BRIDGEPORT, Pa. -- For Brown University, Connecticut College, Fordham University, Harvard University, Iona College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and reigning Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Eastern Champion St. Francis College (N.Y.), the first steps on the road to the 2011 Eastern Championship are now known as the league released the Northern Division schedule.

Non-conference competition will begin on September 17-18 at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. as the majority of the Northern and Southern Division teams will converge on the training grounds for the Navy in a preview of potential Eastern Championship match-ups.  The championship replaces the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament previously held in mid-September.

Northern Division action will commence one week later when Fordham host MIT (1:00 p.m.) and Harvard (6:00 p.m.) in the Bronx, N.Y., while Iona hosts the Engineers (8:30 p.m.) and Crimson (10:00 a.m.) in New Rochelle, N.Y. to begin the 21-game regular season slate.

Following the regular season, the Bears, Camels, Rams, Crimson, Gaels, Engineers and Terriers will converge at MIT on November 18-20 for the Northern Division Championship with the top four finishers at the division championship advancing to the eight-team Eastern Championship. 

The Northern Division teams will not have to travel far for the Eastern tournament as Harvard is currently slated to host the championship on November 18-20 pending approval of the institution's championship bid package.