Seahawks picked second in 2014 NEFC poll

Newport, R.I. – The Salve Regina football team picked up two first place votes in the annual New England Football Conference preseason coaches' poll to take the number two spot for the second straight year behind Endicott College.

Salve Regina finished the 2013 season 7-4 overall and 6-1 in conference play for a second place finish NEFC. That singular conference loss came in the final game of the season against Endicott College; A game that decided the conference champion.

This years Seahawks will be guided under second year head coach Kevin Gilmartin who has two stars anchoring his defense. Multiple time All-Conference defensive back Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) and the 2013 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, junior defensive lineman Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.).

Coach Gilmartin said he was honored to have his team ranked as high as it is in this year's poll but was also enthusiastic to see the strides the conference is making as a whole.

"There has been an effort to try and get onto the national scale," Gilmartin said. "Playing many non-conference teams out off the northeast region has really helped garner some well deserved national attention for the NEFC."

That non-conference schedule has placed some difficult opponents in Salve Regina's way but the team is ready to accept the challenge.

Salve Regina opens their season on September 5 at Bridgewater State, and will begin NEFC play on September 27 at MIT.

1. Endicott College   12 points  
2. Salve Regina University   16 points
3. Western New England   30 points
4. MIT   32 points
5. Curry College   40 points
6. U.S. Coast Guard Academy   42 points 
7. Maine Maritime Academy   55 points
8. Nichols College   61 points 

*Points are awarded based on positions selected in the poll. A first place vote is awarded one point, a second place vote two points, etc…