academic year, but no later than 2027-28. Per conference policy, no more than two schools undergoing reclassification may have full championship access at the same time. As the third NEC member currently in transition, New Haven's timeline is contingent on when the others complete their process. The Chargers will become eligible for NCAA Championship competition in 2028-29, upon successful completion of their reclassification period.

"We are thrilled about this opportunity for the University of New Haven," said President Frederiksen. "Athletics has been and continues to be a vital driver of enrollment and brand recognition for the University. This move to the Northeast Conference and Division I positions the University for an exciting future – one consistent with the overall strategic focus on academic, professional and global return on investment."

Devin Crosby, New Haven's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, shared his excitement about the university's transition to Division I and its new partnership with the NEC.

"This is about positioning ourselves at the highest level," said Crosby. "The University of New Haven's momentum under President Frederiksen's leadership aligns naturally with our transition to NCAA Division I and the Northeast Conference. The Blue & Gold deserve this."

The University of New Haven is a private institution founded in 1920 on the campus of Yale University.

Nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report, New Haven offers more than 105 majors and has earned acclaim for academic excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Its forensic science program has been ranked No. 1 in the country, and the University also holds top national rankings in homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting. The University's M.S. in Sports Management ranks among the top 10 globally and is No. 1 worldwide for graduate outcomes. New Haven also offers the only CAHME-accredited Master of Healthcare Administration program located between New York City and Boston.

New Haven boasts a proud athletic tradition, producing a National League Cy Young Award winner, a Harlon Hill Trophy recipient and a five-time NCAA track and field champion. The Chargers have enjoyed national success across multiple sports: women's basketball captured the national championship in 1987, men's basketball reached the NCAA quarterfinals in 2023 and women's volleyball has made 37 NCAA Tournament appearances. On the gridiron, New Haven has ranked among the best in Division II and is one of only five football programs – and the only private school – to earn an NCAA playoff bid in each of the past four seasons. Since 2009, the Chargers have captured six conference football titles and play on a distinctive blue-and-gold field at DellaCamera Stadium, widely regarded as one of the most unique venues in Connecticut.

In 2023, the University unveiled the Peterson Performance Center, a state-of-the-art facility featuring a 7,000 square foot weight room, a 60-yard turf training area, a 1,500 square foot sports medicine center, a 2,500 square foot football locker room and a nutrition station overseen by a registered dietitian. Plans are also underway for a major renovation of the Jeffery P. Hazell Athletics Center, with enhancements including upgraded locker rooms, expanded seating and viewing areas, additional team meeting space and coaches' offices, and a reimagined lobby to honor Charger legends and the program's championship legacy.

Now in its 44th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Chicago (#3), Boston (#8). Hartford/New Haven (#32) and Syracuse (#87). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 25 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC full member institutions include Central Connecticut, Chicago State, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.