The New Haven Chargers have accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference (NEC), it was officially announced Tuesday.
New Haven, currently a member of the Northeast 10 Conference (NE10) in Division II, will move up to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and will officially become a member of the Northeast Conference on a date to be determined.
The remainder of New Haven’s athletics teams, with the exception of women’s rugby, will officially join the NEC on July 1, 2025 and will begin integrating into NEC schedules beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
“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.”
New Haven University, located in West Haven, Conn., will be included in the NEC regular-season schedules and will be eligible to compete in NEC Championships in non-automatic qualifying sports beginning in 2025. Football will be eligible following the completion of its four-year reclassification period, whenever that process initiates.
“This is about positioning ourselves at the highest level,” said Devin Crosby, New Haven’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “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 Chargers’ addition means the NEC will return to eight football-playing members in the near future. New Haven will join Central Connecticut State, Duquesne, LIU, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Stonehill, and Wagner.
Current NEC member Saint Francis University is dropping down to Division III beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. New Haven will essentially replace Saint Francis in the NEC.
Perhaps Pace University and Ferris State could join the NEC? I could only see Ferris State joining if Chicago State increases their commitment to add football, but I am surprised Ferris State is completely quiet about jumping to D1. If not the NEC, then the MVC.
@Joseph – If Ferris State moves up Joseph, you should hope they end up in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC is not the same as the MVC). Ferris State actually has a strong program and could build over time there and I think they would fit in better geographically there. The NEC, in my opinion, is the weakest conference at the FCS level and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of those teams follow the path of Saint Francis.
Chicago State is fielding a Div. II football team but people think its a gamble as Chicago State is on rocky ground finance wise. None of their sports team draw anyone. In fact I think their basketball teams are the
weakest draw in Div. I as well as being terrible in pretty much every sport. I wouldn’t be shocked if the NEC boots them after this trial period.
@JM, any clue on why they are so quiet about moving up? I thought they’d be talking about a move to D1 years on end, similar to biw JMU was talking about FBS for many many years.
@Joseph I’m trying to recall the article from a few years back but my understanding was Ferris was hesitant to make the jump without GVSU or another possible GLIAC football member also moving up. That’s likely changed given the NIL/ looming House settlement era but would still stand in some regards that Ferris would want a recognisable rival to play in the FCS.
If the America East added New Haven, IUP, and Shepherd they could start sponsoring football with the full 63-scholarship limit of FCS, whereas UNH would be limited to 40 scholarships in the NEC.
The other schools in AmEast football would be current full members Albany, Bryant, Maine and New Hampshire and associate member Rhode Island, all of whom currently play in CAA Football.
Good news to My buddy Z-Man I do support your comments & something could be in works & this would help other New England schools to form a conference like America East should New Haven join in & would make a very nice fit.
Mercyhurst Fan welcomes New Haven to division I Northeast Conference.
I’m confused if New Haven is joining the NEC this year or next year. In the article, it seems to imply they are joining this year. However, their website has a division 2 schedule. Is that not up to date?
Not that it matters, but the article is clear that they begin integrating programs into this academic year, but football will stay in the NE10. As Dan indicates, I am sure Mercyhurst is excited to have New Haven join, if only to compete for the bottom of the league. At my count, the NEC has 2 wins ever in the FCS playoffs and you would think they would stop adding teams with no history of success. You can’t polish a turd, but yet they continue to add more crap to this conference.
JM must be fun at parties amirite
So what happens when New Haven plays New Hampshire in non-conference games?
It will be the battle of UNH.
Can the NCAA say no to any of these moves. I’m not against New Haven moving up, but when does the NCAA come in and say, enough is enough?
That said, I think we will see an eastern split with the CAA—New Hampshire, Albany, Maine, Villanova, Albany, Bryant, Rhode Island, Stony Brook, Merrimack, Sacred Heart and perhaps New Haven and CCSU. There could be more with Long Island, Stonehill and Wagner—maybe even tow conferences–the Yankee Conference and maybe the Congressional….who knows.
I fully support your comments John plus I’m a fan idea of New Haven to have fellow New England schools in their conference very nice fit.
Thumbs Up!!!
I’m also of a similar mind that the CAA’s structure as it stands is numbered. But I don’t foresee Villanova sticking around, instead leaving for the Patriot. I would also believe Towson, Campbell, and Elon would entertain joining the SoCon, leaving Hampton and NC A&T possibly joining the BigSouth.
As for NEC call ups the most likely would be Duqense considering they are only football-only members with the most success. Robert Morris less likely to scratch the conference’s PA exposure itch especially if Duquesne joins. For anyone else would require the rest of their sports to find a new conference home. Stonehill would be most likely as they have been eyeing for a spot in the MAAC or LIU whose has been looking to join the America East.
Reverend I am a Fan of Villanova proposal heading to Patriot League for Football only.
I am A Fan of Villanova in Big East especially Basketball & Lacrosse.
Thanks Dan—good seeing your comments as well. I am very interested to see what happens with Division II and FCS. The Reverend mentioned Ferris State moving up, but does the state of Michigan, or more importantly, the Michigan state system want schools like Ferris, Saginaw Valley, and Wayne State moving from D2 to FCS?
Sure, it’s great for New Haven to move up, but how is New Haven basketball going to compete with NIL and direct payments to players? To me, I I would think D2 membership would grow so smaller D1 schools could rid themselves of NIL, paying players, and losing their best players to the portal every year. But, it seems like more schools want to move to D1 than fewer.
Interesting for sure.
I would also expect the likes of University of New Haven to be outliers against the trend of schools dropping D1 athletics post house but they aren’t the only ones of recent note like LeMoyne, Mercyhurst, West Georgia, etc to make the jump. And much of these moves are to jump ahead of the enrollment decline projected for the end of the decade and for these schools to position themselves in the next set of tiering unofficially taking place as we speak. Despite the increased costs not including NIL/House settlements for some schools the opportunity to move divisions is too great than the risk of losing out to better known schools thanks to their athletics brands and at worse shutting down. If anything D2 athletics may be most at risk given the profile of many of the schools financially and see more schools drop scholarships to boost enrollment.
To add specific context to New Haven’s case, this has been rumoured since 2019 to move athletics to D1 as part of hiring the former Kansas AD Sheahon Zenger, who is now serving as interim President. As such, UNH has been very aggressive post COVID to build up its athletics programs including multiple facilities upgrades in preparations to keep up with the new athletics landscape. Regarding NIL, the reality is that their program will serve as a feeder to rest of the bigger programs in the Northeast, and given the school’s current financials they do not appear anymore disadvantaged than the rest of the NEC members. New Haven the city also has a lot of talented football and basketball recruits that can now be recruited that would have otherwise passed on D2 athletics.
God Bless You Reverend I enjoy reading your comments agree or disagree.
Keep up the excellences!!!
I like FCS football and like to plan road trips from my home base of Saratoga. If New Haven is good at the FCS level–and I think they will be—it’s a nice day-trip. As you might know, New Haven is known for pizza.
“One bite, everybody knows the rules.”
“Pepe’s or Sally’s?”
McDonald’s
Jersey Mike’s
Portillo’s
Subway
Just want to let you know Kevin Kelly these are My quad-favorite fast-food places.
You are right–a lot of schools see moving to D1 as a way to maintain enrollment numbers. That said, playing at the D1 is expensive and schools like New Haven, LeMoyne, and others are unlikely to see the benefits.
But–the one thing that they know—they played at the D2 level, so they know the costs and the revenues associated with that.
I guess we’ll just have to see what happens. D3 is going to be D3—-
The big mystery is D2–do more schools, knowing that they can’t keep up with the upcoming House repercussions drop to D2 or does D2 fade away. Personally, I see D2 getting more schools as the $$ gap gets wider. I could see schools deciding to drop down rather than pay players, only to lose them in the portal to the big boys.
We shall see.
Chicago State isn’t going to get booted–they’re trying to get things going. For some schools, athletics is the way to DRAW students. Give them credit for trying. The football team plans to play FCS football in 2026; they hired Bobby Rome to coach the team–that sounds serious to me.
It is a commuter school–so as for drawing fans, I wouldn’t expect packed houses, but that’s not the point.
I can’t root against them. As a fan of FCS football, the more programs, the better. The NEC isn’t a juggernaut conference and there has to be talent both in Chicago and the state of Illinois that might consider playing at Chicago State now that they have an actual football program.
Chicago State–sounds tough, like Cleveland State, Buffalo State. You don’t want that smoke!
@Reverend Dupree—-I guess I’d have to start at Pepe’s–that’s the known commodity, correct. Kinda like Philly—you have to start with Pat’s and then make the rounds.
Maybe after the Chicago State-New Haven contest!!!!!
John I am blessed & happy that you are a Fan of FCS Football & I am very proud of you.
Here are Dan’s top five FCS Football teams that I like.
1. Western Illinois
2. Northern Iowa
3. Villanova
4. Montana State
5. Houston Christian
Did you know that first elected American Pope Leo XIV is alumni of Villanova & grew up in Chicagoland My neck of the woods in south suburban Dolton while I live 30 miles west of Chicago appropriately known as West Chicago.
I gotta tell you Dan–at first, you threw me, you are quirky–in a good way and have grown on me. This is a great website–would love to have more discussions and commentary. FCS football is great. It reminds me of the CFL–understated (in a good way) and unpretentious. It’s about playing football, not about the almighty like what we’re seeing at the FBS/CFP level.
I am not naive. I understand when ESPN can thrown another $100 million for he SEC to add a 9th conference game, that’s just reflective of demand, and inventory.
I like the fact that Chicago State and New Haven are giving it a try, despite the odds and the financial stress that I’m sure they’ll encounter. Chicago State not only could end up out of the football game, they could end up closing their doors. Let’s hope that does not happen.
I like the fact that schools like Marist, Butler, Valpo, and the rest of the Pioneer League are trying to play FCS/Div. 1 football without scholarships, knowing that they get ridiculed by the average sports fan.
I like the fact that North Dakota State, Montana, and Montana State thus far, have resisted the urge to mover to FBS just to be another middling 7-5 program.
I like the fact that Villanova stays at the FCS level, depsite two national championships since 2016 in basketball (three overall).
That said, I like the fact that Sacramento State is going to give FBS a shot, even though I’ll miss them at the FCS level for sure.
I like the fact that Saint Francis, like Hartford did, realizes that it’s okay to move from Division 1 to Divission 3. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I hope that the NCAA and college athletics can figure this out so all levels can succeed and flourish going forward.