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Mount St. Mary's joined the NEC for the 1989-90 season and went on to win seven straight regular-season titles. In 1993, the Mount won the first of three straight tournament titles and earned the league's first two automatic berths to the NCAA Tournament, in 1994-95. Following the 1995 tournament, St. Francis (PA) went on its roll. The Red Flash won their first tournament title in 1996, and went on to win five straight titles, a league record. Long Island finally ended St. Francis (PA)'s dynasty in 2001, winning its first NEC crown as the #3 seed in the tourney. The Red Flash came back strong in 2002, dethroning the Blackbirds in the title game, followed by knocking off upstart UMBC in the 2003 finale. St. Francis (PA) won again in 2004, beating Monmouth, then made it four straight and nine titles in the last ten years by downing Robert Morris in the 2005 championship finale. Sacred Heart snapped the Red Flash streak at four in 2006, winning both the regular season and tournament championships - their first since joining the league in 1999. Robert Morris took home its third NEC crown in 2007 to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, then repeated in 2008. In 2009, Sacred Heart became the third team in NEC history to finish the regular season undefeated then go on to win the conference tournament championship. Saint Francis (PA) won its 10th women’s basketball crown in 2010. Seeded fifth, the Red Flash beat the #1, #2 and #4 seeds to become the lowest seed in league history to win the championship. The Red Flash repeated in 2011 to make it 11 titles for the Loretto, PA school. Sacred Heart made it three NEC championship in seven years in 2012. Quinnipiac won it all it 2012-13 and set a new league mark with 30 wins. Robert Morris went from 10th place in 2012-13 to NEC Tournament champion in 2013-14. St. Francis Brooklyn won its first-ever NEC title in 2014-15, becoming the first program to win all three tournament games on the road en-route to the championship. In head coach Sal Buscaglia's swan song, Robert Morris won its fifth conference championship on the road at Sacred Heart. Under his son, Charlie, the Colonials made it back-to-back crowns in 2016-17. SFU won its record 12th NEC tite in 2017-18. RMU reclaimed the title in 2019 for its third championship in four years and eighth overall. The tournament was not contested in 2020, but upon its return in 2021, Mount St. Mary's won it all for the fourth time in its history and first time since 1995. The Mountaineers went back-to-back in 2022. SHU won its first title in a decade in 2023, defeating FDU in a back-and-forth affair in Hackensack. The Pioneers defended their title in convincing fashion, knocking off league newcomer Le Moyne in 2024. In 2025, FDU capped off a perfect season - just the sixth in NEC history with the program's first NEC championship in 34 years.
Ten different teams have won the NEC Tournament. Former Mount St. Mary's forward and NEC Player of the Year Susie Rowlyk won an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1995. Mount guard and NEC Player of the Year Amy Langville was a 1996-97 GTE Academic All-American. St. Francis (PA)'s Jess Zinobile graduated in 2000 as a two-time NEC Player of the Year and the all-time NEC leader in scoring and rebounding, before being drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. Wagner's Carrie Walker was named a Verizon third team Academic All-American in 2003 and St. Francis (PA)'s Beth Swink earned second team All-America plaudits in 2004 and followed up with first team honors in 2005. Swink, the 2005 NEC Student-Athlete of the Year, is one of nine NEC student-athletes in the history of the league who are two-time Academic All-America award winners. Wagner's Joy Gallagher was tabbed the 2005-06 NEC Student-Athlete of the Year and earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. In 2006-07, LIU Brooklyn's Valerie Nainima became the first player in league annals to win both NEC Player and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season. Robert Morris guard Sade Logan finished second in the nation in scoring in 2007-08, averaging 25.2 ppg. Wagner's Jasmine Nwajei led DI in scoring with 29.0 ppg in 2015-16. Sacred Heart freshman Ny'Ceara Pryor made history in 2022-23 when she was named NEC Player, Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year, and then added NEC Tournament MVP honors for good measure.
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