BEVERLY, Mass. – The Conference of New England (CNE) is thrilled to announce its 40th season celebration for the 2024-25 academic year. This milestone commemoration will feature a robust campaign driven by digital and editorial content, alongside a series of recognitions across all current 20 championship sports.
To mark this significant anniversary, the conference has introduced a new logo, designed by Skye Dillon of Skye Design Studios, celebrating its origins as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The year-long campaign will include the unveiling of 40th Anniversary teams for each championship sport, honoring the exceptional achievements of past student-athletes.
“An essential element of our rebranding initiative was recognizing the unique opportunity to connect it to a celebration of the incredible accomplishments and commitment made by student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and support staff that allowed our conference to thrive over its first 40 years,” said CNE Commissioner Patrick Colbert. “Our foundation was built off of an established group of like-minded institutions who remain dedicated to our philosophy of creating enhanced experiences for our student-athletes that allow them to develop through diversified academic and athletic experiences. I am excited to honor their accomplishments and tell their stories through this year-long celebration!”
The 40th Anniversary campaign runs parallel to the league’s new naming and branding initiative. Plans for the anniversary - with help from the working committee made up of administrators from various core members, led by Western New England Athletic Director Jennifer Kolins - include creating an All-40th Team for each championship sport, feature stories on administrators and faculty, and a crowd-sourced collection of "40 for 40" memorable moments.
“The opportunity to work with my colleagues in the Conference, and to serve as Chairperson for the CCC 40th Anniversary Celebration has been a true honor,” said Kolins. “As a coach and administrator in the (former) CCC for many years, I had tremendous admiration and pride to be part of a Conference with such immense integrity, sportsmanship, and core values. The student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from each institution and Conference Office held and continue to hold a high standard of excellence both within and outside of competition. This celebration highlights the incredible legacy that we strive to honor every day. I look forward to seeing what the next era (of the CNE) will bring.”
This celebration also serves as a platform to highlight the conference's achievements, honor its history, and generate enthusiasm for future endeavors.
Originally established in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference and rebranded in 2024 as the Conference of New England, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference with 10 full-member and five associate-member institutions across New England.