Football Joins New Conference
The presidents of eight colleges and universities have announced the formation of a new NCAA Division III single sport football conference. The conference, named after the geographic location of the institutions, will be called the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) and will begin competition in the fall of 2009.
The institutions are Anna Maria College (Paxton, Mass.), Becker
College (Leicester, Mass.), Castleton State College (Castleton,
Vt.), Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.), Husson University
(Bangor, Maine), Maritime College State University of New York
(Throggs Neck, N.Y.), Mount Ida College (Newton, Mass.), and
Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.).
"Our college conference Presidents voted unanimously to support the
new ECFC because we believe that it will enhance the overall
student-athlete educational experience at our institutions, expand
Division III non-scholarship football opportunities, create an
automatic qualifier for the NCAA national tournament, and focus on
sportsmanship, fair play, moral integrity and competitive
excellence," said Castleton State College President and Chair of
the ECFC Presidents Council, Dave Wolk.
The NCAA Management Council and Presidents Council has approved the formation of the new conference which will be in line for an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Football Championship after two years of conference competition.
Norwich University Director of Athletics and Chair of the ECFC Athletic Directors Council, Tony Mariano said, "The establishment of the ECFC will offer our member institutions the opportunity to participate in an outstanding regional football conference and provide our student athletes with a competitive and enriching football experience with the opportunity for post season participation and athletic and academic recognition."
In addition to scheduling benefits and the competitive experience of conference play, the conference will provide a full awards program including weekly and post-season honors.
Competition among ECFC institutions will begin in September 2009. Two programs, Anna Maria and Castleton, will begin their first season of collegiate competition in 2009. Five institutions have been playing an independent schedule, while Norwich had been competing in the Empire 8. A full conference schedule will be played between the eight institutions beginning in 2010.
For more information, visit the ECFC online at www.easterncollegiatefootball.com.
