Husson University has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to repeat as the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference champion in a vote conducted by the league’s coaches Tuesday.
It’s the first time in the league’s seven-year history that a team has been picked unanimously to win the league title.
The Eagles of Bangor, who went 7-0 in league play a season ago, received all eight first-place votes and 64 points after finishing 8-2 last season and reaching the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Fifteen players who started at least five games last season and 78 letterwinners return for the 2015 campaign. The returnees include six position starters and 39 letterwinners on offense and nine starters and 39 letterwinners on defense.
The offense features six starters of at least five games from a year ago: quarterback Joe Seccareccia, tailback John Smith, wide receiver Deon Wiggins and linemen Matt Archer, Seth Batty and Jon Walker.
The defense also includes nine starters back from 2014: linemen Matt Pellerin, Luke Washburn and Jeff Turcotte; linebackers Ellis Throckmorton and Bryant Wade; safeties Rick Orio and Kenny Sweet and cornerbacks Jordan Hersom and Marquis Jiminez.
Kick returner Dylan Walton is the team’s top returning specialist.
Norwich placed second in the poll receiving 52 points and was followed by Castleton State 49, Mount Ida 42, SUNY Maritime 29, Gallaudet (24) Becker (16) and Anna Maria (12.
Husson kicks off its season at noon Saturday, Sept. 5, when it hosts Alfred University at the Winkin Complex.
Husson field hockey team picked to repeat
North Atlantic Conference field hockey coaches tabbed the Husson University Eagles to repeat as league champions in a preseason poll announced Tuesday.
The Eagles received a total of 34 points, including five of the six first-place votes.
Husson guided by second-year coach and 2014 NAC Coach of the Year Medline Hoeppner, features a talented squad.
Hoeppner expects a big season from senior forward Britt Mellor, who appeared in 15 games last season. Taylor Lovely and Libby Kain, 2014 NAC All-Tournament Team members, return for their junior campaigns.
Lovley, a 2014 All-NAC selection, led the Eagles in assists (six) and points (22), while Kain posted a team-high nine goals and was second on the squad with 20 points.
Husson went 5-0 in conference play last season and outscored opponents 26-0, the first time in NAC history a team did not surrender a regular season goal. After claiming their fourth conference tournament title and first since 2011, the Eagles went on to compete in the NCAA Division III tourney.
The University of Maine-Farmington finished second in the poll with 29 points and was followed by Thomas College of Waterville (26), Castleton (17), Colby-Sawyer (13) and New England College (seven).
Husson opens against the University of New England at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2 in Bangor.
UMF to honor Leib on Sept. 5
The University of Maine at Farmington has invited the public to a daytime field dedication and an evening celebration in honor of longtime UMF and community soccer coach Robert Leib on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 at Prescott Field.
The University and UMF Athletics will dedicate the soccer field at Prescott Field to Leib, Saturday at 1 p.m. between soccer alumni games. Stewart Durrell and Seth Woodcock, former UMF athletes and co-chairs of the Campaign for Leib Field, will speak at the dedication ceremony.
In addition, a celebration of Leib’s career, including sentiments from former players and a video tribute, will take place at 7 p.m., in North Dining Hall in the Olsen Student Center. Both events are free and open to the public with the request that individuals interested in attending either event contact Lisa Gallant, at lisagall@maine.edu or 778-7090 or RSVP on the UMF Athletics website at goUMFbeavers.com.
Leib coached UMF men’s soccer from 1977 to 2001 and UMF women’s soccer from 1996 to 2007. The men’s soccer teams tallied a program-best 15 wins in 1982 and again in 1996. The 1986 men’s soccer team and the 2002 women’s soccer team both advanced to the NAIA National Tournament. In 2007 in his final season coaching women’s soccer, UMF went undefeated through North Atlantic Conference play with a 9-0-1 mark.
Leib also guided the UMF baseball (1978-88, 1990-93) and softball (1994-2008) teams, including a North Atlantic Conference and NCAA Division III softball tournament berth in 2005.