NESCAC

Started by LaPaz, September 11, 2011, 05:54:52 PM

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Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

While many may feel the NESCAC will act as a group on this, I think the clues they are not this time around are clearly there. The NESCAC has already stated they expecting schools to make decisions that are in the best interest for their institutions. Schools like Bowdoin and others have made announcements, but not nearly at the same time. And other schools have already indicated they aren't taking the same approach.

I have also talked to individuals in the conference ... my sense is the schools are NOT on the same page. There are some, like Bowdoin, who can take a hit financially by shutting sports down. There are others who cannot do the same and will do everything they can to have fall sports even if the schedule is two-thirds of what it normally would be (a minimum of half of the max is allowed this year to keep sports eligible for participation and NCAA membership).

Could this all change? Absolutely. However, I am several weeks removed from when I started talking to people in the conference and around the country and so far what I have been told then and most recently is holding firm. This isn't going to be a NESCAC-wide, we are together as one, plan or decision.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

PaulNewman

I find the NESCAC situation fascinating from a sociological point of view.  I actually would argue that a split scenario -- at least several NESCACs do play while some don't -- would be good for the conference and all the schools in it.  On the one hand, the NESCAC has tremendous brand identity that benefits all of the members, no doubt some more than others...and certainly one can argue that the relatively strict agreements that the schools share in terms of season start dates, number of games, recruiting and "tips," etc have contributed to the strength of the brand.

By way of comparison with the NESCAC's "big brother" or "big sister," the Ivy League, the brand benefits and shared agreements on how athletics function have been critical in shaping and building the traditions of both leagues.  Now, I suppose this could happen, but I personally can't imagine an Ivy breaking from the rest and doing something on their own, except maybe in sports where not all members participate.  I'm not sure NESCAC is as iconic as the Ivy, but certainly there are a lot of similarities, including what I assume is an intended prestige factor attendant to the leagues and their members, which, even if not intentional, serves to distinguish the leagues from other leagues.

So given some obvious and massive benefits of these tradition-rich leagues, how might one argue that they might benefit from making more individual, and perhaps more dynamic, decisions?  I personally for some time have had some ambivalence about the insularity/exclusivity of the NESCAC.  It's part of what some fans love about it, and what some fans of other schools grate against.  I think some of the schools, mostly those that many would characterize as in the lower half or lower third of the NESCAC reputation-wise, are known more for being a "NESCAC school" than their own individual identity.  I don't want to get too tangential, but one might argue that a few schools have ridden the coattails of Williams, Amherst, Midd, Bowdoin, Wesleyan.....Tufts often has been considered in its own category (as more of a UAA-like school).  I don't know enough about Hamilton (I think very similar to Colby) to comment, but then there is a school like Colby pushing hard to push into the top tier and its best chance to do just that might by trying to separate itself identity-wise while also aggressively pursuing rankings-type criteria (USNWR). 

To get back of topic, Colby might be just the kind of school that would benefit from doing something different relative to its peers.  I haven't checked recently, but while Bates certainly is a peer to Colby and Bowdoin, Bates hasn't had the kind of endowment of other NESCACs, and so perhaps Bates, Conn, and Trinity are under more financial pressure than others (and therefore perhaps more reluctant to opt out of Fall athletics).  That's all conjecture.  Again, I have no inside info on any of this.

At any rate, in terms of the potential upside to the whole group of the group not operating in lockstep (and aside from the financial arguments), I could see really savvy administrators looking towards the future and thinking about how to preserve much of the prestige while also promoting increased diversity and individuality....for the express purpose of impacting the insularity issue.  I may be falling prey to huge recency bias, but we are in a time of questioning a lot of iconic symbolism.  I think there definitely is a case that can be made for the insularity/exclusivity becoming a more tangible negative.  I wish I could remember the noted educational expert who a few months ago as the potential long-term of Covid was being considered spoke very strongly about Ivy, Ivy-like and NESCAC, NESCAC-type schools, post-Covid, becoming even more like "finishing schools" for the elite and super-elite classes in America more so than they already are.  The guy actually used the words "finishing schools," which being from the South, used to be a descriptor for women's colleges like Sweet Briar, Mary Baldwin, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College (now Randolph since going co-ed)...all in Virginia.

I rambled more than I wanted, but the bottom line is I could see some NESCAC schools breaking from the pack as a very good thing (and there may be a multitude of ways to do this beyond athletics as well).  And all that said, I'll still be surprised if some NESCACs do break off in the end, and I'd be shocked to see it in the Ivy League.

quicksilver

Come on people. The NESCAC presidents have voted unanimously that there will be no NESCAC sports this fall . . The NESCAC has asked for a waiver from the NCAA to shift fall sports to the spring but other than that the NESCAC focus is likely to turn to whether there can be winter sports . .

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: quicksilver on July 10, 2020, 01:56:07 PM
Come on people. The NESCAC presidents have voted unanimously that there will be no NESCAC sports this fall . . The NESCAC has asked for a waiver from the NCAA to shift fall sports to the spring but other than that the NESCAC focus is likely to turn to whether there can be winter sports . .

No NESCAC competition. They haven't told NESCAC schools they can't have competition if they find some on their own.

And I kind of doubt we see fall sports in the spring. First off, taking away from spring sports after they already had their seasons shutdown last academic year would be incredibly unfair. Secondly, the logistics and manpower required ... is staggering. I know it is being talked about and I am sure some will try and do it. I think those without football have the best chance, but I think the entire idea of both soccers, field hockey, volleyball, etc. joining both lacrosses, baseball, softball, possibly volleyball, and the tail end of winter sports like basketball, hockey, swimming, and diving ... is staggering to think about in terms of pulling it off. The Athletic Trainers and SID staffs alone can't handle all of that.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

quicksilver

yeah -- I think that they are going through the motions on moving fall sports to the spring unless the plan is for a late spring season that bleeds into the early summer . .

blooter442

Not sure if this was mentioned, but stumbled upon this NESCAC effort to raise money to combat family homelessness. Fair play, Rojas and Tufts!

https://familypromise.org/the-latest/national-news/stay-home-play-together/

Ommadawn

I'm not a NESJ subscriber (so I don't have access to the full article), but it appears that Conn College goalkeeper AJ Marcucci won't be lacing 'em up in D3 anymore:

https://www.nesoccerjournal.com/aj-marcucci-ends-connecticut-college-career-chases-pro-dream/

4231CenterBack

Yes, Marcucci is done. Here's an interesting quote from him: "I think Tufts, for example, could beat 60 to 70 percent of the D-I teams and we could about 50 percent on our day," Marcucci said. "I don't think it's as drastic a jump as people think."  :)

d4_Pace

  Pretty cool article on Calvin Aroh at tufts and provides some insight to how the team has been handling this fall period... https://spark.adobe.com/page/iahXCgq3Pmtf7/

Ommadawn

Quote from: d4_Pace on October 31, 2020, 04:15:29 PM
  Pretty cool article on Calvin Aroh at tufts and provides some insight to how the team has been handling this fall period... https://spark.adobe.com/page/iahXCgq3Pmtf7/

Aroh is a great player.  A former assistant coach at a mid-major D1 school told me that his head coach would trade his two best players for Aroh.

blooter442

Amidst all that's happened in the last few months, Josh Shapiro of Harvard and formerly Tufts may not be the most famous Josh Shapiro in America anymore.

https://twitter.com/joshshapiropa/status/1324905101224529921

dacac

Marcucci from Conn Coll projected to be the 2nd keeper in the MLS draft. #25 overall.
https://sbisoccer.com/2021/01/the-sbi-2021-mls-draft-big-board-version-1-0
Camel Pride!

hiyasoccer

Quote from: dacac on January 11, 2021, 10:27:20 AM
Marcucci from Conn Coll projected to be the 2nd keeper in the MLS draft. #25 overall.
https://sbisoccer.com/2021/01/the-sbi-2021-mls-draft-big-board-version-1-0
Camel Pride!

He ended up going in the 3rd round, 68th overall to NYRB. Looks like he's from the Philly area, so luckily for him not to far from home. Very cool and unusual thing to see happen - interested in seeing where he ends up playing this year.

Ejay

4th GK selected. Congrats to him. My guess is he'll be fighting for time at RB II.