The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL or New England League) is a 13-team collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August. Like the Cape Cod Baseball League and other amateur leagues, the NECBL is a showcase for top college-level players, giving professional baseball scouts a chance to see prospective pros playing against each other. Along with the Cape Cod Baseball League, Northwoods League, and Coastal Plain League, it is considered one of the top summer leagues in the country and is a part of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. In 2019, the Collegiate Summer Baseball Register ranked the NECBL as the 2nd best collegiate summer baseball league, behind only the Cape Cod League.
Founded in 1993, the NECBL began its direction under George Foster, former Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets All-Star and Major League Baseball home run leader, and Emmy Award-winning television producer/director Joseph Consentino. Play started in 1994 and today the NECBL plays in all six New England states. It recruits players attending U.S. colleges from New England, the other 44 states, and foreign countries, provided that they come from NCAA-sanctioned colleges or universities, are in good academic standing, have completed at least one year of athletic eligibility, and have at least one year of eligibility remaining.
The NECBL's current commissioner is Sean McGrath, former general manager of the North Adams SteepleCats. McGrath replaced Mario Tiani, who retired following the 2012 season.
League structure The NECBL became a 13-team league in 2013 with the addition of teams in Rhode Island (Ocean State Waves), Massachusetts (Plymouth Pilgrims) and New York (Saratoga Brigade) (the league's first team to operate outside New England), but reverted to 12 teams after the Brigade folded. On October 30, 2015, the league announced that the Upper Valley Nighthawks would begin play in 2016 in Hartford, Vermont, bringing the league back to 13 teams. The Plymouth Pilgrims ceased operations after the 2018 season but were replaced by the Martha's Vineyard Sharks, a former member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL). The New Bedford BaySox ceased after the 2019 season, replaced by the Bristol Blues, who also moved from the FCBL. The North Shore Navigators returned to the league in 2021 after nine years in the FCBL. The Winnipesaukee Muskrats folded following the 2022 season after the league's governing board rejected the team's strategy to house players.
Teams Current teams
New England Collegiate Baseball League Division Team Founded City Stadium CapacityNorthKeene Swamp Bats1997Keene, New HampshireAlumni Field4,100North Adams SteepleCats2002North Adams, MassachusettsJoe Wolfe Field1,800North Shore Navigators2008The Navigators played in the FCBL from 2012–2020.Lynn, MassachusettsFraser Field3,804Sanford Mainers2002Sanford, MaineGoodall Park950Upper Valley Nighthawks2016Hartford, VermontMaxfield Sports Complex1,500Vermont Mountaineers2003Montpelier, VermontMontpelier Recreation Field1,200SouthBristol Blues2015The Blues played in the FCBL from 2015–2019.Bristol, ConnecticutMuzzy Field4,900Danbury Westerners1995Danbury, ConnecticutRogers Park^2,500Martha's Vineyard Sharks2010The Sharks played in the FCBL from 2010–2018.Oak Bluffs, MassachusettsThe Shark Tank^2,000Mystic SchoonersThe Schooners are the only surviving charter franchise.1994Groton, ConnecticutFitch High School>1,000Newport Gulls1998Newport, Rhode IslandCardines Field3,000Ocean State Waves2013South Kingstown, Rhode IslandOld Mountain Field^2,000Valley Blue Sox2001Holyoke, MassachusettsMackenzie Stadium4,100 A caret (^) denotes an approximate capacity, including lawn seating.
Relocated or renamed teams TeamCityStadiumCapacityYearsHistoryWaterbury White SoxWaterbury, ConnecticutMunicipal Stadium6,000Became the Waterbury Barons Eastern TidesWillimantic, ConnecticutEastern Baseball Stadium1,5001994–2001Became the Thread City TidesThread City TidesWillimantic, ConnecticutEastern Baseball Stadium1,5002002–2003Became the Berkshire DukesBerkshire DukesHinsdale, MassachusettsDan Duquette Sports AcademyBerkshire Dukes Box Score, c. 2004 URL accessed June 5, 2009 Became the Pittsfield DukesPittsfield DukesPittsfield, MassachusettsWahconah Park4,5002005–2008Became the Pittsfield American DefendersPittsfield American DefendersPittsfield, MassachusettsWahconah Park4,500Became the Bristol Collegiate Baseball ClubBristol Collegiate Baseball ClubBristol, ConnecticutMuzzy Field4,900Became the Mystic Schooners Middletown GiantsMiddletown, ConnecticutPalmer Field3,5001994–2003Became the Holyoke GiantsHolyoke GiantsHolyoke, MassachusettsMackenzie Stadium4,1002004–2007Became the North Shore Navigators Rhode Island RedsWest Warwick, Rhode IslandMcCarthy Field2,5001996–2000Became the Riverpoint Royals Torrington TwistersTorrington, ConnecticutFuessenich Park1,5001997–2008Became the New Bedford Bay Sox Rhode Island GullsCranston, Rhode IslandCranston Stadium4,5001998–2000Became the Newport Gulls. Mill City All-AmericansLowell, MassachusettsStoklosa Alumni Field4,0002000–2006Renamed the Lowell All-AmericansLowell All-AmericansLowell, MassachusettsStoklosa Alumni Field4,0002007–2010Became the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide Manchester SilkwormsManchester, ConnecticutNorthwest Park2000–2009Became the Laconia MuskratsLaconia MuskratsLaconia, New HampshireRobbie Mills Field1,2002010-2015Became the Winnipesaukee MuskratsConcord Quarry DogsConcord, New HampshireWarren H. Doane Diamond1,2002001–2007Became the Holyoke Blue Sox, now the Valley Blue Sox
Defunct teams Team City Stadium Capacity Years Fairfield Stallions Fairfield, Connecticut Alumni Baseball Diamond 1,000 1994 Bristol Nighthawks Bristol, Connecticut Muzzy Field 4,900 1994–1995 Waterbury Barons Waterbury, Connecticut Municipal Stadium 6,000 1994–1996 Central Mass Collegians Leominster, Massachusetts Doyle Field 6,200 1995–1999 Riverpoint Royals West Warwick, Rhode Island McCarthy Field 2,500 1996–2004 Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide Old Orchard Beach, Maine The Ball Park 6,000 2000–2011 Saratoga Brigade Saratoga Springs, New York East Side Recreation 2013Plymouth Pilgrims Plymouth, Massachusetts Forges Field 2013-2018New Bedford Bay Sox New Bedford, Massachusetts Paul Walsh Field 1997–2019Winnipesaukee MuskratsLaconia, New HampshireRobbie Mills Field1,2002010-2022
Season structure In the 2021 season, the league was divided into two seven-team divisions, the North Division and the South Division. During the regular season, teams played 44 regular-season games, solely against division opponents, because of COVID-19 travel concerns. Scheduled doubleheaders were seven-inning games.
The top four teams from each division qualified for the eight-team playoff bracket, in which teams played best-of-three series to determine the champion.
For 2022, the NECBL went to three divisions, with a single pair of games against each out-of-division team. The league retained the three-division format through the 2024 season. In 2025, the NECBL returned to the two-division format with six teams in the North Division and seven in the South.
In 2026, the playoffs included the two division-winners, now followed by the six other teams with the best win-loss percentage regardless of division. That year, the six comprised one Northern Division team and five Southern Division teams.
Past champions + Total NECBL Fay Vincent Cup Records Franchise Titles Last title AppearancesNewport Gulls 8 2024 13Keene Swamp Bats 6 2025 8 North Shore Navigators 4 2010 4Middletown Giants319993Sanford Mainers 3 2026 5Vermont Mountaineers 3 2015 6 Central Mass Collegians 2 1996 2Mystic Schooners 2 2016 3Valley Blue Sox 2 2018 2Danbury Westerners 1 2021 6Martha's Vineyard Sharks120223New Bedford Bay Sox 0 4Ocean State Waves 0 2 Bristol Nighthawks 01Winnipesaukee Muskrats01 Waterbury Barons01 Riverpoint Royals00 Fairfield Stallions00North Adams SteepleCats00Plymouth Pilgrims00Saratoga Brigade00Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide00Upper Valley Nighthawks00
In the NECBL's history, the most successful team is the Newport Gulls, with eight league championships and thirteen championship series appearances (including one championship appearance as the Cranston, Rhode Island–based Rhode Island Gulls). The Keene Swamp Bats are next with six league titles, and the North Shore Navigators have four.NECBL Record Book at necbl.com, URL accessed July 22, 2009 Year Winning team Series Losing team1994Eastern TidesBristol Nighthawks1995Central Mass CollegiansWaterbury Barons1996Central Mass CollegiansDanbury Westerners1997Middletown GiantsTorrington Twisters1998Middletown GiantsTorrington Twisters1999Middletown GiantsDanbury Westerners2000Keene Swamp BatsRhode Island Gulls2001Newport GullsKeene Swamp Bats2002Newport GullsKeene Swamp Bats2003Keene Swamp BatsTorrington Twisters2004Sanford MainersNewport Gulls2005Newport GullsVermont Mountaineers2006Vermont MountaineersTorrington Twisters2007Vermont MountaineersNewport Gulls2008Sanford MainersNewport Gulls2009Newport GullsVermont Mountaineers2010North Shore NavigatorsDanbury Westerners2011Keene Swamp BatsLaconia Muskrats2012Newport GullsDanbury Westerners2013Keene Swamp BatsNewport Gulls2014Newport GullsSanford Mainers2015Vermont MountaineersMystic Schooners2016Mystic SchoonersSanford Mainers2017Valley Blue SoxOcean State Waves2018Valley Blue SoxOcean State Waves2019Keene Swamp BatsMartha's Vineyard Sharks2020None (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)2021Danbury WesternersNorth Shore Navigators2022Martha's Vineyard SharksVermont Mountaineers2023Newport GullsBristol Blues2024Newport GullsSanford Mainers2025Keene Swamp BatsMartha's Vineyard Sharks2026Sanford MainersDanbury Westerners
All-Star Game The All-Star Game usually takes place from mid- to late July. Prior to the game a Home Run Derby is held and, since the 2007 All-Star Game, a Special Skill Competition for Most Accurate Arm and Fastest Runner.