The Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll was released this morning, and Monmouth was selected second while defending conference champion Albany was picked as the preseason favorite. Both squads each landed six players on the All-NEC Preseason Team as well. The Great Danes do bring back a lot of experience including running back David McCarty, who ran for 1,500+ yards last season and two of the men who paved the way for him on the offensive linemen, Raphael Nguti and Kevin Richards.
The Hawks feature six players on the preseason team, with all of them also making all-league teams a season ago. Running back Dave Sinisi, tight end John Nalbone and offensive linemen Nick LoCastro and Shawn Wright made the squad from the offense, while defensive lineman Kevin Walsh and defensive back Ayo Falae made the team from the D.
Monmouth took two of the available eight first place votes and the Great Danes had five. Preseason third place Central Connecticut State had the lone remaining vote. The rest of the league’s predicted order, according to the head coaches, is Wagner, Duquesne, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart and Saint Francis.
Albany, MU and CCSU appear to be the three strongest teams, but Wagner and Robert Morris should also not be counted out in the mix for the NEC crown. Newcomer Duquesne, who participated in the now-defunct Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for football a season ago, will have to replace wide receiver Bruce Hocker, but the man throwing him the ball last season, Kevin Rombach, returns as the All-NEC preseason signal caller.
MU returns 19 starters this season and begins the year at Rhode Island on August 30 at 1:00 p.m.
Monmouth University preseason release (from www.GoMUHawks.com)
http://www.gomuhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14300&ATCLID=1553271
Northeast Conference website release:
http://www.northeastconference.org/News/fball/2008/8/12/FB-Preseasonallconf-08.asp?path=fball
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