FB: Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference

[ITH radio]

As we reported last night:

https://www.mascac.com/news/2019-20_News/Fall_Sports_Statement

[Ice Bear]

Ice Bear says what an awesome write up on Framingham State coach Tom Kelley. Ice Bear loves Framingham State and in hindsight would have loved to go there as he was recruited there to play hockey...but he was a knucklehead with the maturity of a five year old at the time...).

Ice Bear is absolutely rooting for the Rams to run the table the rest of the way. It seems as if this team has really grown throughout the season and is not the same team that lost it's two opening games (to decent competition). Absolutely great write up!

Ice Bear says thank you

[Pat Coleman]

Here's the link to the story Ice Bear is referencing!
https://www.d3football.com/columns/features/2021/kelley-cant-escape-framingham-state

[MRMIKESMITH]

Hi Pollster's, just wanted to extend an invitation to join the ERFP for this upcoming season. We will continue to do R1/R2. Feel free to DM or respond here if interested. I'll reach out to last year participants to gauge any interest as well.

[HansenRatings]

Playoff projections for the season using my model's preseason ratings:



You can look at other conferences on my website: https://hansenratings.github.io/.

[NED3Guy]

Well, Castleton will be new in the league (for at least a season) and will have a new head coach as well: 

https://castletonsports.com/news/2024/5/9/volpone-steps-down-higley-selected-as-interim-head-football-coach.aspx

[Gray Fox]

Well, Castleton will be new in the league (for at least a season) and will have a new head coach as well: 

https://castletonsports.com/news/2024/5/9/volpone-steps-down-higley-selected-as-interim-head-football-coach.aspx

Interim Tag removed

https://castletonsports.com/news/2024/6/13/vtsu-castleton-removes-interim-tag-names-higley-head-football-coach.aspx

[NED3Guy]

https://www.mascac.com/sports/fball/2024-25/releases/FB_Preseason

Let's get the chatter going.....what do people think of the preseason poll?
Obviously, preseason polls are meaningless, but they give us something to talk about, right?

I'm new to the conference so I won't have much to contribute until the games start, but from all accounts the Dartmouth QB is legit. Between him (grad student), 14 seniors and the another 8 fifth year / grad school guys; it looks like the coaches got it right in the poll and Dartmouth is the team to beat.

Any sleepers who didn't get enough love in the poll?

[New England Football netw]

The usual teams which never really are sleepers is Framingham State and Bridgewater State they always field tough teams but Dartmouth is the team to beat this season

[Zlax45]

Photos from Fitchburg win over Dean

https://www.foley-photography.com/Football/College-Football/2024-Season/Fitchburg-State-at-Dean

[NED3Guy]

This league is nuts! I picked a great year to become a fan...WOW what a wild week 1 of MASCAC play.

Castleton over Framingham, Worcester over Plymouth, Westfield over Bridgewater!!!

So already in the first week, we had preseason poll 7 beat 3, 8 beat 4, and 9 beat 5.

Dartmouth and West Conn seem to be well ahead of the pack, but before this weekend I would have put Framingham and Bridgewater in that upper tier (based on past history) as well.

I'm not sure what the middle of the pack will look like. It's still early in the season, but if week 1 is any indication this could be a fun year...maybe not the AQ + at large bid year that one D3football.com writer predicted (https://www.d3football.com/notables/2024/08/20-questions-conferences) but it will be fun nonetheless.

[Ralph Turner]

Well, goodbye VTSU Castleton. Any other rumors about why they were released?

[Pat Coleman]

Gagliardi Trophy Finalists Show going live at the top of the hour:
https://www.d3football.com/notables/2024/12/gagliardi-finalists-show

[NED3Guy]

Well, goodbye VTSU Castleton. Any other rumors about why they were released?

There were a lot of rumors thrown around about this. At one point the MACAC was going to sever ties with all the Little East Schools who had football teams in the MASCAC (Plymouth, UMD, West Conn and Castleton). The MASCAC announced that move, but have since announced Plymouth and UMD back as associate members.

West Conn and Castleton were not included in that agreement. The MASCAC would go on to add Anna Maria as a full member and Dean as a football affiliate...bringing the football playing schools back to 10. 

I think it came down to dollars and cents. Plymouth, Dartmouth, Anna Maria and Dean are much easier and much cheaper trips for teams. Most MASCAC schools can make those day trips and save a ton of money. Castleton and West Conn were geographic outliers.

I'm sure there's more to it than that, but at the surface I think thats really what it came down to.

[HansenRatings]

Just posted on the-website-formerly-known-as-Twitter: 2025 MASCAC Conference Preview
(Right-click and open in a new tab, and the resolution will be better)