Sure, it may not be September or October, but football is on our minds – yes, football, especially in late June when we should be watching baseball or enjoying some downtime at the beach.
But with football on our minds, we thought why not unveil a WAY TOO EARLY New England D3 Football Top 20 Poll to get you excited for the upcoming season.
This fall, we will be expanding our weekly poll to 20 teams instead of the usual 10, which will allow us to provide more coverage (and publicity) to teams in all six New England states. And we are excited to add 10 more teams to our weekly poll – hopefully, this excites you, too.
So, enjoy the unofficial start to our New England football coverage – we will have more blogs and tweets to come between now and the first weekend of the 2019 season, so get excited, everyone!
The Way Too Early New England D3 Football Top 20 Poll
1. Trinity College
8-1, 8-1 NESCAC
2. Western New England
8-3, 5-1 CCC
3. MIT
9-2, 6-1 NEWMAC
4. Husson University
8-3, 6-0 ECFC
5. Springfield College
8-3, 5-2 NEWMAC
6. Salve Regina University
7-4, 5-1 CCC
7. Framingham State
8-3, 7-1 MASCAC
8. Amherst College
8-1, 8-1 NESCAC
9. Coast Guard Academy
7-3, 5-2 NEWMAC
10. Endicott College
7-4, 5-1 CCC
11. Bridgewater State
8-3, 6-2 MASCAC
12. Williams College
5-4, 5-4 NESCAC
13. Tufts University
7-2, 7-2 NESCAC
14. WPI
6-4, 4-3 NEWMAC
15. Western Connecticut
8-2, 6-2 MASCAC
16. Plymouth State
6-4, 5-3 MASCAC
17. Nichols College
5-5, 3-3 CCC
18. UMass Dartmouth
5-5, 4-4 MASCAC
19. Westfield State
5-5, 4-4 MASCAC
20. Dean College
5-5, 4-2 ECFC
On The Rise: Anna Maria College, Colby College, Curry College, UMass Dartmouth, and Westfield State.
Also, happy February, too – we made it through January (rejoice!).
Let’s kickstart another busy weekend of hoops with our weekly 10 Games to Watch post, including our predictions, too.
Last week, we finished 9-1 – we probably should have picked Wheaton College over Clark University, but at least we provided the Lyons with some motivation (insert emoji here!).
Heading into this weekend, we own a marvelous record of 48-22!
Tufts University at Amherst College (MBB) | Friday, February 1st at 7 p.m.: This is a must-win for the Jumbos, who remain locked in the sixth seed for the upcoming conference tournament. Tufts gained a major boost last Saturday with a win over Wesleyan University but needs to maintain its momentum against the Mammoths. PREDICTION: Amherst College
Amherst College at Tufts University (WBB) | Friday, February 1st at 7 p.m.: Since falling to Bowdoin, the Jumbos have won seven-straight to gain some serious momentum heading into a very important game for both teams. Both Amherst and Tufts lost to Bowdoin so a win would most likely provide either the Mammoths or Jumbos with the second seed in the conference tournament. PREDICTION: Tufts University
UMass Dartmouth at Eastern Connecticut (WBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 1 p.m.: The Corsairs have quietly enjoyed another successful season, which included a win over the Warriors a few weeks ago. If UMD wants to secure the top spot in the upcoming conference tournament then they must win this game. PREDICTION: UMass Dartmouth
Saint Joseph’s (ME) at Emmanuel College (MBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 1 p.m.: The Saints seem destined to secure the top spot in their upcoming conference tournament, but this is a must win against a team that beat the Blue and Gold at the end of December. PREDICTION: Emmanuel College
Wentworth Inst. of Tech. at Endicott College (WBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 1 p.m.: The Gulls continue to be the team to beat in their conference – they have won 10 of 11 league tilts, including their last four. They outlasted the Leopards, 68-63, last month and should find a way to win on Saturday. PREDICTION: Endicott College
Smith College at Wheaton College (WBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 1 p.m.: After scoring an exciting win over Springfield, the Pioneers will look to continue their momentum once again on the road. Smith hasn’t lost since falling to Middlebury in the middle of January. PREDICTION: Smith College
Bridgewater State at Westfield State (WBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 2 p.m.: Days after falling to Worcester State, the Owls rebounded with an 87-62 win over MCLA. Westfield beat Bridgewater earlier this year and needs a win to keep pace with the Lancers for the top spot in the upcoming conference tournament.
Middlebury College at Colby College (MBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 3 p.m.: The Mules highlighted the final weekend of January with two big wins over Amherst College and Hamilton College. They face Williams on Friday, which won’t be an easy task, but this is a game they could perhaps steal away from the Panthers. PREDICTION: Colby College
Worcester State at MCLA (MBB) | Saturday, February 2nd at 3 p.m.: The Lancers remain in the hunt for a top seed in their upcoming conference tournament, so a win over the Trailblazers to keep that dream alive is a must. PREDICTION: Worcester State
Rochester at Brandeis University (MBB) | Sunday, February 3rd at 12 p.m.: The last time we picked against the Judges, they scored an exciting win over Chicago. This week – well, Sunday, to be exact – we will take the Blue and White in a close one against the Yellowjackets. PREDICTION: Brandeis University
WNE will visit the Pride in week one on Friday, August 31st with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Last season, the Pride defeated the Golden Bears in the Fifth Annual Pynchon Saw Game. Quarterback Anthony Service concluded the contest with 235 passing yards – he also rushed for a team-high 49 yards.
The Golden Bears will host their initial home game of the 2018 season one week later when they entertain Westfield State on Saturday, September 8 before making the trek to Husson University on Saturday, September 15th. The Eagles lost to the Golden Bears last season by a touchdown, but did lead at the break by two scores (14-0). Husson was the lone New England squad to advance to the second round of the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament last fall.
WNE will close out the month of September with back-to-back games against Anna Maria College and Salve Regina.
The Golden Bears will compete in a trio of conference contests in October, including a pair of home games against Curry College and University of New England before closing out its regular season slate with games against Endicott College and Becker College in November.
WNE concluded its 2017 campaign 8-3 overall and 5-0 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The Golden Bears captured the inaugural CCC title with back-to-back wins over Curry and Salve Regina to secure the crown before advancing to the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Delaware Valley.
The Bates College football earned their initial win of the season Saturday, topping Williams College by a score of 29-17. (Photo Credit: Bates College Athletics)
By NoontimeSports.com
Just three conferences were in action yesterday, along with Springfield College and WPI of the Liberty League. Bates College and Middlebury College highlighted the sixth week of the college football season, earning wins over Williams College and Amherst College, respectively.
Additionally, Tufts University and Wesleyan University each earned important New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) wins, while Trinity College picked-up its third consecutive win of the season.
Cory Brandon recorded his first-career 200 yard passing game as Husson University picked-up its second-straight Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) win, defeating Gallaudet University, 50-16.
Norwich University quarterback Philippe Bazinet‘was able to net a career-best 106 rushing yards’ in the Cadets’ initial ECFC win of the season against Becker College.
Darren Callan set a Castleton single-game record for total tackles with 21 as the Spartans defeated Mount Ida College on the road by a score of 26-14.
For the second consecutive week, the Wesleyan offense gained over 500 yards as the Cardinals defeated Colby College, 37-6. Devon Carrillo scored three touchdowns in the win.
Courtesy of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy sports information department, here’s this afternoon’s release from the Buccaneers softball game:
BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — Sophomore Emily Mailloux (Erving, Mass.) tossed a five-inning perfect game and struck out seven to lead Westfield State to a 13-0 nightcap victory and a sweep of a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Massachusetts Maritime Monday afternoon at Alison Rollins Field, as the Owls began the day with an 11-0 triumph in the opening contest.
Mailloux’s gem followed a one-hit shutout by junior Kelly Fluet (Worcester, Mass.) in the opener for the visiting Owls (6-19, 4-4 MASCAC), as she induced five groundouts and three fly balls to go with her seven strikeouts to earn her third win of the season with the perfect game. Freshman Kate Woishnis (Chicopee, Mass.) drove in three runs in the second game for Westfield State, which received two hits sophomore Kelsey Carpenter (Barre, Mass.) and two RBI each from Mailloux and junior Molly Dunbar (Weymouth, Mass.) as part of a nine-hit attack. Freshman Cassie Swanson (Quincy, Mass.) suffered the setback on the mound for the host Buccaneers (0-14, 0-8 MASCAC) over the first 3 1/3 innings of action.
The Owls took control with a six-run third inning rally in the opener, as Westfield State rapped out 15 hits in the first contest, including four off the bat of freshman Emilie Manna (Reading, Mass.). Dunbar, junior Amanda Flower (Reading, Mass.) and sophomore Celina Sinico (Great Barrington, Mass.) each drove in two runs for the Owls, who also received two hits from Woishnis, Flower and sophomore Breanne Bisceglia (Worcester, Mass.). Fluet allowed a third inning single to Buccaneer senior Janelle Beaulieu (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) and struck out 11 to pick up her third win of the spring for the visitors, as Beaulieu struck out a season-high six in going the distance for the hosts.
Massachusetts Maritime hosts Pine Manor in a non-league doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Alison Rollins Field beginning at 3:30 p.m., while Westfield State hosts Rhode Island College in a non-league twinbill on Thursday afternoon in Westfield, Mass. that also begins at 3:30 p.m.
