NCAA Preview: Golden Bears Set to Host Husson in First Round Matchup
Western New England seeking first NCAA Tournament win in program history
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 18, 2016) – Western New England University is set to make its third appearance in the NCAA Division III Football Tournament in program history and first at home tomorrow at 12 p.m. when Husson (Maine) University visits Golden Bear Stadium for a first round matchup.
Ticket/Media Details
Ticket prices include $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children under the age of 12 (free for children three and under). For those unable to make the trip, both live stats and live streaming video will be available.
How They Got Here
Western New England completed its second consecutive 10-0 regular season and captured the New England Football Conference (NEFC) title in the final year of the league's existence, reaching the NCAA Tournament by virtue of the NEFC's automatic bid. Husson (9-1), which is riding a nine-game winning streak following its season-opening loss to Alfred, ran the table in Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) play to earn a spot in the NCAA field of 32.
Tournament History
Western New England will be making its third all-time appearance on the national stage, with all three trips coming under 12th year head coach Keith Emery. The Golden Bears made their NCAA debut back in 2011, suffering a 62-24 defeat to Salisbury (Md.), before falling to Johns Hopkins 52-20 last November.
Husson will be making its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, after falling to MIT 27-20 in overtime in 2014.
Series History
Saturday's matchup will serve as the first-ever meeting between Western New England and Husson, although the teams are scheduled to begin a home-and-home series over the next two seasons, with the 2017 matchup slated to take place in Springfield.
All-Conference Honorees
A combined 28 All-Conference performers will be on the field Saturday, including 15 from Western New England and 13 from Husson. Both head coaches were also recognized as Coach of the Year in their respective conference, with Emery being honored for the second straight year by the NEFC, and Husson's Gabby Price earning ECFC honors.
Key Players
Sam Edouard, Western New England (Junior, DL, Roosevelt, N.Y.) – Edouard, the 2016 NEFC Defensive Player of the Year, will look to continue his dominance on the Western New England defensive line. Edouard totaled 42 tackles (4.0 for loss) and one pass breakup while anchoring a defensive unit that surrendered NEFC-lows in both yards (265.9) and points (17.1) per game.
Nick Connell, Western New England (Senior, RB, East Marion, N.Y.) – Connell earned All-NEFC first team honors for the second consecutive season after rushing for 1061 yards and 12 touchdowns on 190 carries (5.6 avg.) during the regular season. He topped the 100-yard mark in four of the Golden Bears' last five games, including a 30-carry, 170-yard, four-touchdown performance in Western New England's 41-22, NEFC-title clinching win at Salve Regina on November 5.
Luke Washburn, Husson (Junior, DL, Litchfield, Maine) – Washburn was named ECFC Defensive Player of the Year after racking up a conference-high 12 sacks and anchoring the nation's top-ranked defense (152.4 YPG).
John Smith, Husson (Junior, RB, Fayetteville, Ga.) – Smith ran for 1715 yards on 277 carries (6.2 avg.) and scored 17 touchdowns on his way to ECFC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He scored at least one touchdown and surpassed the 100-yard mark in all but two contests, reaching the 200-yard mark twice.
Home Field Advantage
Western New England is riding a 15-game home winning streak over the last three seasons, with the team's last loss at Golden Bear Stadium coming on October 26, 2013 to MIT.
Up Next
The winner of the Western New England/Husson matchup advances to the second round to take on the winner of the Alfred/Bridgewater State contest next Saturday, November 26.
