Gabby Price has announced that he is stepping down as head coach at Husson. "I couldn't be more excited about the future of Husson Football. We have great people, good players, a new league, and an exciting recruiting class. It simply is time to step aside."

"Gabby is the student athlete's coach. His passion, caring and support for his student athletes are among his greatest qualities," said Husson president Bill Beardsley. "He challenges them, works them hard and praises their academic pursuits just as much as what they do on the field. That is what NCAA Division III athletics and Husson University are all about."

Price has been at the helm for seven years and fielded his first team in 2003. He leaves the program with a 25-28 win-loss record. In his final three seasons his teams went 19-10. This past season his team was 7-3 and earned the schools first post-season bid to the ECAC Northeast Bowl where the Eagles lost to St. John Fisher 17-7. Price served as Athletic Director for five years then stepped down in 2008 to concentrate on his coaching duties.

"Gabby has had a storied coaching career at both Bangor High School and Husson University. His passion for the game combined with an extraordinary commitment to student-athletes was a formula for success. He has touched many lives and made a difference, and leaves a regional program that earned ECAC postseason play. We will be meeting over the next few weeks with coaches and student-athletes and will put a plan into place for a search for a new coach," said athletic director Cindy Connelley.

Dennis Collins, commissioner of the North Coast Athletic Conference passed away suddenly, Sunday, June 14, from a heart attack.

Collins became the conference's first and only commissioner when the league began its first playing season in 1984. For 25 years, he led one of the most successful conferences in all three divisions of the NCAA.

He was a respected national leader and has served as president of the NCAA Division III Commissioners Association, a group he helped to organize in 1989. From 1992-96, he served as a member of the NCAA Council, the national association's equivalent of a board of directors. In the same period, he chaired the NCAA Dist. IV Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, served on the Division Special Restructuring Taskforce and in 1999, completed a six-year term on the NCAA Interpretations Committee. He was awarded the prestigious Meritorious Service Award from the Div. III Commissioners' Association in 2006. He was a founder of the Intercollegiate Officiating Association, a cooperative amongst 27 NCAA/NAIA colleges that provides regional officiating services. Collins served 17 years as that group's chief administrator. He served on Presidential Advisory/Visiting Committees at both Carnegie Mellon and Bates. He also served on the Games Committee of five Kickoff & Pigskin Classics, college football's opening games, between 1984 and 2002. Over the years, Collins guided two membership expansions of the NCAC -- one in 1988, adding Earlham and Wittenberg, and the most recent, the addition of Hiram and Wabash in 1998.

Prior to coming to the NCAC, Collins served five years as communications director for the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He also was sports information director/athletic-alumni director at Case Western Reserve and news director/sports information director at Otterbein. For an eight-year period, he operated his own firm, Collins Communications, which provided public relations and photographic services to regional and national clients such as the National Football League.

He was a graduate of Ohio State with an undergraduate degree in journalism and served four years in the U.S. Coast Guard. He is survived by his wife Jeanne, and three grown children, Jennifer, Kate and Michael, as well as his mother, sister, brother and their families.

The Pacific University Board of Trustees announced on May 22, 2009, that it has approved the addition of football to the school's athletics offerings.

Pacific is a member of the Northwest Conference and will be the conference's eighth football team. Pacific dropped football 17 years ago.

The Board voted Friday to add the program, marking a significant milestone in a four-year planning process. Pacific's 21st intercollegiate athletics program hopes to take to the field in 2010, contingent on raising all of the necessary start-up expenses.

“Athletics is a key component for the continued growth of the university and, in particular, its undergraduate programs,” said Pacific president Phil Creighton. “Our football program will aid our recruitment efforts significantly, helping Pacific to continue to grow into one of the finest health professions and liberal arts institutions in the west.”

“It is an exciting day for Pacific University, Boxer athletics and the Northwest Conference,” said Pacific athletic director Ken Schumann. “I am confident that the university will be rewarded with a football program that will attract top quality student-athletes who will be successful in the classroom and on the field. The program will also add a tremendous amount of spirit and excitement to campus life. I am grateful to the Board in their confidence that we can build a competitive, successful Division III program.”

The vote culminates a lengthy four-year planning process, which has included numerous discussions with faculty, student and alumni groups.

Who says there's no spring football in Division III? The University of St. Thomas was able to play a full spring game this past week in preparation for its foreign tour.

Division III rules permit a school to play against foreign competition as often as one out of every three years. In getting ready for that trip, a team can have 10 fully padded spring practices.

Since those practices can only involve returning players, no incoming recruits, and only players who are going on the trip, usually there aren't enough players to have a full spring game. But since St. Thomas' foreign tour is to Winnipeg, a seven-hour drive away across the Canadian border, 85 suited up for practice, culminating in a Tommie-Tommie game on Sunday.

The normal Division III spring practice is 16 sessions spread over four or five weeks, without pads or helmets. Only in recent years did Division III schools vote to permit the use of an actual football. St. Thomas' conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, restricts teams even further, to seven practices.

St. Thomas plays a Manitoba U23 all-star team. The Tommies went 7-3 last season, losing to St. John's in the closing minute on a disputed call at the goal line and falling to St. Olaf in six overtimes.

Thiel and Albright have taken advantage of the opportunity to play in Canada in recent years as well, while Hope has played in Mexico within the past decade. Every summer, several Division III schools also take advantage of the opportunity and travel to Europe.

The eight football programs formerly set to play under the banner of the North Atlantic Conference have instead formed a new single-sport conference and received active status from the NCAA, putting the group in line for an automatic bid after a two-year waiting period.

The league will be called the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and will begin competition this fall.

The institutions are Anna Maria, Becker, Castleton State, Gallaudet, Husson, Mount Ida, Norwich and SUNY-Maritime.

"Our college conference presidents voted unanimously to support the new ECFC because we believe that it will enhance the overall student-athlete educational experience at our institutions, expand Division III non-scholarship football opportunities, create an automatic qualifier for the NCAA (playoffs), and focus on sportsmanship, fair play, moral integrity and competitive excellence," said Castleton State president Dave Wolk.

Norwich athletic director Tony Mariano said, "The establishment of the ECFC will offer our member institutions the opportunity to participate in an outstanding regional football conference and provide our student athletes with a competitive and enriching football experience with the opportunity for postseason participation and athletic and academic recognition."

Competition among ECFC institutions will begin in September 2009. Two programs, Anna Maria and Castleton, will begin their first season of collegiate competition in 2009. Five institutions have been playing an independent schedule, while Norwich had been competing in the Empire 8. A full conference schedule will be played between the eight institutions beginning in 2010.

Although no Division III football player was selected in this weekend's NFL draft, two players were signed immediately after the draft, with another pair invited to camp.

Wesley wide receiver and return man Larry Beavers signed with the Carolina Panthers, while Wheaton cornerback and return man Pete Ittersagen signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.

"We're so excited for Larry," Wesley coach Mike Drass said. "This is a great opportunity for a young man who's returned more kicks for touchdowns than anyone in NCAA history." He holds the NCAA all-division records for kick return touchdowns with 10 and total runbacks for touchdowns with 13.

Ittersagen, who broke up 12 passes, had three interceptions and returned two punts, one kickoff and an interception for a touchdown, is the second Thunder player to sign an NFL contract in as many seasons. He follows Andy Studebaker, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008 and finished last season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Beavers also started at receiver for the Wolverines, leading the team with 598 yards and tying for the team lead with 30 receptions and six touchdowns. He ended his career with 2,366 receiving yards, second all-time at Wesley and was seventh all-time with 126 career receptions.

Ittersagen said Sunday evening, "It is a blessing to see all of the hard work that I have put in pay off. However, I still have hard work ahead of me. ... I have had some wonderful opportunities at Wheaton and it is great that things have turned out like this."

Hartwick quarterback Jason Boltus told D3football.com Sunday night he was still waiting to hear from his agent.

Justin Goltz, who quarterbacked Occidental to the 2008 playoffs and a No. 15 final ranking, was invited to the Detroit Lions' rookie camp. Goltz, who had a Pro Day workout with the University of Hawaii earlier this month, is from Walled Lake, Mich. Augsburg All-American wide receiver Royce Winford was invited to the Minnesota Vikings' rookie minicamp.

Recent draftees:

Year	Player, school	Team	Round-overall
2008	Andy Studebaker, Wheaton (Ill.)	Eagles	6-203
2008	Pierre Garcon, Mount Union	Colts	6-205
2007	Michael Allan, Whitworth	Chiefs	7-231
2007	Derek Stanley, UW-Whitewater	Rams	7-249
2003	Ryan Hoag, Gustavus Adolphus	Raiders	7-262
2002	Tony Beckham, UW-Stout	Titans	4-115
2002	Michael Coleman, Widener	Falcons	7-217
2000	Tim Watson, Rowan	Seahawks	6-185
1999	Clint Kriewaldt, UW-Stevens Point	Lions	6-177
1996	Ethan Brooks, Williams	Falcons	7-229

Hartwick quarterback Jason Boltus and Wheaton cornerback Pete Ittersagen represented Division III's best chance at hearing a player's name called in this weekend's NFL draft.

But in the end, no Division III football player heard his name called in the 2009 NFL draft.

Boltus, the D3football.com East Region Offensive Player of the Year, was invited to the NFL scouting combine. Teams like his size, but struggled with his accuracy at the combine.

Ittersagen, the D3football.com North Region Defensive Player of the Year, was described in a recent SI.com article as perhaps, "the best cornerback and return specialist you never heard of. He's broken up 30 passes since his junior campaign while averaging 16.5 yards returning punts. He has the size, speed and skills to make an NFL roster and could end up being tabbed in the late rounds by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers or Houston Texans."

Wesley wideout and return specialist Larry Beavers, the D3football.com first-team All-American return man, should find himself on a roster shortly as well. And in previous years, anywhere from a half-dozen to a dozen players have signed free agent contracts.

Division III had two players taken in each of the previous two drafts, with Wheaton defensive end Andy Studebaker and Mount Union wide receiver Pierre Garcon being taken two picks apart by the Eagles and Colts, respectively. Studebaker ended the season on the Chiefs' active roster after they signed him from the Eagles' practice squad.

Recent draftees:

Year	Player, school	Team	Round-overall
2008	Andy Studebaker, Wheaton (Ill.)	Eagles	6-203
2008	Pierre Garcon, Mount Union	Colts	6-205
2007	Michael Allan, Whitworth	Chiefs	7-231
2007	Derek Stanley, UW-Whitewater	Rams	7-249
2003	Ryan Hoag, Gustavus Adolphus	Raiders	7-262
2002	Tony Beckham, UW-Stout	Titans	4-115
2002	Michael Coleman, Widener	Falcons	7-217
2000	Tim Watson, Rowan	Seahawks	6-185
1999	Clint Kriewaldt, UW-Stevens Point	Lions	6-177
1996	Ethan Brooks, Williams	Falcons	7-229

Presentation announced plans to field a football team in the fall of 2011. Presentation president Lorraine Hale and athletics director Rick Kline made a joint announcement at a news conference on Wednesday, April 22, saying they hope to increase the school's enrollment, which was 491 full-time undergraduates as of the most recent numbers reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Presentation is the only Division III school in South Dakota. The school plans to hire a head football coach in January 2010, with the hiring of an assistant by fall of that year.

Presentation is a member of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.

"As soon as you've got between 60 and 90 extra young people, there's a lot this college can do," Hale said, according to the Aberdeen (S.D.) American News. "We can get a decent pep band. We can be involved in more community things. We just don't have the numbers here at the moment for that."

Hendrix recently committed to a 2011 start date for its football program, while Anna Maria and Castleton State start their football programs this fall.

Lake Forest athletic director Jackie Slaats announced April 21 that football coach Brent Becker has resigned to pursue other career interests and that defensive coordinator Jim Catanzaro has been selected as his replacement.

Becker was the Foresters' head coach for four seasons after serving two years as the team's defensive coordinator. Lake Forest posted an overall record of 32-28 and Midwest Conference mark of 29-25 during his time at the college. As a defensive coordinator he coached the 2003 and 2004 MWC defensive players of the year and Lake Forest surrendered fewer points than any other team in the conference each season.

"This was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made, but the right one at this time for me and my family," stated Becker. "Lake Forest College has been great to me and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I've had here. The program I'm leaving behind has a strong foundation and is in good hands with Coach Catanzaro. I look forward to following a very successful Forester team over the next several years."

Catanzaro was Lake Forest's defensive coordinator for three-plus seasons and has been an assistant coach at three institutions for a total of nine years. Under his direction Forester defensive players have earned 18 all-conference selections, including seven first team accolades. Lake Forest has finished among the top teams in the league in several defensive categories, including second-place rankings against the pass and in the red zone in 2008.

"I'm excited and thankful for this opportunity and the trust in me shown by Coach Slaats and President (Stephen) Schutt," Catanzaro said. "I am eager to continue working with our current players and welcome next year's freshmen. Since I joined the staff I've met a lot of individuals who are passionate about Forester football. I look forward to serving that community as the new head coach. In addition, as someone who played for and worked under Coach Becker, I want to thank him for his influence on me and wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Due to the timing of Becker's resignation, a national search for the head coaching position, which is required by the school, was postponed until the conclusion of the 2010 season. Catanzaro is expected to be a candidate for the position at that time.

The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference announces the expansion of membership as five institutions have accepted an invitation to join the league as associate members participating in football only. Eureka, Greenville, MacMurray, Principia and Westminster (Mo.) will join the UMAC beginning with the 2009 season. The SLIAC, which only reinstated football in 2008, drops the sport for the second time in a decade.

The five institutions, which all remain full members of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, will join the existing five football members of the UMAC (St. Scholastica, Crown, Martin Luther, Northwestern (Minn.) and Minnesota-Morris) to form a 10-team football conference. Principia announced in January the suspension of their football program for the 2009 season with the intention of reinstating the program in the future. Associate SLIAC members Huntingdon and LaGrange are not included.

The UMAC expects to receive an automatic bid to the playoffs beginning in 2011 after the mandatory two-year waiting period is completed.

"This was a very tough decision for our administrators because of the excitement that surrounded our institutions and the conference as a whole when football returned to the SLIAC last season as well as the great relationship being built with our affiliate members, Huntingdon and LaGrange," SLIAC Commissioner William J. Wolper said.

"There were three primary reasons we brought football back in 2008 -– to provide our schools a significant portion of their playing schedule through conference competition; to provide football student-athletes the opportunity to compete under the same moniker as other student-athletes at their institution; and to provide the student-athletes an opportunity to compete for an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.

"Unfortunately, with the loss of two football programs this offseason, two of those three reasons were no longer available ... Therefore, for the same reasons we brought football back to the conference, we are removing it from sponsorship allowing those schools to seek alternative affiliations."

Corey Borchardt, Commissioner of the UMAC, said, “We are excited to add these institutions to the UMAC as associate members first and foremost because they share a similar mission and vision as well as exhibit values that also concur with our full membership. Furthermore, the addition of the associate members will provide greater stability in scheduling with the additional conference contests and enhance the conference identity as a whole."

A playing schedule among the six formerly SLIAC football programs was to remain in place for 2009. However, in light of the announcement by Colorado College of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference that it would be dropping football, and given Huntingdon's location to several SCAC institutions, Huntingdon requested to drop games vs. SLIAC schools as it felt now was the best opportunity to get into multi-year agreements with SCAC members. Schools affected by Huntingdon's request (Eureka and MacMurray) have filled those open dates.

Two of the UMAC's new institutions are very familiar with the league, as Principia and Westminster (Mo.) were both UMAC football members from 2002 to 2007. Westminster won the UMAC conference championship in 2003 and 2004.