The United East Conference has confirmed the additions of four new institutions as members of the conference at the start of the 2027-28 academic year, announced on Tuesday afternoon by the conference office. Centenary University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Immaculata University, and Marymount University will all be joining the current 13 core member institutions of the conference to bring the United East's total to 17 full members, effective July 1, 2027. This move comes in wake of the Atlantic East's strategic partnership with the United East earlier this year and the departure of both Marywood and Neumann to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and Saint Elizabeth University's and Pratt Institute's moves to the new NCAA Division III conference to begin competition in the 2027-28 season with name and branding yet to be revealed.
 
Each of these four institutions will provide a significant boost to the strength of the United East Conference and for Lancaster Bible College as they have all been consistent non-conference opponents for the Chargers across multiple sports as well as affiliate members of the United East in recent years. For the 2026-27 season, both Immaculata and Gwynedd Mercy are affiliate members of the United East for Field Hockey and several Atlantic East schools will participate in a joint conference structure for Men's Volleyball in the Spring of 2027.
 
United East Commissioner Stephanie Dutton had this to say about the conference's announcement: "First and foremost, I want to thank the presidents and chancellors from the Atlantic East and the United East for their work and commitment over the last nine months. While the outcome of our work differs from our initial goal, it was clear in every discussion that our campus leaders are most committed to ensuring their student-athletes have a positive conference experience in a stable and competitive environment. We look forward to welcoming these four institutions to the United East in 2027 and see this addition as another opportunity for our conference to continue evolving and innovating in ways that best support Division III student-athletes during a volatile time in higher education."
 
Lancaster Bible College Athletics is proud to welcome Centenary (N.J.), Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata, and Marymount (Va.) to the United East Conference in 2027 and all of the competitiveness, sportsmanship, and opportunity that will come with this expansion of the conference and its competition.
 
For the official United East Conference release, click the link here.