The Conference of New England (CNE) formerly the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) is a NCAA Division III hockey conference that began playing men’s hockey in the 2016-17 season, and began playing women’s hockey in the 2021-22 season.  The CNE is an all-sport NCAA Division III conference that was first established in 1984.

Current Membership

Men’s (9 schools)

Women’s (7 schools)

History

Men’s

Following the reshaping of the ECAC, the Commonwealth Coast Conference assumed operations of the ECAC Northeast for the 2016-17 season.  The ECAC Northeast had been in operation since 1998.

With other conferences being formed in the separation of the ECAC, the CCC among others, were able to retain their automatic tournament qualifier spot for the NCAA Tournament without a waiting period, due to the consistent members transferring from the ECAC Northeast to the CCC.

On August 1, 2024, the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) rebranded to the Conference of New England (CNE), as part of its 40th anniversary celebration as an all-sport Division III Conference.

Timeline

  • 2016-17: Becker, Curry, Endicott, Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Salve Regina, Suffolk, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (10)
    • All-Sports members Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, Wentworth, Western New England assume CCC membership following disbanding of ECAC Northeast
    • Becker, Johnson & Wales, Suffolk join CCC as affiliate members, following disbanding of ECAC Northeast
    • UNE joins CNE as an all-sports member following disbanding of the ECAC East
  • 2018-19: Becker, Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (8)
    • Affiliate members Johnson and Wales and Suffolk leave the CCC for the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).
  • 2020-21: Becker, Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, Suffolk, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (9)
    • Suffolk joins the CCC as an all-sports member, rejoining the hockey league
    • Conference season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 2021-22: Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, Suffolk, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (8)
    • Becker College Board of Trustees announced the decision to permanently close the college at the end of the 2020-21 academic year
  • 2024-25: Curry, Endicott, Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Suffolk, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (8)
    • League renamed the CNE in the all-sports conference’s 40th anniversary
    • Johnson & Wales rejoins the CNE as an affiliate member; will become an all-sports member in 2025-26
    • A year after leaving the league for all other sports, affiliate member Salve Regina exits the league for the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).
  • 2025-26: Curry, Endicott, Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Roger Williams, Suffolk, UNE, Wentworth, Western New England (9)
    • All-Sports member Roger Williams starts a men’s hockey program, joining the conference.

Women’s

In 2019, the CCC announced it would be starting to sponsor women’s hockey.  The league would assume operations of the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC), given a majority of the CHC’s members were members in the CCC for other sports.

The CCC was able to retain their automatic tournament qualifier spot for the NCAA Tournament without a waiting period, due to the consistent members transferring from the CHC to the CCC.

On August 1, 2024, the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) rebranded to the Conference of New England (CNE), as part of its 40th anniversary celebration as an all-sport Division III Conference.

Timeline

  • 2020-21: Becker, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, Suffolk, UNE, Western New England (7)
    • All-Sports members Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, UNE, assume CCC membership following transfer from CHC
    • All-Sports members Suffolk and Western New England start women’s hockey varsity programs, join hockey league
    • Becker joins CCC as affiliate members, following transfer of CHC
    • Conference season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 2021-22: Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, Suffolk, UNE, Western New England (7)
    • All-Sports member Curry starts women’s hockey varsity program, joins hockey league
    • Becker College Board of Trustees announced the decision to permanently close the college at the end of the 2020-21 academic year
  • 2024-25: Curry, Endicott, Johnson & Wales, Nichols, Suffolk, UNE, Western New England (7)
    • League renamed the CNE in the all-sports conference’s 40th anniversary
    • Johnson & Wales rejoins the CNE as an affiliate member; will become an all-sports member in 2025-26
    • A year after leaving the league for all other sports, affiliate member Salve Regina exits the league for the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).

Season by Season Results

Men’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC)
2016-17EndicottEndicottEndicott
2017-18Salve ReginaNicholsNichols, Salve Regina, UNE
2018-19Salve ReginaUNEUNE
2019-20Endicott, UNEEndicottEndicott
2020-21

Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22UNEUNEUNE
2022-23EndicottEndicottCurry, Endicott, UNE
2023-24CurryEndicottCurry, Endicott

Conference of New England (CNE)
2024-25CurryCurryCurry, UNE
2025-26UNEEndicottEndicott, UNE

Women’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC)
2020-21

Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22EndicottEndicottEndicott
2022-23SuffolkSuffolkSuffolk
2023-24EndicottWestern New EnglandWestern New England

Conference of New England (CNE)
2024-25EndicottEndicottEndicott
2025-26EndicottEndicottEndicott

Championships by School

Men’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
Endicott3 (1 shared)5
UNE3 (1 shared)2
Curry21
Salve Regina20
Nichols01

Women’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
Endicott43
Suffolk11
Western New England01

See Also