BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University football team has been picked to finish third in the Bogan Division as the New England Football Conference (NEFC) Preseason Coaches' Poll was announced today by NEFC Director of Media Relations, Roger Crosley.

The Bears will open the season with three straight road games beginning with a September 10th contest at UMass Dartmouth (6:00 PM).  BSU then returns home to take on Bogan Division rival Westfield State University on Friday, September 30th in the first night football game (6:30 PM) at the newly renovated Swenson Field.

Head Coach Chuck Denune returns for his seventh season at the helm.  Coach Denune has directed his teams to a 42-18 (.700) record as well as three ECAC bowl game appearances over his first six seasons.  In 2010, the Bears posted a record of 5-5 and finished tied for fifth in the Bogan Division standings with a 3-4 divisional mark.

Maine Maritime Academy is the preseason favorite to capture the Bogan Division title as the Mariners received five of the eight first place votes and a total of 58 points.  Rounding out the top five are Framingham State University (47 pts.), Bridgewater (46 pts.), Massachusetts Maritime Academy(37 pts.) and Westfield (35 pts.).

Bridgewater has 14 of 22 starters returning from the 2010 squad including seven apiece on both offense and defense.  Coach Denune is also welcoming in a very talented group of incoming freshman and transfers to help the Bears contend for the Bogan Division title and a spot in the NEFC Championship Game in 2011.

Coach Denune will look to a strong front four to spark an outstanding defensive unit.  The Bears return defensive tackles Paul Melicharek (Jr., Glen Rock, N.J.) and Mike Nazzaro (Sr., Boxford, Mass.) as well as defensive ends Jacob Curren (Sr., North Attleboro, Mass.), Tate Doehler (So., Lakeville, Mass.) and Matt MacFadzen (Sr., Agawam, Mass.).  Those five accounted for 155 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and seven sacks a year ago.  Melicharek earned NEFC All-Bogan Division First Team honors and was named to the D3football.com All-East Region Second Team.

Senior Chris Chamberlin (South Easton, Mass.) emerged as one of the top linebackers in the NEFC in his first season with the Bears.  Chamberlin led the team in tackles with 69 including six for loss.  Junior Justin Cruz (Dartmouth, Mass.), who added 38 tackles and 6.5 for loss, also returns to the mix.

Senior Kevin Laudano (Wallingford, Conn.) and junior Brian Smith (Lowell, Mass.) return to the BSU defensive secondary.  Laudano broke up four passes and recorded 43 tackles while Smith notched 21 tackles and a pair of interceptions in 2010.  They will be joined by a number of talented newcomers including junior transfers Vincent Henry (Middleboro, Mass.) and Eddie Jewel (Amherst, Mass.).  Henry comes to BSU via Husson University while Jewel played at Division I (FCS) Monmouth University.

The Bridgewater State offense is led by senior running back Justin Fuller (Berkley, Mass.) who was recently named to the D3 Senior Classic Preseason All-American South Second Team.  Fuller rushed for 316 yards and four touchdowns in three games a year ago before seeing his season derailed due to injury.  All told, he has accumulated 1,691 yards on the ground and 23 touchdowns in just 13 games since coming to Bridgewater State in 2009.  Heading into the season, Fuller ranks 11th on the Bears' all-time rushing list.

Sophomore Chris Constantine (Hingham, Mass.) also returns to the BSU offensive backfield which ranked fifth in the NEFC with 167.8 rushing yards per game.  Constantine ran for 289 yards and a touchdown and also added 20 catches for 309 yards and four receiving scores last season.  The running back position will have some outstanding depth with the addition of a pair of Shriners All-Stars in freshmen Blaise Branch (Brockton, Mass.) and Matt Lockwood (Seekonk, Mass.).

Sophomore Mike McCarthy (Edgartown, Mass.), last year's starting signal caller, will be pushed for playing time by some incoming quarterbacks.  McCarthy led the team in rushing with 507 yards and scored three touchdowns.  He also completed 70 of 172 pass attempts for 788 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Junior Matt Monahan (Wrentham, Mass.) is the lone returning starter at wideout and his role will be challenged by a group of very talented transfers. Monahan caught 11 passes for 99 yards in 2010.

Junior tackle Mike D'Attilio (North Attleboro, Mass.), junior guard Kurt Merrick (Mashpee, Mass.) and sophomore tackle Mike Duran (Bridgewater, Mass.) are the three returning starters on the offensive line.  D'Attilio started all ten games a year ago while Merrick started the last nine games and Duran each of the last four.

Constantine proved to be the Bears top special teams player a season ago as he averaged 26.9 yards on 12 kickoff returns and returned two of those for touchdowns.  Senior Mike Pettus (Concord, Mass.) averaged 36.2 yards on 48 punt attempts in 2010 and placed eight inside the 20 yard line. Pettus and Smith shared the placekicking duties two seasons ago.  The pair combined to convert 28 of 36 extra point attempts in 2009.