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Messages - Kuiper

#1
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 27, 2024, 12:41:06 PM
In further thinking about it, I think they will actually be in decent shape.  There were only 8 conference games in the ASC last year because Sul Ross was reclassifying.  So, if they play home and away against each other, they have replaced 6 of the 8 conference games.  In effect, the teams really only need to replace two additional non-conference games.  Given that the SAA teams will be down a conference game because of Birmingham Southern, a former ASC school now in the C2C could play a weekend at Hendrix in Arkansas and play two SAA teams (which MHB did last year with Hendrix and Rhodes and Hardin-Simmons did the same in 2019) or go to Jackson and play Belhaven and Huntingdon College (which likely has to replace Birmingham Southern, because they are typically on its non-conference schedule).

It's not uncommon for a SCIAC and/or NWC team to travel to Texas each year, but it's usually organized by Trinity because the travel is easier to San Antonio and involves Trinity/St. Thomas/Southwestern.  Sometimes,  Hardin-Simmons is invited down to give a traveling team a third game that way.  Whitman and Pomona-Pitzer both played in Texas last year and one of Whitman's games was against Hardin-Simmons. One year, Hardin-Simmons played in the Trinity round robin directly with Christopher Newport, so it's possible they could get invited again.

In any event, I think the four teams will actually have a lot of non-conference options, mostly because I think the former ASC and SCAC schools still need them as well to construct a feasible non-conference schedule.  Since there are only four of them in the C2C who will qualify for non-conference play and there will be 12 in the SCAC for 2024 (before Trinity and Southwestern leave), they will be in demand even if conference play takes up more slots for those SCAC schools.
#2
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 27, 2024, 10:27:50 AM
Quote from: Ron Boerger on March 27, 2024, 07:41:30 AMBob has great contacts, but none of the people I rely on for ASC insights have yet backed this up and he's been talking about it for some time.  I can't imagine what the ASC teams will do scheduling-wise during the regular season  given that the C2C doesn't play a regular season and there simply aren't a lot of teams in Texas with that many open spots on their non-conference schedules. 

Maybe the C2C will do some restructuring, but as it stands I can't see this being a long-term arrangement, and especially given how important football is to those schools.

I agree it's not likely a preferable long-term solution, especially without football, but I don't think it will be difficult to construct a schedule in soccer.  They already play a lot of SCAC teams in non-conference games and they can probably expand that number by adding the former ASC/new SCAC teams to the mix and grabbing some of the non-conference games that SCAC teams used to play against UT Dallas.  Then they can play home and away games against each other for six "conference" games.  Add in a couple of NAIA or DII teams (including perhaps) former ASC member UT Dallas and/or schedule one out of state trip to play two games and they have a schedule.
#3
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 26, 2024, 11:13:42 PM
Quote from: Kuiper on February 21, 2024, 01:03:46 PMBob Quillman, host of a D# hoops podcast, is reporting that the remaining members of the American Southwest Conference are discussing moving to the Coast-to-Coast Conference for all sports except football:  Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, LeTourneau, and East Texas Baptist (it was already announced that UTD is going DII, and Concordia, McMurry, and Ozarks are going to the SCAC).

QuoteHearing talks are heating up re: UMHB, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, ETBU, and LeTourneau joining the Coast-to-Coast conference. This would be for all sports except football. Football would be played via local scheduling alliances.

Coast-to-Coast conference will be like a set of pods during the regular season, with a pod in the Mid-Atlantic playing each other (e.g., Christopher Newport, Mary Washington, Salisbury), one in Wisconsin (Platteville and Whitewater) one in Texas, and then UC Santa Cruz all by its lonesome effectively playing as an affiliate of the SCIAC.  The conference tournament could be pretty competitive.  The Texas teams will pick up some serious strength-of-schedule playing teams from the SCAC, teams from the SAA (where Trinity and Southwestern are going), and then the teams from all over the country in the C2C tournament.  That's a heck of a lot of cross-pollination.

The demise of the ASC would also presumably mean one less automatic bid and one more Pool C bid available.  That would also have implications for Region X's typical pod in the tournament.  If only the three conference champions qualified, one team from another region would have to play in Region X's pod, which could be a pretty significant disadvantage depending upon where the pod is held and the length of travel.  On the other hand, it might put the thumb on the scale for a Region X Pool C bid to complete the pod and avoid the significant travel burden.

Bob Quillman is now reporting that the ASC "merger" with the Coast-to-Coast conference is now a done deal for all sports EXCEPT football

https://x.com/iwuhoopscom/status/1772820626576650552?s=46&t=uXiupHZfR0TxrRyWF9BmRg

I'll wait for an official announcement, but it makes sense for soccer at least given the lack of other options and the departure of the Wisconsin schools from the C2C
#4
Men's soccer / Re: Birmingham Southern is closing
March 26, 2024, 03:58:50 PM
I just checked BSC men's soccer's social media accounts and they actually started announcing commits about a week ago (plus a January transfer).  If there are any college coaches reading these boards who want to reach out to any of these kids or the BSC coaches, I'm sure they and others would appreciate a sliver of hope right about now.

https://x.com/bscmsoccer/status/1770099042027995367?s=20

Om Shrestha Hoover-Vestavia MLS Next/Oak Mountain HS

https://x.com/bscmsoccer/status/1769732781553184862?s=20

Yossef Awad Hoover-Vestavia MLS Next 2/John Carroll Catholic HC

https://x.com/bscmsoccer/status/1768662155090370637?s=20

Jayro Lopez Funez (transfer from Young Harris)
#5
Men's soccer / Birmingham Southern is closing
March 26, 2024, 03:35:33 PM
https://www.al.com/educationlab/2024/03/birmingham-southern-college-will-close-may-31-as-loan-bill-fails-to-gain-support.html

Quote"The Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to close the College after a 2024 bill designed to amend the 2023 legislation that established the loan program on which our future depended failed to win sufficient support in the Alabama House of Representatives. Without that funding, the College does not have the resources to continue," a letter from the Rev. Keith D. Thompson, the chair of BSC Board of Trustees, states.

I wouldn't be surprised if many of the soccer players had already transferred, but I feel bad for those who are now scrambling for places to go.

The Southern Athletic Association has already effectively planned for this event with the additions of Trinity and Southwestern from the SCAC starting Fall 2025 (and they still will have 7 for Fall 2024), but there are going to be a bunch of schools with holes in their schedule for next fall.  Among non-conference schools in the south, Birmingham Southern was a regular opponent.  Emory has played them most years, as has Huntington.
#6
Birmingham Southern announces it will close at the end of May

https://www.al.com/educationlab/2024/03/birmingham-southern-college-will-close-may-31-as-loan-bill-fails-to-gain-support.html

Quote"The Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to close the College after a 2024 bill designed to amend the 2023 legislation that established the loan program on which our future depended failed to win sufficient support in the Alabama House of Representatives. Without that funding, the College does not have the resources to continue," a letter from the Rev. Keith D. Thompson, the chair of BSC Board of Trustees, states.
#7
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 26, 2024, 03:24:31 PM
A couple of updates in recruiting for a few schools (new listings in red):

Occidental:

Andrew Lee (D)  LA Surf MLS Next

Aryan Amin (D) Baltimore Armour MLS Next

Devin Benning (F/M) LA Surf MLS Next

Willamette

Evan Bierman (GK) Colorado Edge ECRL/Ralston Valley
#8
Men's soccer / Re: 2024 Schedules
March 25, 2024, 08:28:31 PM
Kalamazoo

Chicago, North Park, and North Central again this year, but they've added Wheaton (IL), Illinois Wesleyan, and Elmhurst, to their Illinois opponents.

#9
Men's soccer / Re: Spring Practices
March 23, 2024, 01:48:35 PM
Redlands is playing its spring game today at DII Cal State Dominguez Hills.  Always fun to play at CSUDH because their home field is the track and field stadium where the LA Galaxy II have traditionally played their home games in USL and MLS Next Pro

https://www.instagram.com/p/C43VmiMvVHz/?igsh=ZWI2YzEzYmMxYg==

UPDATE:  Redlands beat Cal State Dominguez Hills 1-0 on a goal by rising senior Phillip Kostenko, who had 8 goals and 4 assists last year.
#10
Cross-posting this from the 2024 Schedules thread because it might be of particular interest to Great Lakes fans

John Carroll

Last year in the OAC, but they are getting a jump start on NCAC play by playing at Oberlin and home to Kenyon on the first weekend of the season.  That isn't a surprise since they often play NCAC teams and these are just the second legs of home/away series that they started last year, but it is a chance for Kenyon to get revenge after losing 4-0 to John Carroll last year in Gambier.  They are also hosting Stockton and Trine for something called the Cleveland Classic in mid-September on a Friday/Sunday, which probably means Trine and Stockton will play each other on that Saturday.  Always nice to see those East Coast/Midwest clashes.  Another interesting addition to the schedule is they are traveling to Williamsport to play Lycoming on Sept 21 after playing Ohio Wesleyan on the 18th, and before playing Case Western on the 25th and hosting Calvin on the 28th.  That's a murderer's row of games.  In fact, in their 10 non-conference games to start the season, only Oberlin and Trine did not have winning records last year and Trine was 7-7-3 and beat Kenyon.
#11
Men's soccer / Re: 2024 Schedules
March 23, 2024, 11:59:56 AM
A couple more schedules

Ripon

Another team that has University of Wisconsin-Stout on its non-conference schedule in its inaugural year

John Carroll

Last year in the OAC, but they are getting a jump start on NCAC play by playing at Oberlin and home to Kenyon on the first weekend of the season.  That isn't a surprise since they often play NCAC teams and these are just the second legs of home/away series that they started last year, but it is a chance for Kenyon to get revenge after losing 4-0 to John Carroll last year in Gambier.  They are also hosting Stockton and Trine for something called the Cleveland Classic in mid-September on a Friday/Sunday, which probably means Trine and Stockton will play each other on that Saturday.  Always nice to see those East Coast/Midwest clashes.  Another interesting addition to the schedule is they are traveling to Williamsport to play Lycoming on Sept 21 after playing Ohio Wesleyan on the 18th, and before playing Case Western on the 25th and hosting Calvin on the 28th.  That's a murderer's row of games.  In fact, in their 10 non-conference games to start the season, only Oberlin and Trine did not have winning records last year and Trine was 7-7-3 and beat Kenyon.
#12
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 22, 2024, 02:58:01 PM
Cross-posting this from the 2024 schedules thread because it may be of interest to NWC/SCIAC fans eager for hints about their schedules:

UC Santa Cruz

Always interesting because they have no conference games and are 6+ hours away from the nearest D3 schools.  The positive to offset that is that they have the advantage of being on the quarter system, which means classes don't even start until 9/21.  So, they are bringing Pacific Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer to Santa Cruz the Friday and Saturday of the first weekend of the season (which likely means Pacific Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer are playing each other on Sunday in Santa Cruz) and then they travel to LA to play Occidental the next weekend, travel to Oregon to play weekday (W/F) games against Pacific and Willamette, and then back to LA to play weekday (W/F) games against La Verne and Redlands, all before their classes begin.  After that, they play home or nearby games against DII or NAIA opponents, except for three more weekend trips to LA to play Chapman, Cal Lutheran, and CMS.  The only SCIAC teams they don't play this year are Whittier and Cal Tech.
#13
Men's soccer / Re: 2024 Schedules
March 22, 2024, 02:56:02 PM
A few more new schedules

North Park

Replaces two top Ohio schools from last year's schedule (Ohio Northern and John Carroll) with two top Wisconsin schools this year (Wisconsin Eau Claire and Wisconsin Whitewater)

UC Santa Cruz

Always interesting because they have no conference games and are 6+ hours away from the nearest D3 schools.  The positive to offset that is that they have the advantage of being on the quarter system, which means classes don't even start until 9/21.  So, they are bringing Pacific Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer to Santa Cruz the Friday and Saturday of the first weekend of the season (which likely means Pacific Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer are playing each other on Sunday in Santa Cruz) and then they travel to LA to play Occidental the next weekend, travel to Oregon to play weekday (W/F) games against Pacific and Willamette, and then back to LA to play weekday (W/F) games against La Verne and Redlands, all before their classes begin.  After that, they play home or nearby games against DII or NAIA opponents, except for three more weekend trips to LA to play Chapman, Cal Lutheran, and CMS.  The only SCIAC teams they don't play this year are Whittier and Cal Tech.

Baruch

First time they are playing NYU since 2021, when they lost 10-0.

Norwich

Robert Emmett certainly isn't shying away from tough games in his first season at Norwich by scheduling his very first game of the season at the school he left at Middlebury.  It's a team they've played regularly of late because of proximity, but not for the opener.

Coe College

heading up to Wisconsin-Platteville for a late September game should be a challenge

St. Mary's (Minnesota)

One of the first schools to play at Wisconsin-Stout in its opening season

Ferrum College

You don't often see schools play a team in their conference for a game designated as a non-conference game, but they did it against Bridgewater in 2022 and are doing so again home and away in 2024.  Not sure why.  it doesn't look like they are that close to each other compared to other ODAC schools.
#14
Men's soccer / Re: Coaching Carousel
March 21, 2024, 04:05:57 PM
(Cross-posted from the Go WEST thread)

Willamette hired Matt Corti-Young as its new head soccer coach

https://www.wubearcats.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/releases/202403192ikdl0

This is a big time get for Willamette.  Corti-Young was an assistant coach at DI UC San Diego for the last few years, but before that was head coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, where he was West region coach of the year in 2019 when he led CMS to the NCAA tournament.  He also did a great job as head coach at Knox college before that, taking a team that was 1-16 the year before he was hired and improving them to 15-4 within two years, winning their first conference title in 26 years and being named conference coach of the year.  He started his coaching career as an assistant at Amherst in the NESCAC, so he really has National DIII experience.
#15
Men's soccer / Re: Go WEST young man (and NORTH)
March 21, 2024, 04:04:41 PM
Willamette hired Matt Corti-Young as its new head soccer coach

https://www.wubearcats.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/releases/202403192ikdl0

This is a big time get for Willamette.  Corti-Young was an assistant coach at DI UC San Diego for the last few years, but before that he was head coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, where he was West Region coach of the year in 2019 when he led CMS to the NCAA tournament.  He also did a great job as head coach at Knox College before that, taking a team that was 1-16 the year before he was hired and improving them to 15-4 within two years, winning their first conference title in 26 years and being named conference coach of the year.  He started his coaching career as an assistant at Amherst in the NESCAC, so he really has National DIII experience.

In another bit of Willamette news, Jake Oetinger, a sophomore defender is transferring to D1 Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo.  Oetinger was a locked in starter as a freshman, named Honorable Mention All-NWC, and starting 19 out of 20 games, but I think he was injured or otherwise unavailable after the first 8 games in 2023 (all of which he started) because he didn't play at all the rest of the season.  Oetinger is from Gilroy, CA, which is a couple of hours north of San Luis Obisbo, so this is much closer to home for him.