The NESCAC: For the Love of the Game

There are ten teams yet to begin their 2016 season, but their wait is about to end in four days!  A conference that covers New England (less New Hampshire and Rhode Island) and New York State, the NESCAC, is about start its 46th campaign though many of the teams have rivalries that go back much further.

The ‘CAC (as it is known to some) had its origins back in 1955 with an agreement between Amherst, Williams, Wesleyan, and Bowdoin, but the teams in this conference, like the Ancient Eight, have rivalries that extendback to the late 19th century.  The first one that comes to mind is Williams-Amherst.

Known as “The Biggest Little Game in America”, these two teams will meet for the 131st time later this year in a series that got its start in 1884.  They are also two of the most successful teams in the conference since 2000 - between them, the Lord Jeffs (6) and the Ephs (4) have won ten titles in 16 years, including 5 of the last 7 by Amherst.  In fact, it was these two teams on television, via NESN, that got me interested in the NESCAC.

The conference’s representatives from Maine – Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby, established the CBB Championship and subsequent trophy in 1965 when UMaine moved up to Division I ending the Maine State Championship.  Like the Amherst-Williams series, these schools have played each other as early as 1889 when the teams were establishing their programs.  No matter the records, these games are always a joy to watch because of their rich heritage.

Another big rivalry is Trinity and Wesleyan, which the Hartford Courant thinks is perhaps the greatest state rivalry in Connecticut.  The current head coaches for these schools were young assistants on Trinity’s staff 15 years ago and they used to play golf together.  Now their relationship is lukewarm at best, but that is due to the nature of a true rivalry:  a little disdain, some admiration, and a whole lot of appreciation for the history.

Looking ahead to this season, it appears as though there will be three tiers of competition with 3-time defending champ Amherst ready to defend their title against Trinity.  The Lord Jeffs have a 19-game winning streak and plenty of experience returning to the field, but if defense truly wins championships, then perhaps it will be the year of the Bantam.

The next group of teams will include Wesleyan, Tufts, and Middlebury.  The Cardinals and Jumbos have been gradually building their programs, while the Panthers are rebuilding – but I wouldn’t count them out.  At the end of the season they might be sitting in 3rd place. 

Down at the bottom of the standings, I expect to see the trio of Maine schools.  At least they have the CBB trophy, which will be a strong motivator for these teams.  Bates has won 3 of the last 4 trophies, but I have a feeling that this will be the breakthrough year for the Mules, which makes their November 12th meeting with Bowdoin up in Waterville a must win.

The two remaining teams, Hamilton and Williams, are tougher to place.  The Continentals made great strides last year, winning two of their last three games while losing four of their six games by five points or less.  If I were visiting Clinton, NY this year as an opposing team, I wouldn’t be circling it as a sure win. The Ephs have a new coach, as they hired Mark Raymond away from Saint Lawrence.  While coach of the Saints, Raymond won at least seven games in three consecutive seasons, when the team posted just one winning season in the past twenty years before his arrival.  At Williams he will have the talent to win quickly, but the question that remains is how soon the players pick up this new system.

Another year of this competitive league is about to start.  Each team plays a conference-only eight game schedule, and they don’t participate in the Division III playoffs, so there is no room for error if you want to win the title.  Much like the Ivy League, these are true scholar athletes where they compete in the NESCAC for the love of the game.  For that reason alone, attending a 'CAC game is a must for a fan who claims to love the game!