The Northeast Conference announced Tuesday that it will add men’s swimming at diving to its slate of league championships in the 2020-21 season.
The league already hosts a women’s swimming and diving championship that involves nine schools, won last year by Bryant University. The Northeast Conference men’s championships will be attached to that meet, scheduled for Feb. 17-20 at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in East Meadow, N.Y.
Men’s swimming and diving will begin competition with four full Northeast Conference members – Bryant, Long Island University, Mount St. Mary’s, St. Francis Brooklyn – plus Howard University as an associate member of the league in Division I.
“We are always looking to expand our offerings and provide our student-athletes with a championship experience, so I’m thrilled to add men’s swimming and diving to our growing sport roster,” Northeast Conference commissioner Noreen Morris said in a league statement. “We’re especially thankful to be joined by Howard University, whose addition helped make this launch possible. I’m looking forward to a festival-like setting alongside some top notch competition this winter when the men join the women in East Meadow, NY for our conference championship meet!”
Men’s swimming and diving is the 24th championship sport crowned by the Northeast Conference. It’s the first new championship inaugurated by the NEC since 2011 when men’s lacrosse was introduced. Field hockey was reinstated in 2019 after a seven-year hiatus.