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Messages - petemcb

#2
Quote from: Gregory Sager on September 16, 2023, 05:22:32 PM
North Park is playing two exhibition games against D1 teams this season:

Nov. 2 @ DePaul
Nov. 9 @ SIU-Edwardsville

Dick Vitale is finally getting his dream matchup 43 years later.

When/if you get a time and an actual address for the DePaul game, could you post that too? I'd love to get over there and see that.
#3
Quote from: WUPHF on September 16, 2023, 09:54:29 AM
Understood.  I thought I would add that in case any Millikin were feeling nervous though long term, I guess we should all be nervous.

From your vantage point and experience, what are some of the warning signs of a Higher Ed institution that's in financial trouble? Is it the cutting of academic programs, athletic programs, an increasing use of adjunct faculty, declining enrollment (which might be more of a chicken/egg issue), a disproportionate and increasing reliance on online, off-campus learning? Maybe it's all of these things and more but are there any telltale signs that you (or anyone else on the board) are aware of?
#4
Quote from: WUPHF on September 15, 2023, 11:57:57 PM
I waste a lot of my time thinking about the future of higher education including the enrollment and financial trends and for what it is worth, Millikin is far better off than Cabrini.

Oh, I wasn't meaning to equate the two situations - just to "justify" putting it on this board.
#5
I realize the article I have linked below has no direct CCIW connection but it does discuss the closing of Cabrini University at the end of this academic year and mentions several other small Liberal Arts schools that have closed or are likely to close in the near future. I know there was talk on this board last Spring (?) of Millikin not refilling certain positions and maybe eliminating others. Scary times for a lot of Higher Ed institutions.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/business/financial-health/2023/06/26/cabrini-university-will-close#:~:text=After%20months%20of%20seeking%20a,deal%20to%20acquire%20its%20campus.
#6
Quote from: robertgoulet on September 11, 2023, 12:33:56 PM
Quote from: Greek Tragedy on September 09, 2023, 05:59:32 AM
Quote from: lmitzel on September 08, 2023, 04:47:16 PM
NCC sharing their incoming class for this season. Six freshmen, three transfers.

Albion's Ken Thomas was a 2nd team all-MIAA. 16 pts and 6.9 rebs.

Gaston was 1st team NJCAA D3 AA. A couple of high quality transfers.



Well that makes at least three quality additions then because Tyler Swierczek from Palatine High School is a Freshman who would add value to any CCIW rotation. Ive seen him play for four years now and he is the real deal. Solid all round player on both ends of the floor and particularly dangerous from beyond the arc.
#7
And did I perhaps just set a record for conjunctions used in a single sentence? I don't know whether to apologize or boast.
#8
I might be tardy to the party with this one but has this already been posted about or am I not the only one to learn today that Elmhurst's 23-24 roster is up and includes the following "rising" graduate students, (just to keep that one alive for fun):

Ocean Johnson
Myles Thomas
Jonathan Zapinski
Wesley Hooker

This makes/keeps Elmhurst much more relevant for this upcoming season.
#9
Quote from: Gregory Sager on May 16, 2023, 04:04:57 PM
North Park has added Jakhi Gray, a 6'0" guard from Metea Valley, and Phil Holmes, a 6'9", 225 PF/C from Simeon via Governors State (2021-22) and juco North Idaho (2022-23).

This is NPU's incoming group thus far:

freshmen
Jakhi Gray, 6'0", Aurora (Metea Valley)
Kendall Lavender, 6'2", Alton (Marquette Catholic)
Caleb Newman, 6'0", Lansing (T.F. South)
Trevon Roots, 6'6", Aurora (Marmion)
Brandon Swann, 6'1", Bradenton FL (IMG Academy)
DJ Wallace, 6'9", Hoffman Estates (HS)

transfers
Trey Brooks, 6'5" Elyria OH (Open Door Christian) / D2 Lake Erie (rising junior)
Phil Holmes, 6'9", Chicago (Simeon) / NAIA Governors State / juco North Idaho (rising junior)
Nabil Kone, 6'8", Bamako, Mali / NAIA Trinity International (rising junior)
Mike Vuckovic, 5'11", Hoffman Estates (HS) / juco Harper (rising sophomore)
Nick Vuckovic, 5'11", Hoffman Estates (HS) / juco Harper (rising sophomore)

Greg, are the Vuckovics considered to have used a year of eligibility?
#10
A little more background on DJ Wallace:

Team Captain
15 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 blks per game
60% FG (led the team Junior and Senior year)
77% FT
Maine West Thanksgiving All-Tournament
Hinkle Holiday Classic All-Tournament
MSL All-Conference
Daily Herald All-Area
#11
North Park continues to build something special at the corner of Foster and Kedzie as 6'9" DJ Wallace of Hoffman Estates High School has tweeted his commitment to the Park. It's been a long time coming but DJ will join former teammates the Vuckovic twins of Hoffman Estates next year to help the Park continue it's exciting program transformation. DJ is a great young man. I retired after working almost thirty years in a Chicago suburban high school and have seen a lot of students and players over that time. DJ is one of the finest young men I've met in those thirty-some years. His numbers and All-Conference/All-Area recognitions speak for themselves (as does his 6'9" frame). DJ is perhaps the finest shot blocker I've seen in HS ball. He can pass, is unselfish, has a good IQ, is an excellent teammate, highly coachable, and showed really nice growth on the offensive end of the floor all season. Over the last couple of years, he has had interest from NAIA, D2, as well as Elmhurst, North Central, Augie, and IWU. Kudos and thanks to Coach Sean Smith who was relentless in his pursuit of DJ. He was at more of the Hoffman games than some of the parents this season - including spending his birthday at one of DJ's games. Watching him build the relationship with DJ this year makes it easy to see how players would go to battle for him like this year's team did. Combine this Hoffman connection with the other recruits announced this week and NPU is likely to continue it's upward trajectory for at least four more years.
#12
Quote from: Gregory Sager on March 15, 2023, 02:06:48 PM
I can't imagine Mike wanting anybody else for the job besides Panner, but the school may require him to open it up to a general job search to fill the position. I don't know the inner workings of the Wheaton administration well enough to know what sort of hiring latitude the school's AD has, but I doubt that there's many D3 schools left in which the AD can just unilaterally hire (or, in this case, promote) a coach.

Just for fun, I'm going to throw out the reminder that former Wheaton Assistant and Anderson Head Coach Owen Handy is back in town. That's a resume worthy of consideration if he's interested.
#13
Quote from: mwunder on January 30, 2023, 11:23:13 AM
Quote from: GoPerry on January 28, 2023, 06:58:25 PM
Tyson Cruickshank  35 pts, 6 rebs  13/19 FG 68%, 7/12 58% three point
Andrew Williams   18 pts, 7 rebs, 7/10 FG

Cruickshank had an incredible game and Carthage simply couldn't answer.  That plus playing really tough defense made everything tough on the Firebirds.  It is concerning that the Thunder were playing without starter Eddie Scott but Andrew Williams was equally good.

Simply put, this was a MasterClass in guard play from the Wheaton starters.  As a Carthage fan at the game, it was disheartening to see the guard tandem come up with every lose ball, shoot uncontested layups, grabs rebounds, control the pace, hit big shots and defend the three like these two did Saturday evening.  While Williams provided hustle and intensity at the beginning of the game, Cruickshank provided everything else until he was subbed out after this one was put to bed.  Stat line says he had three turnovers but honestly, I don't remember any of them.  He was limited to only four assists because of missed shots from teammates as he put them in position to finish often. Nesbitt guarded him effectively(?) for long stretches of time, but not until he already had 15 or so points.  Carthage briefly switched to zone, but two triples from the right arc ended that bad idea.  I don't attend a lot of games in person at Tarble, but since 2000-'01 McDaniel/Ktistou combo, I've not seen a more complete game by both guards.  They totally dominated all aspects of the game.

When was the last time a point guard led the league in scoring?

OK, I got Ypsi'ed but whatever. I was curious so I looked it up and it's surprisingly common. Jake Rhode of Elmhurst was the most recent but looking back 10-15 years or so the list includes Juwan Henry from NPU, Tyler Peters of Wheaton who at least functioned as a PG but really played all over the floor, and Carthage's own: Stevie D. Not sure if I'm missing any.
#14
Quote from: USee on January 20, 2023, 04:00:25 PM
Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 20, 2023, 03:43:34 PM

I have a very strong suspicion that Wheaton, a quick team full of high-motor guys that can shoot, is going to wipe the floor with Wesleyan tomorrow in King Arena.

What's Massey say?  ;D

+1   ;D
#15
No Mitch Lewis today?