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 finished fifth with a 3-4 conference record (3-7 overall).
Defending New England Football Conference champion MIT has been picked by the coaches in the Conference to repeat its NEFC title in 2015. The Engineers, who won their first Conference championship in program history in 2014, received first place votes from six of the eight conference coaches, a second place nod and a third place pick. MIT won its first 11 games in 2014 before losing in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Quarterfinals.
Western New England University, which finished tied for second place in 2014 was slotted for that same position in the poll. WNE got two first place votes, four second place nods, and two selections for third. The Golden Bears were a blocked extra point away from taking MIT to overtime last season.
Salve Regina University and Endicott College tied for third place. The Seahawks were ranked as highly as second and as low as sixth in the coaches' votes. Salve Regina tied for second with Western New England in 2014 with 5‐2 Conference records. Endicott, featuring new head coach Kevin Dewall, received consistent votes from the coaches with all its votes ranging from third to fifth. The Gulls were 4‐3 in the NEFC last season and finished fourth.
Curry College finished fifth in the balloting matching its Conference finish in 2014.
Rounding out the poll were the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in sixth place, Maine Maritime Academy placing seventh, and Nichols College in the eighth position.
The NEFC will begin 2015 play the Thursday prior to Labor Day weekend as the Coast Guard Academy hosts Anna Maria College that evening with all seven other Conference teams in action that weekend against non‐conference foes. League games begin the weekend of September 25 & 26. The NEFC will "go dark" Columbus Day weekend with all eight teams having a bye.
The poll:
|
College |
Points* |
First-Place Votes |
|
1. MIT |
61 |
6 |
|
2. Western New England |
56 |
2 |
|
3. Salve Regina |
41 |
|
|
3. Endicott |
41 |
|
|
5. Curry |
30 |
|
|
6. Coast Guard |
25 |
|
|
7. Maine Maritime |
23 |
|
|
8. Nichols |
11 |
|
*Points are awarded based on position selected in the poll. A first place vote is awarded eight points, a second place vote is seven points, etc…