Preview: Babson among upstarts taking a run at NEHC crown

Nick Rosa is being counted on in a big way at Babson. (Babson)

Cam Ellsworth called it “probably the closest team I’ve been a part of.”

It was tempting to dismiss Norwich at the holiday break last season. A 6-4-1 record that included shocking losses (Suffolk at home), combined with a coach in his first season taking over for a legend, suggested that progress might take time.

Wrong. The Cadets (23-5-3) rolled through the next 2½ months, not losing until Wisconsin-Stevens Point broke their hearts in overtime in the national championship game. That was progress.

“I don’t know if I knew what we had, or we knew what we had,” said Ellsworth. “We kind of navigated the year together.”