MILTON, Mass. - In a preseason poll of head coaches in the New England Football Conference (NEFC), Curry College is predicted to finish fifth in the eight-team league. A year ago, the Colonels finish tied for third with a 4-3 conference record (4-5 overall).

Defending New England Football Conference Champion Endicott College has been picked by the coaches in the Conference to repeat its NEFC title in 2014. The Gulls, who will be seeking their third Conference championship, received first place votes from four of the eight conference coaches and second place nods from the other four coaches.

Endicott is led by 2013 NEFC Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Drew Frenette who threw for nearly 260 yards per game in 2013 and had 24 touchdown passes with just six interceptions. He completed nearly 62% of all his throws. Defensively, NEFC Defensive Rookie of the Year Craig Anderson is the top returnee. Anderson had 66 tackles in 2013 with three and a half sacks.

Salve Regina University, which finished in second place in 2013 was slotted for that same position in the poll. Salve Regina got two first place votes, four second place nods, and two selections for third. Multiple time all-conference defensive back Phil Terio, and junior Hayden Stanton, the 2013 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, anchor the Seahawks' stout defense.

Western New England University was chosen for third place. The Golden Bears received one first place vote. WNE was second in the Conference in points per game at 33.8, but gave up nearly as many points as they scored (31.9).

MIT earned the final first place vote and finished fourth in the balloting. The Engineers led all NEFC defenses in fewest yards allowed per game in 2013 and were second only to Endicott in most yards gained per game on the offensive side of the ball.

Rounding out the poll were Curry College in fifth place, Coast Guard Academy in sixth, Maine Maritime Academy placing seventh, and Nichols College in the eighth position.

The poll:

*Points are awarded based on position selected in the poll. A first place vote is awarded one point, a second place vote is two points, etc…

The NEFC will begin 2014 play the weekend of September 5 & 6 with all eight teams in action against non-conference foes. League games begin the weekend of September 27.