MBB: NESCAC

Started by cameltime, April 27, 2005, 02:38:16 PM

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amh63

#23010
Nescac1....interesting post wrt to Swarthmore and its sports program.  I checked in on a recent game after seeing their high ranking.  Admit that the game became boring to me as the level of play on the floor was average at best and my knowledge of the teams was nil. Need to check out the conference, etc. before watching another contest.
Remember when an Amherst coach went down to Swarthmore a while back to take the AD position and the school dropped football soon after.   When the present Amherst soccer coach arrived at Amherst, he soon took his team in the post season to a cold night game at Swarthmore.  They have a fine soccer program.  The school is surrounded by fine schools like Haverford and a seven sister women school and they share classes in a program like the five college program at Amherst. 
There is one thing that I need to point out.  It happened to a bunch of close HS friends of my younger son on a college visit to Swarthmore.  Two of my son's buddies were captains of their sport teams...football and basketball...and excellent students.  They went and both did not like the atmosphere they found.  It was a beautiful day on a beautiful campus and they saw few students outside.  In the 90's, the school had a reputation for students being very competitive among themselves in classes.  Hopefully it has changed.  Should ask a classmate of his experience when he was teaching there. 

P'bearfan

QuoteWPI played essentially every current NESCAC team every year back in the 80's.  My 2 trips to Bates were my favorite - despite the long bus ride.  Students were crazy but fun crazy - and felt on top of you the whole time..................in my memory Tufts was like that too - I may be wrong?  Do they play in the same gym now as the 80's? Also - I do not remember ever playing Hamilton?

Yes Tufts has been playing in the same gym since my wife graduated (which was just before the 80's).  Might be the same gym as when her father graduated!  They did change the orientation of the court a few years back though (i.e. turned it 90 degrees).  Others on the board may remember the exact year that change was made.

P'bearfan

QuoteNot to rain on your parade, but the Palestra at UPenn was opened Jan 1, 1927 - and I'm not sure how to count the gym where Northeastern plays - Northeastern bought it in the 70's, but it hosted college sports beginning in 1910.

With all due respect to Alumni gym, the Palestra is college basketball Mecca (and yes there is some hometown bias in that statement).

P'bearfan

QuoteSome more Bowdoin recruiting news:

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/commitment-catch-up-56

Last week, when we profiled the top prospects in the NHIAA, we mentioned that K.J. Matte had committed to Bowdoin after his ED1 application had been accepted. Matte, who is one of the top players in New Hampshire's state association, isn't the only local product in the Polar Bears' recruiting class as he'll be joined by Taft's Zavier Rucker. Matte is a playmaking guard with a definite flair to his game while Rucker, who serves as Taft's captain, is a gritty and hard-working player capable of playing multiple positions. That duo is joined by a pair of prospects from outside New England's borders as well. Any Ward, a 6-foot-11 center from Pope John XXIII High School in New Jersey, is on his way to New England after generating wide-ranging recruitment from scholarship levels in recent years as too is Sam Grad, a 6-foot-7 forward from Boulder, Colorado.

Besides Bowdoin, interesting to see on that report a strong New England player head to Swarthmore.  Swarthmore has really built, for I think basically the first time, a nationally-relevant hoops program under fourth-year head coach Landry Kosmalski.  It's certainly never before been in the same breath as Williams and Amherst, its top academic rivals, when it comes to hoops.  Swarthmore is now 12-1 vs. a respectable schedule and its top four players will all be back next year.  Swarthmore is not an easy place to recruit to -- not exactly known as an athletic hotbed and I've sensed never been huge on major academic concessions for recruits (although perhaps that has changed a bit).   Kosmalski is a name to watch when D1 opportunities at high-academic schools come open, after he so quickly built a contender despite difficult constraints.

nescac1 - thanks for the update on Bowdoin recruiting.  +k to you.

Regarding Swarthmore, I met Coach Kosmalski a few years back when he recruited my son.  Two years ago, he landed one of my son's HS teammates who seems to be doing well for them.  Coach K has done an outstanding job so far in turning around a program that has been a traditional basement dweller.  Best of luck to him.

lumbercat


Not to rain on your parade, but the Palestra at UPenn was opened Jan 1, 1927 - and I'm not sure how to count the gym where Northeastern plays - Northeastern bought it in the 70's, but it hosted college sports beginning in 1910.
[/quote]

Ryan Scott-

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that the Palestra was built at the same time as Alumni Gym.

Also, how could I forget the Boston Arena. My brother and I played a lot of HS Hockey there in the 70's when it was the home for all the teams in the Greater Boston League. It was primarily a hockey facility then and was the home of BU, Northeastern and other local college hockey teams.

When Northeastern bought "The Arena" several years ago it was transformed back into a Hockey/Basketball facility as it is today. It was the original home of the Bruins and later for the Celtics when the NBA began in the 40's before they moved to "The Garden" and joined the Bruins there.

I think you are right in that it is the oldest in the NCAA.

amh63

Tufts venue for volleyball and basketball is truely an unique...architectural wise...place.  I tried to check on the renovation date, but the Tufts' website doesn't have the date or the pics of the update.  In any case, I believe the primary purpose for the "makeover" was to add increased " seating" in order to meet some NCAA seating requirements to host games in the NCAA post- season.  I thought it was in the past decade time- frame, but could not find info on the matter.  Went back to the 2007 season.  Nice memories when Tufts preview the upcoming Amherst game.  Time of the first Amherst Nat. title.
I  put quotation marks wrt seating earlier in tHat the Cousen gym has different levels for fans  to watch a game but no actual seats to seat. Much like the Williams venue where many fans stand.

warriorcat

Regarding Swarthmore, it is one of the top liberal arts institutions in the country ranking.  For what it is worth, US News ranked it 4th tied with Middlebury in the most recent ranking. 

Their coach, Landry Kosmalsky, was both a player and an assistant coach at Davidson College in the 90's and 00's.  Landry was a very good player and an excellent student-athlete in his own right.  I had the pleasure of watching him play and then working in the athletic department with him for a few years.  He has a great understanding of the balance of athletics and academics pushing his players to accept no less than excellence in both arenas.  The team's success is no surprise to me.  One of my son's best friends was at Swarthmore when Landry arrived in his sophomore year.  They had been 3-22 his freshman year. Their progress was slow, 7-18, 8-17, and 11-14 his first three seasons.  Much like it would be at a NESCAC school. an immediate infusion of talent through transfer and junior college, is not the norm.  Getting the most out of the players you have and recruiting mission appropriate SA's that are good players is the only way to build a program.   The corner was turned in 2005-16 when the team shattered the school record for victories (17) on their way to a 22-8 record.  Their 12-1 record this year is a continuation of that climb. 

Their conference has been dominated in recent years by Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Dickinson, and Johns Hopkins. 

quicksilver

Quote from: amh63 on January 12, 2017, 02:42:26 PM
Tufts venue for volleyball and basketball is truely an unique...architectural wise...place.  I tried to check on the renovation date, but the Tufts' website doesn't have the date or the pics of the update.  In any case, I believe the primary purpose for the "makeover" was to add increased " seating" in order to meet some NCAA seating requirements to host games in the NCAA post- season.  I thought it was in the past decade time- frame, but could not find info on the matter.  Went back to the 2007 season.  Nice memories when Tufts preview the upcoming Amherst game.  Time of the first Amherst Nat. title.
I  put quotation marks wrt seating earlier in tHat the Cousen gym has different levels for fans  to watch a game but no actual seats to seat. Much like the Williams venue where many fans stand.

The renovation of the Cousen gym happened in 2009. Based on this article, it looks as though the court itself was not regulation sized (less than 94 feet in length apparently, resulting in the prohibition on hosting NCAA play-offs).

Pat Coleman

Quote from: amh63 on January 12, 2017, 02:42:26 PM
Tufts venue for volleyball and basketball is truely an unique...architectural wise...place.  I tried to check on the renovation date, but the Tufts' website doesn't have the date or the pics of the update.  In any case, I believe the primary purpose for the "makeover" was to add increased " seating" in order to meet some NCAA seating requirements to host games in the NCAA post- season.  I thought it was in the past decade time- frame, but could not find info on the matter.  Went back to the 2007 season.  Nice memories when Tufts preview the upcoming Amherst game.  Time of the first Amherst Nat. title.
I  put quotation marks wrt seating earlier in tHat the Cousen gym has different levels for fans  to watch a game but no actual seats to seat. Much like the Williams venue where many fans stand.

The issue wasn't seating, it was the fact that in the old configuration, the floor was not 94 feet long. That's a requirement to host postseason games.
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Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: ronk on January 11, 2017, 07:44:02 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on January 11, 2017, 03:42:44 PM
Quote from: amh63 on January 11, 2017, 02:26:41 PM
Speaking of Maine..again...hung out many, many years ago with a former UMaine player.  Learned that Maine has a number of Indian Reservations and a significant Indian populations.  Mentioned that there are a lot of residents of Maine that have Indian links in their DNA..like his girlfriend.

Yep. The Passamaquoddy tribe had two reservations near our home in Woodland. One was the Passamaquoddy Indian Township about 15 or so minutes northwest of us (adjacent to Princeton if you are looking on a map) and the other being Pleasant Point (Passamaquoddy) which is on the way out to Eastport (eastern most city in the US). Very much a strong presence in the region. And much of the state is named after Native Americans and their tribes, from the rivers to the counties. Mt. Katahdin for example. Everywhere you turn there is some kind of Native American or tribal influence. And with such small populations, or really rather sedentary communities and families, the inter-mixing of communities is rather common. Also true for families to have both American and Canadian heritage and citizenship since the community my family moved to is immediately on the Canadian border.

For many on these boards, you might remember Ashley Marble from Southern Maine. She grew up in the same region as we were. Her mother was the principal at the Elementary School a quarter mile from our home - though, she became principal after I moved on to Middle and/or High School. But Marble played for the high school in our town - Woodland High (she was from the town of Topsfield, 30 minutes northwest if you drove without stopping).

I remember Ashley from the 2005 Final 4, a very good player, with lots of effort. A few(5?) years ago, she finished 6-10? in the Miss USA beauty pageant.

Yep... she was Miss Maine 2011 and finished Top 8 in Miss USA that year.

And do not go look up pictures. She is stunning. Works as a fitness guru now.

She was one of the best players to play in Division III. Even tried, or still is, reffing after she played.
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Vandy74

I'd meant to watch this but forgot.   Zach Baines started, played 36 minutes, scored 15 and collected 7 boards in Occidental's loss last night to Whittier.

Canvas Hightops

Great slate of NESCAC games tonight.
Tufts hosts Middlebury in perhaps the most consequential match up.
The Jumbos are getting a lot of love from the D3hoops.com ratings while the computer generated Massey ratings favor the Panthers.
Road games against good teams are really tough in this conference.  Ready for the Jumbocast!

Hamilton at Bates looks like an interesting game as well.

Bowdoin is the only team to sit the evening out.  Who will they be watching?

P'bearfan

QuoteGreat slate of NESCAC games tonight.
Tufts hosts Middlebury in perhaps the most consequential match up.
The Jumbos are getting a lot of love from the D3hoops.com ratings while the computer generated Massey ratings favor the Panthers.
Road games against good teams are really tough in this conference.  Ready for the Jumbocast!

Hamilton at Bates looks like an interesting game as well.

Bowdoin is the only team to sit the evening out.  Who will they be watching?

I can only assume that they'll be watching Williams take on Colby so they can fine tune their game plan for Saturday evening when the Ephs visit Morrell gym.

GoUBears!!

nescac1

It really stinks being the one outlying team on the NESCAC schedule, where other teams get to rest up for you but you have to play two conference games every weekend (and you also never get the benefit of a team playing a road game on Saturday afternoon vs. you).  Most certainly a disadvantage.  I'm glad Williams won't have to be in this position for another, I think, two decades! 

amh63

#23024
Vandy74....Thanks for the info wrt to Baines.  I had the same thought BUT it cost money to watch!  If you want HD, it is more. 
Did a little homework wrt to the Centennial league.  Familiar with F&M, Gettysburg, Johns Hopkins and have been in their gyms for games.  Checked out the Garnet team of Swarthmore.  Made an attempt to watch the Garnet game with Johns Hopkins Un in Baltimore...online.  JHU led the entire game and had a double digit lead for most of the game.  Swarthmore lost big in the away game.  Got a feeling, the league overall is having a down year.
Interesting to find out that Swarthmore has Garnet and Grey as school colors and prefer the Nickname Garnet...color...for its sports teams.  There is a Mascot but the two word mascot name seems to have been avoided.
Amherst play the Cardinals in Middletown tonight.  It is a conference counting game.  Last year after crushing Wes at home in the game that counts, Amherst was badly beaten by Wes in the away match.  Amherst better be ready tonight!
Nescac1.....Amherst meets Williams again on a Wednesday, I believe.  Did post that it seemed an unusual schedule this year.....decade rotation thing? :)