NEFC moves could benefit Husson

The Husson College football team’s aspirations to get into a league may gain some momentum Monday at the New England Football Conference meetings.

Maine Maritime Academy athletic director Jim Dyer said there is a move on behalf of the Massachusetts State Conference Athletic Conference’s schools to form their own football conference.

And six of those schools are in the 14-team New England Football Conference: Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Westfield State, Worcester State and Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

“If that happens, I think you would see a reorganization of the New England Football Conference and I believe [NCAA Division III independents] Husson and Mount Ida (Mass.) would most likely be invited to join the conference,” said Dyer.

The remaining schools are Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Curry, Nichols, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Salve Regina, UMass Dartmouth and Western New England.

Dyer said it isn’t a “100 percent done deal” and there will be a meeting of the NEFC athletics directors Monday to discuss the situation.

Dyer said he sympathizes with Husson athletic director and football coach Gabby Price and would like to see the Eagles invited to join the conference.

“I feel badly for Gabby. I know what he’s going through as a coach and an athletic director, trying to get into a conference,” said Dyer.

He added that he would like his Mariners to play Husson since the schools are only 40 miles apart and could develop a healthy rivalry.

But they can’t schedule Husson at this time.

“We aren’t flexible to play another game right now,” said Dyer. “We currently have eight conference games and we also have a long-term contract to play Mount Ida.”

He said adding a 10th game would fall on the same weekend as the NEFC playoffs.