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WNE football finishes 2015 ranked No. 22

Date: 12/29/2015

SPRINGFIELD – The 10th and final edition of the 2015 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Coaches' Poll was released earlier this week, and Western New England University has maintained its position among the nation’s elite with a No. 22 national ranking.

Western New England (10-1, 7-0 New England Football Conference), which entered the poll for the first time in program history on October 26 at No. 21, climbed two spots to No. 19 the following week after a hard fought, 19-13 victory over rival Endicott College, and held that spot through the remainder of its undefeated regular season. The Golden Bears end the season with a national ranking for the first time after falling to No. 10 Johns Hopkins University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on November 21.  

The University of Mount Union (Ohio) finishes the 2015 campaign as the AFCA's No. 1 ranked squad following its 49-35 victory over the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the Stagg Bowl last Friday that completed the Purple Raiders' 15-0 season. Western New England, which was ranked No. 1 in the New England DIII Poll all season, is the only program from the region to appear in the final AFCA Poll.

The Golden Bears enjoyed one of their most successful campaigns in program history this past fall, completing a 10-0 (7-0 NEFC) regular season en route to the team's second NEFC title, before earning a trip back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

 Head coach Keith Emery was recognized as the NEFC Coach of the Year, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) DIII North Coach of the Year, and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston DIII New England Coach of the Year, while a program-record 15 Golden Bears were named to the NEFC All-Conference squads, including the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in graduate quarterback Tyler Ward and junior cornerback Obi Etuka, respectively. In addition to the numerous on-field accolades, senior punter E.J. Franskevicz became the football program's fourth Academic All-American with his selection to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) team earlier this month.