By Paul Herring for D3baseball.com

Previews: || New England || New York || Mid-Atlantic || South || Mideast || Central || Midwest || West ||

The New England Region is previewed in our seventh of eight regional previews. Follow D3baseball.com on Twitter for updated throughout the season.

The New England region is the most crowded region (65 teams) and typically one of the most competitive regions. This year is no exception with three teams ranked in the top 25 (Eastern Connecticut #4, Trinity (Conn) #5, & Southern Maine #16) and four other teams receiving votes (Wheaton, St. Joe's (Maine), Curry, and Western New England). Trinity has been the top team in New England the past two years but graduation has stripped the Bantams of the defending NESCAC player of the year (Sean Killeen) and pitcher of the year (Jeramiah Bayer). Also gone this year are Southern Maine's Anthony D'Alfonso and Eastern Connecitut's Shawn Gilblair. Although the power teams friom last year dominate the top of the polls, there will be an opportunity for a surprise team make the trip to Appleton in May.

New Faces:

Brian Hamm, Amherst: The 2010 season will mark the head coaching debut for Brian Hamm, who spent seven years in the NESCAC as an assistant coach after a four-year playing career at Middlebury. Hamm arrived at Amherst for the 2005-06 academic year and served four years as legendary head coach Bill Thurston's top assistant. For three years prior to arriving at Amherst he had been the assistant coach at NESCAC rival Middlebury, where he graduated in 2002.

Jeff Miller, New England: New England Director of Athletics Lori Runksmeier last summer announced the hiring of Jeff Miller as the college's baseball coach. Over the past three years Miller has served as an assistant coach with the New England and was named the program's associate head coach for the 2009 season. Over three seasons Miller has helped lead the Pilgrims to an overall record of 27-73, including the most single season wins in 16 years with 10 this past spring. "In Miller's time here as an assistant coach he has proven to be passionate about baseball and our student-athletes," said Runksmeier. "I believe he is going to build a competitive program and I am excited about his commitment to New England College."

Commonwealth Coast Conference(TCCC): For the past two seasons, their only two seasons in TCCC, Western New England has won the conference tournament and represented the conference in the NCAA tournament. Neither of these years have the Golden Bears won the regular season title, Roger Williams took this honor in 2008 and Curry won the regular season crown in 2009. Both seasons the Golden Bears used the strongest out of conference schedule to prepare than for the post season and strong pitching depth to guide them to a conference tournament title. Western New England again returns a strong squad but this year the offense may catch up to the pitching in regards to depth. The Golden Bears return 8 of 9 offensive starters to a line up that led the league in runs scored. This includes all American second baseman Andrew Fatse and all conference performers Matt Flieshman, Tony Trubia, and Justin Walz. The pitching staff does not have an all conference performer returning but again pitching depth should be a strength of the team. Curry led the pace in the conference regular season winning the conference title by 5 games. The colonels should again challenge for the conference title and are led by the 2009 TCCC player of the year in first baseman Rick Vail. Also returning this year are two 2009 second team all conference pitchers in Cory Collins and James Page. The biggest matchup in the regular season will take place in Milton, Mass on March 27th as Curry hosts WNEC.

Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC): St. Joe's returns an astounding 7 all conference performers (5 First Team & 2 Second Team). Included in this list is 2009 conference player of the year and pitcher of the year Pat Moran. The Suffolk Rams lost a lot to graduation this past year but should still be near the top of the league. The Rams will be strong but with the number of contributors returning look for the Monks of St. Joe's to win the regular season and conference titles. The great thing in our sport is that these determinations are all made on the field and Suffolk will have their shot at the Monks on March 28th during their regular season matchup and in the conference tournament which will be hosted by Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island.

Little East Conference (LEC): Consistently one of the strongest conferences in the country the LEC will again be very strong this year. Defending champion Eastern Connecticut will be dealing with the lose of four year mainstay Shawn Gilblair. Even with the lose of Gilblair the Warriors are ranked 4th in the pre season poll for a reason. They are returning a strong squad led by all conference pitchers Will Musson and Matt Fontaine. Southern Maine is also ranked in the Top 25 this year despite losing conference pitcher of the year Tim Therrian and conference player of the year Anthony D'Alfonso. Also lost to graduation is first team all conference performers in shortstop Chris Burleson and first baseman Ryan Gaffney. Leading the returners are Mike Eaton, Collin Henry, and Nick Hahn. Another team that should be strong, although not being ranked in the top 25, is Keene State. The Owls return four all conference performers in Anthony Cipolla, Bobby Doyan, Keith Patnode, and Cody Callahan. Key LEC matchups will take place on April 10th (Eastern Connecticut vs Keene), May 1st (Keene vs Southern Maine), & May 8th (Eastern Connecticut vs Southern Maine).

Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC): Worcester State cruised to the regular season title last season but it was Westfield State, 7-7 in the conference, that won the conference tournament last year and represented the MASCAC at the New England regional. Worcester state loses conference player of the year Matt Hart to graduation but the return a strong squad that should contend again this year.

New England Collegiate Conference (NECC): In the 2009 NECC playoffs, the Becker Hawks beat the Elms Blazers to win the Inaugural Championship 13-5. With no automatic bid for the conference, the NECC championship is likely all the NECC teams will be playing for. The Elms Blazers finished with a school-record 16 regular season victories and a share of the NECC regular season title and is the team to beat. Elms designated hitter Justin Jacobs (.382, 3 HR, 28 RBI) was named the 2009 NECC player of the year and returns with fellow Blazer and 2009 NECC pitcher of the year Matt Wood (5.54, 4-359 SO). Challenging Elms will be Becker and Southern Vermont. Becker outfielder Joe Corey (.350, 4 HR, 30 RBI) nabbed the 2009 NECC rookie of the year and will lead a team that batted .319 last year. Southern Vermont catcher Eric Wells (.454, 7HR, 37 RBI) will lead the Mountaineers in 2010. Next year the NECC will add Lesley as they will sponsor their sixth sport on the men's side.

North Atlantic Conference (NAC): The NAC entereed an agreement with the NEAC to so both conferences can keep access to a Pool A bid. The teams in the NAC will play in one division and teams in the NEAC will play in another. One conference champion will be crowned and that champion will earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. This preview will deal only with the New England teams, last years version of the NAC. Husson is the defending tournament champion with Castelton State winning the regular season crown, these two teams should again be the favorite this year. Husson returns four first team all conference performers in Nathan Adams, Ethan Guerette, Chris Maguire, and Kyle Vanidestine. The Spartans of Castleton State will be led by a strong senior class including 2009 first team all conference performers Kenneth Cook, Matthew Eisenhuth, and William Manley.

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC): Trinity has won the NESCAC for the past two seasons. Although this is impressive this is just the beginning of what the Bantams have accomplished. They have won the national championship in 2008 with a 45-1 record and returned to the Championship in 2009. The Bantams lose conference player of the year Sean Killeen and pitcher of the year Jeremiah Bayer. It would normally be hard to say a team that lost those two players should be the front runner the following season but when a team hasn't lost a conference game since 2007 it is hard to pick against them. If Trinity does receive competition this year it should come from Williams, Amherst, or Tufts.

New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC): Since its inception in 1999 NEWMAC baseball has been dominated by Wheaton. In these eleven years the Lyons have collected 10 regular season titles and 9 tournament titles. In 2009 the Lyons shared the regular season title with WPI while Babson won the conference tournament title, leaving the Lyons outside looking in when the NCAA tournament began. The 2010 Lyons will be led by 2009 all conference selections Paul Malaguti, Sean Munley, and Jeff Lieneck. The Lyons again will play one of the toughest schedules in New England and expect them, regardless of their record, to be a force when the conference tournament rolls around. In 2009 WPI was led by all American pitcher Conor Fahey, unfortunately for WPI, Fahey was lost to graduation. WPI will be led in 2010 by sophomores Nick Bean and Mitch McClune.