MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) has announced Keystone College as the league's newest member beginning in the 2020 fall season.
"The ECFC is thrilled to welcome the Giants to the fold in 2020," stated ECFC Commissioner, Katie Boldvich. "We were very impressed during the league's site visit to campus and hearing about all the plans Keystone has in store for the future of not only the football program, but the institution as a whole. They will be a great fit for our league and we look forward to our first ECFC contests in La Plume in 2020."
Keystone announced the addition of football as the department's 22nd varsity sport this January. The institution had previously sponsored the sport in the late 1800's through the 1947 season and the new program will reinvigorate the proud tradition the sport once held on campus. The Giants will play their home games at the school's Athletic Field and Track Complex, which opened in 2014.
"We are extremely honored to become a member of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference," says Dr. Matthew Grimaldi, director of athletics. "Geographically, it gives us an opportunity to showcase our program throughout much of the East Coast and to compete against institutions with a similar philosophy toward academics and intercollegiate athletics. We believe that our football program will enhance the educational experience of our student-athletes and we look forward to beginning competition in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference in 2020."
Justin Higgins was announced as the head football coach at the end of March. Higgins comes to Keystone after stints at Seton Hill University and Morrisville State College. The program will operate as a club program and play a limited schedule in the fall of 2019 before switching over to a full-varsity schedule with six (6) ECFC league games slated for 2020.
"This is an exciting time at Keystone as we build the foundation for the football program," expressed Head Coach Justin Higgins. "Finalizing our conference affiliation for our first varsity season and beyond is a big part of that. We look forward to the challenge of competing in the ECFC."
Keystone will join current ECFC members Alfred State College, Anna Maria College, Castleton University, Dean College, Gallaudet University and Maritime College in the 2020 season, bringing the league's membership count to seven.
About the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) is a single-sport conference comprised of seven institutions that are devoted to reflecting the philosophy of Division III athletics and promoting intercollegiate varsity football as an integral part of the education experience of all competitors. Sportsmanship, fair play, moral integrity and competitive excellence are all cornerstones of the conference.
The ECFC was established in 2009 with Anna Maria College (Paxton, MA), Becker College (Leicester, MA), Castleton University (Castleton, VT), Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.), Husson University (Bangor, ME), Mount Ida College (Newton, MA), Norwich University (Northfield, VT) and Maritime College (NY) (Throggs Neck, NY) serving as the founding members.
Beginning with the 2017 season Alfred State College (Alfred, NY) and Dean College (Franklin, MA) were added as full members of the conference.
Keystone College (La Plume, PA) will join the league beginning in the 2020 season.