NE10 LANDING PAGE - DII 50th ANNIVERSARY

One of Seven Founding Members of the NE10.

MANSFIELD, Mass. - Assumption University, one of only three current members of the Northeast-10 Conference that is also a founding member of the league, has produced some of the most notable athletic figures in Division II history - which for Assumption dates back to the start of the Division in 1973. 

Formerly a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), Assumption's longtime Director of Athletics Andy Laska - who served in the role for 30 years between 1956 and 1986 - was a founding father of the Northeast-7, a playing conference that would eventually be branded the Northeast-10. Laska oversaw Assumption's transition into Division II and less than a decade later, he served as an influential voice in the creation of the NE-7 and helped start a new era of college athletics in New England. 

Rita Castagna took over as Director of Athletics from 1988 to 2003, while also serving as head coach for numerous intercollegiate programs at Assumption. Her longest tenure was a 14-year stretch as the head coach of women's basketball, where she led the team to 133 victories and qualified for the NE10 Championship tournament six times. Kerry Phayre, the current head coach of Assumption women's basketball, would eventually take the helm in the 1996-97 season - a tenure that would see her become the all-time winningest coach in the history of Assumption athletics (455 wins and counting). 

Assumption has accounted for 11 NE10 Hall of Fame inductions in its time with the conference, including Steven "Merc" Morris - the longtime sports information director at Assumption. Morris, the first person who ever officially held that position at Assumption, had the post for nearly 40 years before passing away in January of 2011. Most recently, it was Joe O'Brien that was enshrined in the NE10 Hall of Fame. O'Brien led the Assumption men's basketball program during a historic stretch (1967-85) that included 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament and the 1983 NE10 Championship. 

To this day, Assumption athletic facilities celebrate some of the University's most historic figures, with the basketball court named "Andrew Laska Gymnasium" and the multi-purpose outdoor turf field named "Brian Kelly '83 Stadium." Brian Kelly, one of Assumption's most famous alums and former softball coach, is the current head coach of national power LSU football. 

Formerly known as Assumption College, the new designation of Assumption University became official in June of 2020. The school continues to grow, as does its history with Division II and the NE10. 

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• In the 1970s, the Assumption men's basketball team was one of the premier teams in college basketball. The Greyhounds reached the NCAA Tournament in eight of 10 years in the decade, which included five-straight regional championships from 1970 to 1975. Assumption tallied a 197-85 (.699) overall record and three third-place finishes in the NCAA Tournament. 11 of the 43 players in the 1,000-point club at Assumption played in the 1970s. 
• Since the beginning of the 2019 season, Assumption field hockey has become a nationally-renowned program. Over those five years, the Greyhounds have gone 67-20 (.770) and 48-6 (.889) in NE10 action. This run includes the second-most wins in Division II and three-straight trips to the NCAA Division II national semifinals. Head coach Annie Lahey has led her coaching staff to three-consecutive honors as National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Regional Coaching Staff of the Year, while producing 10 All-Americans. 
• The Bob Chesney era was a historic run for Assumption football from 2013-17, as he turned the program into a regional power and national contender. He amassed a 44-16 (.733) overall record and 36-9 (.800) mark in the NE10. He won at least six games in all five seasons, including the three winningest seasons in program history from 2015-17. Chesney helped Assumption win a pair of NE10 titles (2015, 2017) and advanced to the NCAA Tournamentin each of his final three seasons - including a trip to the NCAA DII Quarterfinals for the first time in program history in 2017. Three of his players earned All-America honors after the 2017 season, including Deonte Harty - a current wide receiver and kick returner for the Buffalo Bills. 
• John Ippolito led one of the most dominant eras of any sport in NE10 history. His men's tennis teams captured nine straight NE10 titles during his 10 years as head coach. A five-time NE10 Coach of the Year, Ippolito's teams posted an overall record of 187-41 (.820) and advanced to nine-straight NCAA Tournaments. At one point, the Greyhounds had 117 consecutive victories under Ippolito. Sean Kenney was a standout player for the program, becoming a four-time NE10 Player of the Year and a member of the NE10 Hall of Fame Class of 2012.
• Phayre, the all-time winningest coach of any sport at Assumption, is currently in her 28th season as head coach of women's basketball. Last season, she led Assumption to a historic accomplishment by winning its first-ever NCAA East Regional title and an Elite Eight appearance. The Greyhounds finished the season with a 27-6 record. Phayre's overall record at Assumption is 455-313 (.592) and she has coached 39 All-Conference players, including one NE10 Player of the Year in Katelyn Dwyer. She has led Assumption to eight 20-win seasons during her tenure. 

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT DIVISION II

Kerry Phayre, Head Coach of Women's Basketball

"It's hard to believe that I have been involved in Division II athletics for 28 of its 50 years. I started my playing career at SCSC (now SCSU) when it was still a D1 school. Learning that it was going to go to D2, I decided to transfer to Providence College. Little did I know then that I would spend the better part of my coaching career in Division 2 and love every minute of it. What I love about D2 is the balance between academics and athletics. At Assumption and with our team, academics comes first with basketball a close second. We take pride in our academic success (a team GPA over a 3.0 for 52 of 54 semesters) as well as our athletic success. The D2 motto of "Life in the Balance" is one that I support for our athletes, and I think it's what separates us and makes us unique. Division II athletics is a great option for high school student-athletes who want to compete at a high level, but also can explore internships, job opportunities, community service and more outside of their playing season and summers. I think it is the perfect balance of academics, athletics, and life!" 

Division II 50th Anniversary - Assumption University

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.