Stonehill making move to Div. I, joining NEC

Stonehill College has accepted an invitation from the Northeast Conference’s Council of Presidents and will begin a transition to offer NCAA Division I athletics starting with the 2022-23 academic year, it was announced yesterday by Stonehill College President Fr. John Denning, C.S.C., and Noreen Morris, Commissioner of the NEC.

“I am deeply appreciative to the Northeast Conference for inviting us,” said Denning. “As the College approaches its 75th anniversary, this move to the Northeast Conference and NCAA Division I athletics signals that Stonehill is prepared to achieve its fullest potential — both athletically and academically in the years to come. I also want to express my profound gratitude to the Northeast-10 Conference which has been Stonehill’s athletic home for decades.”

Stonehill will begin competition in the NEC in the fall of 2022 and become a full member of the conference in 2026-27 upon completion of its four-year NCAA Div. I reclassification period. The Skyhawks will be incorporated into NEC athletic schedules beginning with the 202223 seasons and will be able to participate in NEC championships in NCAA non-automatic qualifier sports (men’s and women’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field, as well as women’s swimming).

Stonehill, a charter member of the Northeast-10 Conference, currently offers 22 varsity programs at the NCAA Div. II level, with its 23rd program, women’s ice hockey, set to begin competition in the NCAA Div. I New England Women’s Collegiate Hockey Alliance for the 2022-23 season.

The college fields nine men’s and 14 women’s athletic programs, with all except equestrian and men’s and women’s ice hockey set to compete among the NEC’s 25 championship sports. Equestrian will continue to compete within the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), while men’s ice hockey will compete as an NCAA Div. I independent while the college continues to work towards a conference affiliation.