The Division 3 season in New England has reached its holiday break, and to say nothing has been settled would be an understatement.
Salve Regina, Endicott and the University of New England have raced ahead in a Commonwealth Coast Conference again populated by the haves and have-nots. Norwich and Babson are hanging near the top in a loaded NEHC.
Meanwhile, Trinity and Plymouth State have early control of the NESCAC and MASCAC, respectively.
Where do those teams – and others – rank in our latest regional Top 10? Let's take a look.
1. ENDICOTT
Record: 7-2-3 (5-1-2 CCC) | Preseason ranking: No. 1
Next game: Dec. 31 vs. Amherst
With a front-loaded schedule, the Gulls are perched in a nice spot. Since losing to ranked Norwich and Curry teams to open the season, they’ve gone 10 games without a loss. Playmaker Andrew Kurapov (5-9-14) is having another fine season and Ryan Wilson of Shelton, Conn. (1.50 goals-against average,.946 save percentage) has been the sharper of two good options in goal.
2. TRINITY
Record: 7-2-0 (4-0-0) | Preseason ranking: No. 5
Next game: Jan. 2 vs. King’s College
The Bantams have answered just about every challenge, winning all four of their NESCAC games by multiple goals and suffering a pair of one-goal, non-conference losses to defending NCAA champion Hobart and Curry. Kyle Tomaso’s (Newport, R.I.) team-high six assists lead a balanced attack, and goalie Devon Bobak and the defense are allowing just 1.34 goals per game.
3. NORWICH
Record: 6-3-1 (4-2-1 NEHC) | Preseason ranking: No. 2
Next game: Jan. 9 at Bowdoin
Since giving up 10 goals during an early road trip to Hobart and Elmira, the Cadets have been much better in their own end. They’ve found a goalie in freshman Sami Molu (1.65, .945) and two of their losses have come against teams ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time.
4. PLYMOUTH STATE
Record: 9-1-2 (6-0-2 MASCAC) | Preseason ranking: No. 6
Next game: Jan. 6 vs. Westfield State
Sophomore Will Redick has scored more goals (15) than any other player in Division 3, opening his season with a hat trick against UNE and not slowing up. He rolls into the holiday break with nine goals in his last five games, and he also has nine assists and leads the Panthers with a plus-17 rating.
5. UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Record: 6-2-2 (5-1-2 CCC) | Preseason ranking: No. 3
Next game: Dec. 30 vs. Wesleyan at Northfield Savings Bank Tournament
The goals aren’t flowing the way they have in years past for the Nor’easters, who’ve already played four low-scoring overtime games, including a tie and a loss to league rival Endicott. Going forward, 3.2 goals a game won’t be enough to get them to a third straight Frozen Four, but seasoned goalie Billy Girard IV (2.33, .917) and the defense have held down the fort well.
6. SALVE REGINA
Record: 10-3-1 (6-1-1 CCC) | Preseason ranking: NR
Next game: Jan. 9 at Bowdoin
Only two players in the nation have scored more goals than junior Matthew Fawcett’s (Lincoln, R.I.) 12. The Seahawks have feasted on the bottom of the CCC and are also coming off a 9-1 non-conference blitzing of New England College. Stiffer tests in January and early February will come fast and furious.
7. BABSON
Record: 6-5-2 (5-1-1 NEHC) | Preseason ranking: No. 4
Next game: Dec. 29 at St. Michael’s
The Beavers have rebounded from a disappointing 0-3-1 start, and their body of work since includes a 3-1 win over No. 1 Hobart. But their defense and goaltending must improve if they want to stay in the NEHC race; they’ve allowed four or more goals in more than half their games and are 1-5-1 in those contests.
8. CURRY
Record: 8-3-1 (5-3-0 CCC) | Preseason ranking: No. 7
Next game: Jan. 2 vs. Amherst
It was a consistently inconsistent first semester for the Colonels, who have fallen off the pace slightly in the league race. Young players have impressed with the loss of Timmy Kent, with sophomore Gage Dill (3-8-11) building on his strong freshman season and freshman Shane Soderwall (1.16, .959) shining in goal.
9. ALBERTUS MAGNUS
Record: 9-4 | Preseason ranking: NR
Next game: Dec. 30 vs. Williams
The Falcons took down a ranked Salve Regina team (2-1) and also beat Conn. College (4-2) in November, and played Trinity strong in a 1-0 road loss despite getting handily outshot. The attack has been powered by the junior class, with Zane Kindrachuk, Tyler Ignazzitto and Sam Anderson all producing double-digit points.
10. AMHERST
Record: 5-3 (3-2-0 NESCAC) | Preseason ranking: NR
Next game: Dec. 31 at Endicott
The Mammoths charged into their break after beating Williams and Middlebury on the road, both by one goal. It’s another stout defensive squad, allowing barely 2.0 goals per game and only giving up more than three goals once. It’s a very fluid order of merit in the NESCAC, but right now Amherst is riding a nice wave.
