Husson athletics photo

The Commonwealth Coast Conference board of directors announced that Husson has been granted associate membership in Commonwealth Coast football and is scheduled to begin play in 2019.

Husson, in Bangor, Maine, becomes the eighth football member accepted into the conference, joining Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, the University of New England, Western New England, and fellow associate member Becker. Husson is currently a member of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and has been since the conference's founding in 2009. 

The CCC assumes operations of the New England Football Conference in 2017. In the 2017 season, six teams – Becker, Curry, Endicott, Nichols, Salve Regina, and Western New England – will compete for the automatic qualifier with UNE scheduled to play its first varsity season in 2018. Husson will add to the membership in 2019.

"Commonwealth Coast football is delighted to welcome Husson University as our newest member," said CCC commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. "Husson is one of the strongest football programs among Division III private institutions in New England, and their addition makes CCC football stronger.  Since our 2015 announcement that the New England Football Conference would be rebranded as Commonwealth Coast football for the 2017 season, finding an eighth quality program has been a major priority for our membership.  I am delighted that Husson has accepted our invitation to join CCC Football."

In that time, the Eagles have won two ECFC titles and made two playoff appearances with the most recent coming this fall when the Eagles lost to Western New England in the first round.

"We are excited to become a member of CCC football," said Husson athletic director Frank Pergolizzi. "The opportunity to join an all New England Conference, including a fellow Maine institution means a great deal to our program and our university. We look forward to beginning CCC competition in 2019."

The five current CCC football-playing institutions have combined to make 11 NCAA Division III football postseason appearances. Curry tops all CCC football programs with six NCAA playoff appearances (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008). Endicott has advanced to NCAA postseason play twice (2010, 2013), while the winner of the final NEFC crown last fall, Western New England, has made three tournament showings (2011, 2015, 2016).

East Region conferences have been in flux since April 2015, when the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference announced it was adding football, bringing its football teams home and removing them from other conferences. 

With no further changes, this is how affected conferences in Division III football will line up in 2019. The NEWMAC and CCC each begin football play this fall.