I know that the NCAA tournament is ultimate goal for all of these New England powerhouses, but would these teams accept an ECAC bid if they do not get an at large NCAA bid?  I know that some program decline ECAC's because it is "beneath" them, which I can understand to a point if your team has won national championships or close to it in the past.  I guess I am wondering if 2009 could be the best ECAC tournament in years?

2009 NECC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justin Jacobs, Elms, JR (Springhill, Fla.)
2009 NECC BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Matt Wood, Elms, FR (Feeding Hills, Mass.)
2009 NECC BASEBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Joe Corey, Becker, FR (Billerica, Mass.)
2009 NECC BASEBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: J.P. Pyne, Daniel Webster
2009 NECC BASEBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Newbury College Nighthawks

2009 ALL-NECC BASEBALL FIRST TEAM
FIRST BASE: Dan Briand, Becker, SR (Northbridge, Mass.)
SECOND BASE: Brendan Cordeiro, Elms, SO (Berkley, Mass.)
THIRD BASE: Nicolino Iavicoli, Elms, FR (Hampden, Mass.)
SHORT STOP:  Jairo Valdez, Becker, SO (Lynn, Mass.)
OUTFIELD: Rob Leary, Daniel Webster, JR (Litchfield, N.H.)
OUTFIELD: Clayton Boegler, Mitchell, SO (Somerset, Mass.)
OUTFIELD: Billy Maddock, Newbury, JR (Marshfield, Mass.)
PITCHER: Matt Wood, Elms, SO (Feeding Hills, Mass.)
PITCHER: Errick Maddern, Becker, SO (West Haven, Conn.)
CATCHER: Chris McKenzie, Daniel Webster, SO (Burlington, Mass.)
DESIGNATED PLAYER: Justin Jacobs, Elms, JR (Springhill, Fla.)
DESIGNATED PLAYER: Frank Vaccaro, Becker, SR (Shrewsbury, Mass.)

2009 ALL-NECC BASEBALL HONORABLE MENTION
Andrew Langlais, Mitchell, JR, 1B (Ledyard, Conn.)
Adam Northup, Southern Vermont, SO, 1B (Richmond, R.I.)
Joe Tamulonis, Daniel Webster, JR, 2B (Woodstock, N.H.)
Peter Plansky, Daniel Webster, FR, 3B (Litchfield, N.H.)
Jeff Perillo, Mitchell, SO, SS (Newington, Conn.)
Pat Curry, Newbury, FR, C (Hampstead, N.H.)

I think that everything will be alright in terms of in-game behavior.  Will Sanborn seems to be about as classy a coach as I have seen in my 20 years watching college baseball in New England.  While Cary McConnell may have a penchant for running up scores, I think he has enough control over his team to stay focused on the prize.

Let's hope that it does come down to these two teams, because they are clearly the class of the GNAC.  However, they better stay focused because J&W can beat either of them if they get the chance...I just wish the GNAC Tournament was a week later.

Should be interesting...

I was in Portland area yesterday on business so I decided to drive to Standish (not as close as it looked on the map!) to check out the Monks.  They beat Daniel Webster College 9-6. 
I was surprised to see that it was a close game, but former Monks pitcher JP Pine's team gave them a fight.  SJC certainly has some pop in the lineup.  I expected them to beat up on a 2-15 team, wondering if they took their opponent lightly?

I suppose it doesn't really matter when the teams in the conference have posted a cumulative 10-35 record so far!!

I'm still trying to understand how Mitchell get twice as many first place votes and finished second??  Someone must have had them way down there...

ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Elms College has been chosen as the preseason favorite to capture the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the NECC's head baseball coaches.

This is the inaugural year for the New England Collegiate Conference. Six of the nine NECC members sponsor baseball.

The Elms Blazers (12-20, 6-4 NAC) received two of the six first-place votes in the 2009 NECC preseason poll. Head coach Don LaValley returns 16 players 12 of which were starters. The Blazers will be led by two North Atlantic All-Conference players in first-team senior outfielder Nick Mackowiak (Dudley, Mass.) and second-team junior hurler Mike Bieber (Wading River, N.Y.).

Mitchell College received 43 points to notch the second-place spot. The Mariners nabbed four of the six first place votes. Becker College earned third-place with 37 points, while Newbury College placed fourth with 28 points.

Daniel Webster College and Southern Vermont College rounded out the poll with 5th and 6th place respectively. The Eagles received 25 points, while the Mountaineers nabbed 21 points.

Teams received eight points for every first place vote received, seven points for second place votes, six points for third place votes, down to three points for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.

2009 NECC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
TEAM--POINTS (1st Place votes)
1. Elms--44(2)
2. Mitchell--43(4)
3. Becker--37
4. Newbury--28
5. Daniel Webster--25
6. Southern Vermont --21

I pick St. Joe's to win 7-5.  But then again, yesterday I picked Trinity to win 19-2!

Here are my predictions:

WNEC 7  USM 3
Trinity 19 Castleton 2
Keene 5   St. Joe's 7 (Upset Special)
Wheaton 8  Worcester St 2

Is that your current seeding as well?

Are Wheaton and St. Joe's still the only two teams that have earned NCAA bids in the Region?