The Northeast Conference (NEC) is back.

After a two-year hiatus, the NEC announced its return to men’s lacrosse on Thursday. NEC commissioner Noreen Morris announced that the conference will return for the 2024-25 academic year.

The NEC, which previously sponsored men’s lacrosse from 2011-22, will feature seven teams — Detroit Mercy, Le Moyne, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, VMI and Wagner.

Detroit Mercy and VMI were announced as associate league members with Thursday’s news.

“I am absolutely thrilled to announce the return of men's lacrosse next season,” Morris said in a release. “As we reflected on our past successes and the pivotal role men's lacrosse has played in our conference's identity, it became evident that this sport is deeply ingrained in our NEC community.”

The NEC will be the 10th conference in the 2025 season, adding another automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament field.