MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) announced its 2021 preseason poll on Thursday as voted by the league's seven head coaches.
Reigning ECFC league champions, Dean College, earned the top spot with 45 points and five first-place votes. Maritime College came in second with 42 points and one first-place vote while Anna Maria College was slated third with 30 total points and the remaining first-place vote.
Alfred State College followed closely in the fourth slot with 29 total points while Castleton University came in at fifth with 28 points. Gallaudet University was sixth with 14 total points and league newcomer, Keystone College rounded out the poll at seventh.
Complete 2021 ECFC Coaches Preseason Poll
| TOTAL POINTS | ||
| #1 | Dean College (5) | 45 |
| #2 | Maritime College (1) | 42 |
| #3 | Anna Maria College (1) | 30 |
| #4 | Alfred State College | 29 |
| #5 | Castleton University | 28 |
| #6 | Gallaudet University | 14 |
| #7 | Keystone College | 8 |
(First-Place votes in parentheses)
After a one-year hiatus, the season kicks off on Saturday, September 4 with Alfred State, Castleton, Dean and Keystone taking on nonconference opponents.
Maritime begins their season under the Friday night lights on September 10 as they take on rival Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Anna Maria begins their season on September 11 while Gallaudet is slated to kick things off on September 18.
League play begins Saturday October 2 and runs through mid-November. The ECFC champion will receive an automatic-berth to the NCAA postseason.
The conference Media Day is scheduled for Tuesday, August 24 and will include season previews of all seven member institutions.
For more information on the ECFC and the upcoming season please visit www.easterncollegiatefootball.com
