WESTFIELD, Mass. — The Worcester State University football team is tied for fifth place with Massachusetts Maritime in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) football preseason poll, as announced by the MASCAC on Wednesday (Aug. 24).

For the fourth straight year, the Framingham State Rams have been picked as the preseason favorite to win the 2016 MASCAC Football Championship as voted on by the nine coaches in the conference. The Rams received eight of the nine first place votes for a total of 64 points. Last season, the reigning champs were a perfect 8-0 during MASCAC play.

Fitchburg State lands in the second spot with 52 points. During the 2015 MASCAC campaign, the Falcons tallied a 6-2 mark.

Coming in third with 50 points is Western Connecticut State. The Colonials finished the 2015 season with a 4-4 record in conference.

Grabbing the final first place vote for 48 points is Bridgewater State. The Bears were 6-2 last season during MASCAC competition.

Tied in fifth place are Massachusetts Maritime and Worcester State with 28 points, respectively. The Lancers closed out 2015 with a 4-4 record during the league schedule. Arron Witkus returns after collecting 557 yards (61.9 per game) and three touchdowns. 

Sitting in seventh with 25 points is UMass Dartmouth.

Closing out the 2016 poll in eighth and ninth are Westfield State and Plymouth State with 21 and eight points, respectively.

The MASCAC football teams return to the gridiron the weekend of Sep. 2-3 with eight of the nine conference teams competing in their first of two non-conference contests. The Lancers begin play on Friday (Sep. 2), hosting Salve Regina under the lights at Coughlin Field.

2016 MASCAC Football Pre-Season Coaches Poll
(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

Release Courtesy of Emily Diekelmann | MASCAC Director of Media Relations