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FDU's Historic Run
FDU made history in 2022-23, becoming just the second #16 seed in NCAA history to knock off a #1 seed with its 63-58 conquest of Purdue. It marked the NEC's first-ever NCAA win in the main bracket. The Knights took FAU down to the final minute in its second round game, eventually falling, 78-70. FDU opened March Madness by posting an 84-61 win over Texas Southern in the First Four.
NEC History
Saint Francis U capped a remarkable run of heart-stopping finishes by grinding out a 46-43 victory over top-seeded CCSU to clinch its first title in 34 years to wrap the 2024-25 season. The Red Flash won each of their three tournament games by exactly three points. The nine-point combined margin of victory was the smallest in NEC history. Wagner made NEC history in 2023-24, becoming the first team to win three games on the road to capture the NEC crown. Seeded sixth, the Seahawks went through the #1, #2 and #3 seeds to hoist the trophy for the second time. In its first year of NEC postseason eligibility, Merrimack pulled off the 2022-23 regular season/tournament sweep for the program's first title. With the Warriors still one year away from NCAA eligibility, FDU represented the conference in March Madness. Bryant's pulled off the double in 2021-22, winning the program's first regular season and tournament titles. Mount St. Mary's once again came from the #4 seed to win it all, taking home its sixth NEC Tournament trophy by winning at Bryant to cap off the 2020-21 season. Robert Morris captured its ninth NEC championship in 2020 after Merrimack won the regular seson crown in its first year as an NEC and DI member. In 2019, FDU became the fifth team in six years to win the conference tournament on the road, beating Saint Francis U for the program's sixth title. The Knights went on to edge Prairie View A&M for their first NCAA Tournament win. LIU Brooklyn captured the NEC championship for a sixth time in 2018, winning as the #4 seed in Derek Kellogg's first year as head coach. Mount St. Mary's won its fifth NEC title in 2017 and then claimed the program's second NCAA win with a 67-66 triumph over New Orleans. FDU returned to the top for the first time in 11 years in 2016, riding a young squad to the program's fifth NEC championship with a win over Wagner in Staten Island. Robert Morris won its NEC-best eightn tournament title in 2015 and then knocked off North Florida in the NCAA Tournament opening round. It marked the fourth straight year the Colonials won a postseason game. Fourth-seeded Mount St. Mary's won the NEC title for the fourth time in 2014, and for the third straight time as the #4 seed or lower. Robert Morris defeated top-seeded St. John's in a 2014 Postseason NIT first round contest. LIU Brooklyn became the first team in league history to three-peat in 2013, stopping Mouint St. Mary's. That same season, Robert Morris defeated Kentucky in the first round of the Postseason NIT in a jam packed Sewall Center. The Blackbirds had won their second straight in 2012, again defeating Robert Morris, which appeared in its fourth straight championship game. The Blackbirds completed a remarkable two-year run in which they posted a best-ever 32-4 mark in league play. The 2011-12 season was also a historic one with three schools (LIU, Robert Morris and Wagner) each posting 25+ wins. In one of the most memorable title games in league history, LIU Brooklyn won its third NEC men’s basketball championship with an 85-82 overtime victory over Robert Morris in the 2011 title tilt. LIU finished the year with 27 victories, tying the NEC single-season record. Robert Morris became the first NEC team to repeat as champion since Rider in 1993 and 1994 with a 52-50 win over Quinnipiac before a championship record crowd at the TD Bank Sports Center. It was the seventh conference title for the Colonials, who nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history a week later. Seeded 15th, Robert Morris led #2 Villanova for most of the game before falling in overtime, 73-70, in Providence, RI. Robert Morris used a late bucket to win its sixth NEC championship in 2009 with a 48-46 win over the Mount. Seeded fourth, Mount St. Mary’s claimed its third NEC title in 2008, then went on to defeat Coppin State, 69-60 in the NCAA Tournament. Central Connecticut State won both the NEC regular season and tournament championship for the third time in 2007. Monmouth claimed its third conference title in six years and fourth overall with a last second victory over regular season champion Fairleigh Dickinson in the 2006 NEC Tournament finale. The Hawks then became just the second school in league history to win an NCAA Tournament game with a 71-49 win over Hampton. Fairleigh Dickinson won its fourth NEC Tournament championship in 2005 and then gave eventual NCAA Tournament runner-up Illinois all it could handle in a first round matchup. Monmouth came away with its third NEC crown in 2004 after tying with St. Francis (NY) for the NEC regular season title. Wagner captured its first-ever league championship in 2003, soon after winning its first NEC regular season trophy. CCSU wore the NEC crown for the second time in three years in 2002, capping a season that saw the Blue Devils set league records for victories (27) and league wins (19). Monmouth rallied from a 20-point second half deficit to upend regular season champion St. Francis (NY) and win the 2001 NEC Tournament at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ. Central Connecticut State capped a magnificent two year turnaround by winning the 2000 title, and then gave #2 Iowa State all it could handle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before bowing. Mount St. Mary's captured the 1999 tournament title as Mountaineer head coach Jim Phelan registered his 800th career win before a nationwide audience. LIU Brooklyn ended a 13 year championship drought by capturing the 1997 regular season and tournament titles. The Blackbirds repeated in 1998 as regular season champions, but were upset by Fairleigh Dickinson in the tournament championship game. FDU made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988. Long Island became the first NEC team to lead the nation in scoring in 1997. In 1998, LIU's Charles Jones became just the seventh player in NCAA history to win back-to-back scoring titles. In 1995-96, the NEC sent a league record three teams to the postseason. Monmouth went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, while Marist and Mount St. Mary's went to the NIT Tournament. Ten schools have won NEC titles, led by Robert Morris with five championships. The conclusion of the 2002-03 season saw the retirement of legendary Mount St. Mary’s men’s basketball coach Jim Phelan, who stepped down after a record 49 seasons as the third winningest basketball coach in NCAA history with 830 career victories. Following his 44th season, Phelan was honored with the Clair Bee/Chip Hilton award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Rob Krimmel of St. Francis (PA) was named a third team GTE Academic All-American in 1999 and a second team Academic All-American in 2000. Wagner's Dedrick Dye was tabbed as a Verizon third team Academic All-American in 2003. After leading the league in scoring, Sacred Heart's Kibwe Trim was chosen an an ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-American for the 2005-06 season.
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