Upon moving up from Division II in 1981, Loyola was an original member of the ECAC Metro Conference which changed its name to the Northeast Conference (NEC) on August 1, 1988. During its eight seasons in the circuit, the Greyhounds never won the championship and had no appearances in either the NCAA or National Invitation Tournaments. The only player in the program's Division I history to have reached the National Basketball Association (NBA) is Mike Morrison, a four-year letterman from 1985 to 1989. An All-Conference First Team as a junior and senior, he was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (51st overall) of the 1989 NBA Draft. He was eventually named to the NEC 25th Anniversary All-Time Team in January 2006. Mark Amatucci was also honored as the circuit's Jim Phelan Coach of the Year in 1983–84.