Posted: Aug 13, 2012
Elsewhere, if the votes in the pre-season coaches’ poll are to be an indication, the race for the 2012 NEFC championship is as wide open as it has ever been. In the final year of the league as it is currently constituted with 16 teams, three teams tied for the team the coaches felt would be the 2012 champion, and a fourth was a single vote behind. Yet another received a vote as well.
The Bogan Division coaches voted both 2011 Division champion Framingham State University and Bridgewater State University as co-favorites to win the Division. Each institution received four first place votes, two second and two third place votes each. Each team garnered 58 of a possible 64 points. Westfield State University finished a distant third in the Bogan balloting with 41 points.
In the Boyd Division, defending NEFC champion Western New England also received 58 points with three first place picks, four seconds and a third. Right on the tail of the Golden Bears were Salve Regina University and Endicott College. Each totaled 54 points with Salve Regina taking three first place slots, and Endicott chosen for the top spot on two ballots.
Western New England was the choice of four Conference coaches to retain its title, but Salve Regina and Framingham also received four votes. Bridgewater was the pick of three NEFC coaches to win the Championship, and Worcester State University also picked up a vote.
The balloting for the Divisions was based on a point system with eight points awarded for a first-place pick descending to one point for an eight place selection. Each coach ranked teams only in his own division (including his own), and each coach was asked to pick the eventual Conference champion.
The 2012 season begins Friday, August 31, when Fitchburg travels to Becker for a 6:00pm kickoff. Division play begins the weekend of September 21, with the final NEFC Championship game to be played Saturday, November 10 at the site of the Bogan Division winner.
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