FB: New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

[Jonny Utah]

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20150826/SPORTS22/150829507

I guess I should have posted the link with my post.  lol.

Thanks.  I knew many of these NE-10 schools had decisions in terms of their hockey programs.  Many thought about the move to d1, but that would require a multi-million dollar move to their athletic budgets and facilities that many did not want to do. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see more d2 NE schools make a move up or down in some sort of domino effect.

[fulbakdad]

St A's struggled for years in football but did pretty well win basketball.  Last year the football team picked it up a notch.  I would think they would come in at the top of the new NEWMAC league.  It looks like the move would occur at the same time that NEWMAC starts (2017).  That would leave many scholarship players still on the roster.....I wonder what happens to their scholarships?

[Pat Coleman]

Hobart and Union to the E 8 to make it a 10 team league and the rest of the LL to the NEFC?

Hobart and Union to the E8 would make 11 teams.

[Pat Coleman]

Meanwhile, the NEWMAC found its eighth team, and it wasn't St. Anselm:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/09/catholic-jumping-to-newmac

[D3MAFAN]

Meanwhile, the NEWMAC found its eighth team, and it wasn't St. Anselm:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/09/catholic-jumping-to-newmac

I guess the Liberty League and NEFC may have to come to terms somewhere or start acquiring other teams from other conferences, regardless if distance may be a factor.

[desertcat1]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Safe Travels.

[rlk]

John Urschel (Baltimore Ravens center) just enrolled as a PhD student in math at MIT (see interview at http://tech.mit.edu/V135/N38/urschel.html).  I'm pretty sure he's used up his elegibility, alas, and he's also otherwise occupied during the fall semester, although hopefully not during IAP 

[Charles]

Meanwhile, the NEWMAC found its eighth team, and it wasn't St. Anselm:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/09/catholic-jumping-to-newmac

I guess the Liberty League and NEFC may have to come to terms somewhere or start acquiring other teams from other conferences, regardless if distance may be a factor.

How in world will a DC school drive to Castine ME for a game on Saturdays?
It's going to be a 3 day trip.
Either the school doesn't have a scholastic culture or the AD gas a screw loose.

[Div3Fan]

Meanwhile, the NEWMAC found its eighth team, and it wasn't St. Anselm:
http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/09/catholic-jumping-to-newmac

I guess the Liberty League and NEFC may have to come to terms somewhere or start acquiring other teams from other conferences, regardless if distance may be a factor.

How in world will a DC school drive to Castine ME for a game on Saturdays?
It's going to be a 3 day trip.
Either the school doesn't have a scholastic culture or the AD gas a screw loose.

I feel bad for the student-athletes and their parents. It's going to affect schoolwork and their ability to perform on the field, and any parents that like to travel to away games will have to forfeit that pleasure.

[Pat Coleman]

Catholic U. has always been a Northeast-facing institution. That's where the country's Catholics generally are, not in the south where they've been playing. Agreed -- D.C. to Maine is a haul and it is for Gallaudet to Husson as well. But each school only has to do it once every two years, and perhaps flying is an option.

Catholic's student body draws from that D.C. to Boston corridor. Not too surprised they want to play institutions in that area again. As an independent in the mid-90s, Catholic regularly played Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, and they played Salve Regina which is in that footprint as well.

[ITH radio]

https://noontimesports.com/

Matt Noonan previews the NEFC and other NE D3FB conferences, including the NESCAC, in this blog post.

[Pat Coleman]

NEWMAC football starting up this year and we interviewed Norwich coach Mark Murnyack on the newest podcast.

[HansenRatings]

Here's my preliminary projection for the NEWMAC's 2017 season, which will be updated based on returning starters later in the summer:

[d3fan142511]

Pre Summer Camp Rankings:

1. Springfield
2. WPI
3. Merchant Marine
4. Norwich
5. Catholic
6. MIT
7. Coast Guard
8. Maine Maritime

[ITH radio]

I may flip MMA and WPI simply due to the question marks the Engineers have at QB / WR while the Mariners bring back Bryce Moore who was great last season.