CENTERVILLE, Mass. - Endicott College President Dr. Richard Wylie has announced that retired Bridgewater State University Director of Athletics and Recreation John Harper has been named the commissioner of the re-structured New England Football Conference (NEFC).
 
"The New England Football Conference was fortunate to be able to attract John Harper as its new commissioner,” Wylie said. “John has had a distinguished career in athletics and leadership and will be a positive force as we develop a newly constituted NEFC ".
 
Harper served Bridgewater and the NEFC from 1991 to his retirement in 2012.  He acted as the league parliamentarian and was chair of the constitution committee.
 
"I am delighted to have renewed my relationship with the New England Football Conference,” Harper said. “Over the past 21 years it was my pleasure to work closely with the eight member athletics directors to grow and improve football in New England. Now, as commissioner, I anticipate continuing those relationships to the benefit all the involved student-athletes and member institutions. Finally, I am grateful to the athletics directors and their respective presidents for their confidence in me and for their ongoing support."
 
Prior to taking the reins at Bridgewater State, Harper was Associate Athletics Director at Wichita State University.  He has also held positions at George Washington University and Southwest Missouri State University.
 
Harper announced that Roger Crosley would be retained as the NEFC Publicity Director.  Crosley has served the Conference since the 1999 season.
 
"To have Roger Crosley return as the NEFC Publicity Director is key to the continued smooth operation of the Conference,” according to Harper. “He brings a wealth of institutional memory and talent to the NEFC. He is a well-respected, experienced professional and I am very pleased that he has chosen to remain with our administrative team."
 
Bridgewater State was a charter member of the New England Football Conference which was founded in 1961.  At the conclusion of the 2012 season Bridgewater, along with the other five members of the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference, Fitchburg, Framingham, Massachusetts Maritime, Westfield, and Worcester, and Little East Conference members UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, left the NEFC to form a MASCAC football conference.
 
The restructured NEFC consists of Curry College, Endicott College, Maine Maritime Academy, MIT, Nichols College, Salve Regina University, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Western New England University.  League members will play a round-robin schedule format and the league champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.