Looking back: A tight, competitive regular season in both the Bogan, and Boyd Divisions, respectively, resulted in Endicott advancing to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2010.
Looking ahead: Expect another tight race in the NEFC for 2011.
Website: http://www.newenglandfootballconference.com/
Predicted order of finish (2010 overall record in parentheses)
Boyd Division
1. Western New England (9-2): The Golden Bears lost their chance to advance to the NEFC title game with a 23-15 loss to Endicott late last season.
2. Endicott (9-3): The Gulls enter their ninth season of football looking to defend their first-ever conference championship. The nine games they won in 2010 is a program record.
3. Salve Regina (6-4): The Seahawks started 1-4, but finished with a five-game winning streak.
4. Curry (6-4): The Colonels will look to win their first conference title since 2007, as well as advance to the D-III playoffs for the first time since 2008.
5. Plymouth State (6-4): The Panthers went from having a 10-win playoff team in 2008, to no postseason play in 2010. The locals hope that 2011 will mark a return to prominence under Paul Castonia, who's entering his ninth season in New Hampshire.
6. Nichols (1-9): The Bison faithful hope the hiring of new head coach Kevin Loney will turn around the fortunes of their struggling football program.
7. UMass Dartmouth (3-7): The Corsairs will play six home games in 2011.
8. MIT (1-8): The wins have been few and far between for the Engineers, who have had just one season of at least five wins (5-5 in 2008) in the last years.
Bogan Division
1. Maine Maritime (8-3): The Mariners enter 2011 hoping to earn their second NCAA playoff appearance in three years, as they reached postseason play in 2009.
2. Framingham State (9-2): After capping off a record-setting 2010 season with a 27-21 overtime win over Norwich in the ECAC Northeast Bowl, the Rams hope to take the next step, and advance to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in program history.
3. Westfield State (5-5): The Owls finished tied for third in the Bogan Division at 4-3.
4. Worcester State (5-5): The Lancers placed nine players on the All-NEFC academic team in 2010.
5. Bridgewater State (5-5): The Bears open the 2011 season with three straight road games.
6. Massachusetts Maritime (5-5): The Buccaneers five wins in 2010 were four shy of the nine game they had won over the previous four years (2006-2009) combined.
7. Coast Guard (2-7): They may not have been winners on the field, but the Bears were winners in the classroom, as they placed 22 players on the All-NEFC academic team.
8. Fitchburg State (1-9): After a dismal 2010 season, the Falcons find themselves in the "nowhere to go but up" category for the 2011 campaign.
4 years ago
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