Salisbury tied atop first Lambert Meadowlands football poll of 2012

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Salisbury University football team is in a tie for the top spot with Hobart College in the first Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Lambert Meadowlands football poll for Division III, announced by the organization on Monday.

Salisbury (5-1) picked up a 37-7 Homecoming win over Hartwick College Saturday and is tied with the Statemen (6-0). Widener University (6-0), Wesley College (5-1) and Johns Hopkins University (6-0) rounded out the top five.

The Sea Gulls' next opponent, Alfred University, is seventh in the poll.

Established in 1936 as the Lambert Trophy to recognize supremacy in Eastern college football, the award has since grown to recognize the best team in the East in the Bowl Subdivision. In 1957, the Lambert Cup was created to recognize non-Division I-A teams, and in 1966 a Division III award was added. In 1983, the Lambert family decided the Meadowlands Sports Complex would be the best organization with a sincere and involved interest in college athletics to sponsor and manage the award, and since that time, the awards have been known as the Lambert Meadowlands Awards.

To be eligible for the Lambert Meadowlands Award, a school must be located in the East or play at least half of its schedule against eligible Lambert teams. The territory includes New York, New Jersey, New England and Pennsylvania, while teams in the bordering states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia and the District of Columbia qualify if at least half of their schedule features eligible teams. Teams in Eastern-based football conferences, regardless of location, qualify if at least half their schedule is against Lambert eligible teams.

Salisbury hosts Alfred Saturday at noon at Sea Gull Stadium.

Click here to view ECAC football polls for all three NCAA divisions.