WIAC

[foul_language]

I just wanted to get the conference on the board to prompt a discussion. This lag between winter sports and fall sports is a killer.

[foul_language]

Eau Claire fairly dominated the conference last season; any guesses as to how they'll do this year? I'll be watching Stout, of course, and I haven't paid much attention to other teams.

Stout had a dynamite goalie last season and, supposedly, strong back up. They didn't get all that much time on the field. The team was big enough to split to form a secondary squad; plenty of players to fill the holes left by graduating seniors. Whether or not they can do the job is still up in the air. However, having a season of some experience is better than coming in cold and trying to fill spots.

Any other clues as to how the conference teams will look this season? Anyone out there or is everyone glued to World Cup TV? (I sincerely hope the women are watching)

[Mr. Downtown]

Hey this is pretty cool! I thought soccer shouldva gotten their own board.

Hey, watch out for Oshkosh, especially Michelle John. She's been one of the best players in this conference the past couple of years (back to back years all-midwest region) and being a Senior with the freshman talent they had last year, don't be surprised if the Titans finally win the crown.

Overall though, this might be the most competitive conference in the WIAC when fall comes around.

[Just Bill]

Overall though, this might be the most competitive conference in the WIAC when fall comes around.

Let's not get carried away shall we.  Let's remember that just three years ago the soccer coaches voted to cut the WIAC Tournament from eight teams to six teams because they decided the 7th and 8th seeds had no realistic chance to win a game.  Just a couple years ago Stevens Point was the proverbial 800-pound gorilla in this league, setting an NCAA record for consecutive conference wins.

Certainly the women's soccer league has balanced out some, but there's still some very poor teams that have no chance of contending.  If you're going to compare the competitiveness of women's soccer with that of men's basketball, women's basketball and football, I think women's soccer still comes in a distant fourth.

[foul_language]

Just the fact that Stevens Point is no longer the presumptive champion of the conference is a sign: the conference is improving and improving fairly rapidly. I don't think it will contend with the popularity of basketball yet--and fortunately, it doesn't have to. Having non-competitive teams in a conference doesn't automatically damn the conference, after all.

Perhaps part of the charm of WIAC is that it can be competitive on several fields or courts. I watch the little scrolling news bar on the ESPN stations and see WIAC schools took DIII titles in volleyball, indoor and outdoor track (men and women) and had very respectable runs in soccer, football and basketball.

Now we need to field teams in lacrosse (game, not city or school), water polo and field hockey.

[Greek Tragedy]

Certainly the women's soccer league has balanced out some, but there's still some very poor teams that have no chance of contending.

You'll get that in nearly every league in every sport.  As much as I loved Point beating up on everyone every year (because I'm a Pointer), it is nice to see the league balance out and have other teams have something to play for. 

I remember when Wisconsin Rapids didn't even have a hockey team and now they are almost as good as SPASH!    Back in the haydays of Pointer hockey, we were beating newly formed St. Norberts 21-1.  Now, they ARE better than us! 

Parity makes everything interesting and fun to watch.  I play in a coed soccer league and I'd rather lose 5-4 than win 10-0, it's a lot more fun and competitive for BOTH teams.

Of course, there aren't any national championships at stake!

[WLCALUM83]

Any word on how well UW-Platteville is expected to do this season? They're scheduled to play WLC in Milwaukee 9/06/06 in a non-conference tilt.

WLCALUM83

[libero]

UW-Platt is one of the more physical teams around. Depends on whether WI Luth can handle getting the legs cut and getting elbows to the head.

[WLCALUM83]

That'll be an experience for WLC. From what I've read so far, the Warrior women are in a rebuilding year and aren't expected to do that good, anyway.

[Just Bill]

Fox Sports North and While We Were Young Productions will be broadcasting 4 WIAC games this year. Here is the tentative schedule:

Women’s Soccer
UW-Stevens Point at UW-Oshkosh Sept. 20, (Broadcast on Oct. 8--Noon)
UW-River Falls at UW-Stout Oct. 4, (Broadcast on Oct. 8--2 p.m.)
UW-Oshkosh at UW-Whitewater Oct. 18, (Broadcast on Oct. 22--Noon)
Tournament Championship Nov. 4, (Broadcast on Nov. 12--Noon)

[WLCALUM83]

Final:  UW-Platteville 2, Wisconsin Lutheran 0.

[WLCALUM83]

Final:  UW Platteville 9, MSOE 0. (Platteville sweeps in their Milwaukee double-dip).

[libero]

WLC should be happy with that result.

[Jim Matson]

The first NCAA regional rankings are out and posted in the Central Region Rankings area.  This poll is the only one to use when wondering about Pool B and Pool C candidates.

[WLCALUM83]

Props to the UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point players that made d3kicks.com's "Women's Team of the Week" 8)