The NEWMAC and the Conference of New England (CNE) have announced that the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Curry College will represent the conferences in the Fusion Bowl on Friday, November 21.

The game will kick off under the lights at 5 p.m. from Walter M. Katz Field at Curry College in Milton, Mass., with streaming coverage provided by Northeast Sports Network.

Tickets for the Fusion Bowl are now available. Tickets must be purchased online; spectators are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. Cash on site will not be accepted. Once available, tickets can be found in the Fusion Bowl Box Office. General admission is $10, children under 12 and students from the CNE and NEWMAC institutions with a valid institutional ID are free.
 
Fusion Bowl merchandise will be available starting Tuesday, November 18th, online sales will be located here
 
The Fusion Bowl features the next highest-ranked team in each league that is not participating in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Curry enters the game with an 8-2 overall record after putting up a 6-1 overall record in CNE play this season. They faced Endicott for the league championship in the final regular season game of the season after putting up six straight victories throughout the season, which included a 47-30 triumph over the University of New England on Nov. 8. The Colonels are led by running back Monte Quinn, who currently leads NCAA Division III in rushing yards with 2,218 for the season. Curry also sports the second-highest scoring offense in all of NCAA DIII (50.6 ppg).
 
USMMA comes into the weekend with a 7-2 overall record, and 5-2 mark in the NEWMAC. Coming off a dramatic 39-38 victory over Coast Guard in the 45^th Annual Secretaries' Cup this past Saturday, they are led by dual-threat quarterback Bubba Mustain. The sophomore has thrown for nine touchdowns while leading the team in both rushing yards (124.4 rpg) and rushing touchdowns (12).

Curry and Merchant Marine have met only once before, playing in Milton during the 1973 season, resulting in a 21-0 win by Merchant Marine. 
 
The Fusion Bowl enters its second year after SUNY Maritime earned a 21–14 victory over Husson University in the inaugural matchup last season in Throggs Neck, N.Y. The Privateers’ win marked the first in Fusion Bowl history and set the foundation for what has quickly become a celebrated postseason tradition between the CNE and NEWMAC.
 
ABOUT THE NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.
 
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND 
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and five associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition, and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.