Preview by Michael Griffin for Goff Rugby Report. 

Northeastern University 

Nickname: Huskies    

Home Pitch: Parson’s Field, Boston, Ma 

Head Coach: 

2015 Conference Rank: #5

Despite the talent at the top of the ECRC, the competition starts to diminish after the top three or four teams. Unfortunately for the Huskies they finished 5th in the standings last season with a 4-4 record, with some pretty devastating losses in conference; 65-7 (UMass) 55-0 (BC) and 79-5 (AIC). Way back when the ECRC had its inarguable season in 2011, Northeastern was the team to beat. The times have changed.

On the bright side, Northeastern had a very productive spring season of sevens. The Huskies competitively competed in The Las Vegas Invitational and the Springfield Armory Tournament, hosted by AIC. The past success, especially in 7s, gives the Huskies hope that these last couple of years have just been a blip and brighter days are ahead for the program.  

Two players to watch this fall for NU are seniors Sean McElhinney, flanker, and Nick Wells, hooker. McElhinney and Wells are seasoned from training with the Mystic River Rugby Club and are looking to translate the skills they have learned from the DI Men’s USA Rugby National Champs in Malden to Parson’s Field in Boston. Without question the physicality that these two bring to the table is an X factor.   

But ... with AIC and BC looking strong, Northeastern still has some work to do, and a huge stepping-stone forward this fall would be to beat the likes of UMass or possibly NEC.