Maritime, Norwich Selected as Favorites Entering 2011 Season

SUNY-Maritime and Norwich University shared top honors as preseason favorites of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference in a vote conducted by the league’s coaches.

Maritime, who received five first place votes, finished the 2010 regular season unbeaten with a 10-0 mark before falling in the NCAA playoffs. The Norwich Cadets, who won the 2009 ECFC Championship, received one first place vote after finishing 8-3 during the 2010 campaign with a 5-2 conference mark.

Mount Ida, who finished 5-2 in conference and earned an ECAC bowl berth last season, placed third with two first place votes. Castleton, Gallaudet and Husson placed fourth, fifth and sixth resepectively followed by Becker and Anna Maria.

Prepare for the upcoming 2011 season with a run down of the leagues eight teams. For more information on each of the ECFC squads, click on the logos below.  The information inside includes a key contact information and quick facts, a review of 2010 including schedule and stats and a preview of the upcoming season.

T-1. SUNY Maritime Privateers

Maritime comes into the 2011 season as the reigning ECFC Champions after compiling a perfect 10-0 regular season record in 2010 and earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. During the 2010 season, the Privateers received national media coverage both for their perfect record and the news of head coach Clayton Kendrick-Holmes' impending military deployment to Afghanistan upon the season's end. After serving eight months with the U.S. Naval Reserves, the 2010 ECFC Coach of the Year has returned and will be back on the Maritime sideline for the 2011 season.

T-1. Norwich Cadets

The Cadets return an offense that was a leader in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and among the top 10 in NCAA Division III a year ago. At the helm is junior quarterback Kris Sabourin, a former ECFC co-Rookie and Offensive Player of the Year. Coach Mark Murnyack and his staff have expectations after Sabourin averaged 96.2 yards per game rushing and 102.5 yards per game passing in 2010. Defensively, a large share of the unit that led the ECFC in rushing (105.55 yards per game) and scoring (18.36 points per game) for a second straight year in 2010 is back. Senior co-captain Joe Gumberwicz, a former ECFC defensive player of the year, led the “D” with 55.5 tackles, 13 tackles for losses and six sacks.

3. Mount Ida Mustangs

Following the most successful season in the 11 year history of Mount Ida College football, fourth year head coach Michael Landers will look to a high powered offensive filled with talented veterans to compete as one of the top teams in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) heading into 2011.

4. Castleton Spartans

After exploding onto the scene in just their second season of existence, the Castleton State College football team is hoping to continue its progress toward playing in the postseason. Last year the Spartans finished tied for second place in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) posting an impressive 5-4, 5-2 mark. Among the 11 coaches on Head Coach Marc Klatt’s staff, six are new faces and  two of the returners will be in new positions, including Klatt who was elevated to head coach after spending the first two seasons as defensive coordinator. Perhaps taken for granted by many a season ago, Castleton will not be sneaking up on anyone this year and will look to its depth and experience as a strength. The Spartans return 61 letter-winners from last season, including 18 starters.

5. Gallaudet Bison

Gallaudet returns a lot of starters on defense and will look to the experience and leadership shown by the defensive unit to dictate the upcoming season. Two-time All-ECFC First Team linebacker Tom Pangia returns for his junior season and will be the heart and soul of the team. Pangia is surrounded by several all-conference players including last year's Rookie of the Year, defensive back Tony Tatum. On the offensive side of the ball the Bison will be young but they have talent at all of the key positions. Two-time all-conference selection Phillip Hayes will come out of the backfield for the Bison and will run behind all-conference lineman Chris Langan. Junior wide receiver Ryne Worsham will look to carryover his breakout season from last year into 2011. GU is young on special teams but look for Hayes to be a threat in the return game. Gallaudet went 5-5 last year but all five losses were by eight or less points. The Bison hope to turn around some of those losses into wins in 2011.

6. Husson Eagles

The 2011 Season will be the first of the Sean Murphy era of Husson Football. Coach Murphy will begin his first season as the Head Coach of the Eagles, and his team looks to rebound from a difficult 2010. Husson returns a core group of young players who earned valuable experience last season and no group embodies that better than the offensive line. Husson will return 7 players who started games up front for the Eagles, led by First Year standout Alex Young and Brad Deuring who is returning his senior season after graduating in the spring. The Eagle Defense will look to First Team All-ECFC defensive back Kyle Vanidestine and rookie of the year nominee Ernest Wiggins who will fill in the holes on the D-Line.

7. Becker Hawks

In 2011 the Hawks will be lead by first year head coach Mike Lichten. Lichten was promoted to head coach after serving as an assistant with Becker College during the 2010 season. The Hawks ended their 2010 campaign on positive note, beating Husson University 27-23 in the season finale. The Hawks are returning 34 players from the 2010 roster, including 14 starters.

8. Anna Maria AMCATS

The Anna Maria College football team will look to be very competitive in their 3rd season in the ECFC. The AMCATS return more than 50 upperclassmen and over 30 starters from the 2010 roster. Two time All-Conference Domenique Conception returns for his junior season with sights set on the programs first win.