Golden Bears Favored Heading into Second Season of CCC Football
WNE opens season at Springfield College on Friday night
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (August 29, 2018) – The defending Commonwealth Coast Football champion Western New England University has been selected as the favorite in the 2018 CCC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Wednesday morning.
Western New England received six of seven first place votes and 48 points to top the poll, which is voted on by all seven coaches in the conference. Salve Regina earned the final first place nod and 36 points, while Curry and Endicott tied for third place with 35 points each. Nichols (19 points), Becker (15 points) and the University of New England (eight points) rounded out the final three spots in the poll.
Coming off NEFC championships in 2015 and 2016 and the inaugural CCC Football crown last fall, the Western New England University football team has its sights set on capturing its fourth straight conference title in 2018.
Jason Lebeau takes over as head coach of his alma mater after serving on Keith Emery's staff for the previous eight seasons. Eight All-CCC performers from the 2017 squad return, including junior running back Pete Hoff (Shelton, Conn.), senior linebacker Kurtis Jolicoeur (Windham, N.H.) and sophomore cornerback Zhaire House (Greenwich, Conn.). Senior Chris Quarles (Naugatuck, Conn.) will serve as Western New England's team captain.
The Golden Bears open their season on Friday, August 31st with the sixth annual Pynchon SAW rivalry game at Springfield College, before returning home to host Westfield State on Saturday, September 8th. Western New England's non-conference slate also includes matchups with Husson (Sept. 15) and Anna Maria (Sept. 22) before CCC play gets underway on September 29th at Salve Regina.
