RFC Summer Semester: Empire 8 Conference (E8) Preview (NCAA Division III)

Empire 8 Conference (E8) Preview (NCAA Division III)

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2013 Final Standings

Looking back: Two teams advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2013, with conference champion Ithaca advancing to the second round before losing to Wesley, 23-15, while at-large qualifier St. John Fisher reached the quarterfinals--upsetting a previously undefeated Hobart along the way--before being routed by Mary Hardin-Baylor, 45-23.

Two other E8 squads advanced to postseason play as well, with Alfred knocking off Cortland State, 21-14, to win the ECAC North Central Bowl, while Salisbury held off Muhlenberg, 21-19, to capture the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl crown.

Looking ahead: 2014 will mark the final season for Frostburg State and Salisbury as associate members of the Empire 8 Conference, as both Maryland-based schools will join the New Jersey Atlantic Conference (NJAC) as associate members in 2015.  If that wasn't enough, both Brockport and Cortland State will leave the NJAC to join Ithaca and other Upstate New York institutions in the E8 by 2015 too.

Predicted order of finish (2013 overall record in parentheses):

1. St. John Fisher (10-3): The Cardinals will be shooting for their second straight season of winning at least 10 games, their third in the last four years, and their sixth dating back to 2004.

2. Ithaca (9-3):  After several down years, the Bombers finally returned to the top of the heap in the E8, winning their first conference championship since 2008.  Now the big challenge going into 2014 will be maintaining that high standard of success.

3. Alfred (8-3):  Robert Rankl takes over the head coaching reins after the sudden resignation of Dave Murray earlier this month (May 13).  Rankl will try to keep the Saxons in contention for the E8 title in 2014.  Talk about putting a "Rankl" in one's plans for an upcoming season.

4.  Salisbury (7-4):  The Sea Gulls hope their final season is the E8 will be a productive one, as they look to advance to the NCAA playoffs for the 10th time since 1983.

5. Hartwick (6-4):  "Bizarre" was probably the best word to describe the Hawks 2013 season, as they started it at 4-0, only to lose four in a row, before winning their last two in a row to finish with only only third winning record in the last 10 years, as well as their fourth since 2002.

6. Brockport (8-3):  The Golden Eagles and second year head coach Jason Mangone might be hard-pressed to repeat last year's success.  They'll face future E8 foe Cortland on the road September 13.

7. Buffalo State (5-5):  The Bengals have a tough row to hoe to kick off 2014, playing host to future E8 member Cortland, as well as current members Alfred and Salisbury within the first four weeks of the season. Ouch!

8. Utica (3-7):  The Pioneers have had just two winning seasons in their football program's 13-year history, 6-4 in 2005 and 2012.  Their faithful hope that 2014 will bring not only winning season number three, but also the first with seven or more wins. 

9. Frostburg State (1-9):  New head coach DeLane Fitzgerald hopes to turn around a Bobcat football program that hasn't had a winning season since 2005, when they finished 6-5 overall.

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