Springfield, Mass. -- November 3, 2009 -- The Springfield College football team, now 7-1overall and 3-1 in the Empire 8 following its big 47-26 win over Ithaca last Saturday, has returned to the No. 1 ranking in the New England Division III weekly coaches poll. It is the first time the Pride has been ranked No. 1 in that poll in six weeks. SC is also appearing in regional and national polls for the first time all season.In the New England poll, Springfield fell one first place vote shy of unanimous No. 1. The Pride finished with 149 total points and earned 14 of 15 first-place votes, moving up from second where it has resided for the past five weeks. Trinity College, which had been No. 1, lost to Middlebury, and fell into a tie for third with Curry. Amherst, still unbeaten at 6-0, has moved into the No. 2 slot.
Springfield is now beginning to receive some East regional and national attention. Following Saturday's game, Springfield was among "others receiving votes" in the d3football.com poll (40th), and the American Football Coaches Association poll (32nd). In the Division III Lambert poll, incorporating East coast squads, Springfield cracked the top 10 for the first time all season. SC is, in fact, 10th in that poll.
Head Coach Mike DeLong's troops will host another very strong opponent this Saturday -- St. John Fisher (4-3 overall, 2-1 Empire 8) -- at 1:30 pm at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field. Springfield must win that contest in order to have any chance of earning the automatic NCAA qualifying berth from the Empire 8. For that to happen, SC would need to win its last regular season game over St. John Fisher. while current league-leader Alfred University (7-0, 3-0) would need to lose its last two conference games versus Ithaca and Utica. Alfred controls its own destiny because of its 49-28 victory over Springfield at home on September 26.
In other football news, two Springfield players received conference honors due to stellar play last Saturday. Junior RB Joe Myhren (New Hampton, N.Y.) was named the Empire 8 Co-Offensive Player of the Week (for the second time this season), while senior FS and return specialist Jarred Burrell (Warwick, R.I.) was named the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week (for the fourth time this season).
The 2009 New England Division III Football Coaches Poll -- Week #7
1) Springfield (7-1) -- 14 first-place votes -- 149 points
2) Amherst (6-0) -- 1 first-place vote -- 130 points
T3) Curry (7-2) -- 101 points
T3) Trinity (5-1) -- 101 points
5) Williams (5-1) -- 94 points
6) Maine Maritime (7-1) -- 89 points
7) Plymouth State (7-2) -- 67 points
8) Westfield State (6-3) -- 42 points
9) Bridgewater State (6-3) -- 26 points
10) Norwich (6-3) -- 16 points
Michael C. “Mike” DeLong ’74 enters his 31st season as a head football coach in the fall of 2012. He enters his 29th year at Springfield College alone. For the past 28 years, he has been the head coach at Springfield, his alma mater. Mike had also been the head coach at Maine Maritime in Castine, Maine in 1979 and 1980. Read more.
