Their recommendation will be that the league needs to win more non-conference games. 

I agree that they've played themselves into a 1 or 2 seed. No underdog Cinderella next year, they are a favorite to advance the early rounds.

I posted this on social media as well, but here are the games We Are D3 has played in the last 3 TBT:

2025: Beat #2 Stars of Storrs (UConn) by 8
2025: Beat #1 Boeheim's Army (Syracuse) by 3
2025: Beat #5 Layne's Hope by 4
2024: Lost to #1 Heartfire by 2
2024: Beat #5 Sweet Home Alabama by 16
2023: Lost to #1 Mass Street (Kansas) by 3

After the blowout loss to Wichita the year before, Rejniak kinda blew things up and has been running the team more as a program than a collection of guys. It has really worked out and they've played like a top seed based on these results and scoring margins.

I tend to agree that Olivet should be able to compete for a Top 3 spot in the MIAA, but that might say as much about the depth of the league after Calvin than it does about Olivet. We shall see.

Quote from: Flying Dutch Fan on June 30, 2025, 10:12:07 AMAgree about Hope's schedule, and it looks to be a bit better than Calvin's - at least based on last years records and NPI.  Quick comparison below:

Calvin:
9 known games (Kuyper doesn't count being non D3) and a TBD in the Wisc Dells Tourney. 
Those 9 opponents last year had a 0.550 W/L, NPI average of 129, and 1 of them (Denison) was an NCAA tourney team last year

Hope:
All 11 oppponents are known. 
Last year they had a 0.596 W/L, NPI average of 111, and 3 of them (Franklin, UW Platteville, and WashU) were NCAA tourney teams last year.

Kuyper 👎

Looks like they couldn't fill the Thanksgiving weekend like they were trying.

Quote from: Flying Dutch Fan on June 26, 2025, 09:01:44 AMDarrion Sardo, 6-1 G from Sandy Spring Friends School (MD) will attend Alma per X.  It's got me trying to remember if we have had any previous MIAA players from Maryland...

Richaud Pack of Adrian ended up playing at Maryland, if I remember correctly. But that is not the same thing

The framework for Calvin's 2025-26 schedule has been posted, but many of the opponents at specific tournaments are showing as TBD.

https://calvinknights.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

Provisional Pipeline for 2025-26
Full Membership: Hartford, Lyon (expected)
3rd year provisional members: Carlow (expected)
2nd year provisional members: Penn State-Brandywine (expected)
1st year provisional members: Regent, Johnson and Wales (NC) (expected)
Applications expected: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

Provisional Pipeline for 2026-27
Exploratory: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

*Games against Year 3 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for NPI and tournament selection purposes (possibly changing to include provisionals that conform to all D3 bylaws but may be earlier in the pipeline)

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Anna Maria leaves GNAC for the MASCAC
Bryn Athyn (UEC) drops athletics
Ferrum leaves the ODAC for D2
Fontbonne (SLIAC) closes
Hendrix leaves the SAA for the SCAC
Hiram leaves the NCAC for the PAC
John Carroll leaves the OAC for the NCAC
Johnson & Wales (NC) joins the C2C
Johnson & Wales (RI) leaves the GNAC for the CNE
Keystone (UEC) is doing the limbo, but allowed to play
LeTourneau leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Northland closes
Regent joins the C2C
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
St. Elizabeth leaves the UEC for the AEC
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2026-2027
Asuza Pacific joins the SCIAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Luther leaves the ARC for the MWC
Maryville leaves the CCS for the SAA
McMurry leaves the SCAC for the ASC
Neumann leaves the AEC for the MAC(?CF?)
New Jersey City leaves the NJAC for the CUNYAC
Rosemont (UEC) ceases athletics (merging into Villanova)
St. Francis (PA) joins the PAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Schreiner leaves the SCAC for the ASC
SUNY New Paltz leaves the SUNYAC for the NJAC

Quote from: Inkblot on May 21, 2025, 11:41:53 PMI don't see the MAC setup as being a whole lot different from what the CCS/USA South have.

CCS had to set up a new conference and go through the AQ waiting period and now each have to maintain their conference minimums.

Quote from: jmcozenlaw on May 21, 2025, 04:45:42 PMWhen each of the MAC's two divisions are as large or larger than several conferences with AQ's, I have zero problem with two automatic qualifiers.

I do tend to agree here. If they were trying to maintain AQs in two divisions with only 6 or 7 teams in each I'd have a much bigger problem with the MAC. With two larger divisions (in basketball at least), this is very low on my list of concerns.

The MAC should not have 2 automatic qualifiers.

Per Ryan Whitnable, Jon VanderWal will leave Marietta to take the Trine job.

VanderWal is a West Michigan native and played his college ball at Albion.

https://x.com/OACBBallShow/status/1917333656126816709?s=19

Slightly off topic, but as I'm updating some of my personal conference tracking info, I still have C2C as being on track to lose their AQ in Men's basketball in 2026-27 if they do not add an additional member. The conference as a whole was saved from restricted status by approval of their request in for immediate application of new bylaw 20.9.1.2 (6 member minimum) in February's membership committee meeting, but I do not think this helps MBB.

This past season, 2024-25, they had 5 members: (Chris. Newport, Mary Washington, Salisbury, UC Santa Cruz, Warren Wilson). Grace year 1.

Next season, 2025-26, they will add two provisional members: Johnson and Wales (NC) and Regent, but these should not count toward minimums (until Year 3 provisional status). Grace year 2.

2026-27, C2C loses the AQ in MBB.

2027-28, Regent and J&W (NC) reach Year 3 and begin counting. Waiting year 1.

2028-29, Regent and J&W (NC) are full members. Waiting year 2.

2029-30, C2C regains MBB AQ.

Please let me know if I am not correct on this or if I am missing something.

Quote from: TUAngola on April 17, 2025, 08:26:11 AMI think the Trine program is in a spot where they can easily attract a coaching candidate with a lot more experience.   

I definitely agree -- I would have to think this is an attractive job to a lot of candidates.

Brooks Miller is leaving Trine to take the top assistant job at Central Michigan.

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1912273048436412487?s=19

Provisional Pipeline for 2024-25 (Now confirmed)
Full membership: Asbury, Warren Wilson
3rd year provisional members: Hartford, Lyon
2nd year provisional members: Carlow
1st year provisional: Penn State-Brandywine

Exploratory: Regent, Johnson and Wales (NC)

Provisional Pipeline for 2025-26
Applications approved: Regent, Johnson and Wales (NC)

Provisional Pipeline for 2026-27
Applications expected: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

*Games against Year 3 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for NPI and tournament selection purposes (possibly changing to include provisionals that conform to all D3 bylaws but may be earlier in the pipeline)

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025
Asbury joins the CCS
Berea leaves the CCS for the HCAC
Birmingham-Southern (SAA) closes
Brockport leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
Cabrini (AEC) closes
Clarks Summit (UEC) closes
Concordia (Texas) leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Defiance (HCAC) leaves D3 for NAIA
Eastern Nazarene (NAC) closes
McMurry leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Morrisville State leaves the NAC for the SUNYAC
Penn State-Brandywine joins the UEC (provisional pending)
Pratt leaves the C2C for the AEC
SUNY Canton leaves the NAC for the SUNYAC
SUNY Geneseo leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
SUNY Poly leaves the NAC for the E8
Texas-Dallas leaves the ASC for D2 (application accepted)
University of the Ozarks leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Wells (AMCC) closes
CCS expected to gain Pool A bid
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Anna Maria leaves GNAC for the MASCAC
Bryn Athyn (UEC) drops athletics
Ferrum leaves the ODAC for D2
Fontbonne (SLIAC) closes
Hendrix leaves the SAA for the SCAC
Hiram leaves the NCAC for the PAC
John Carroll leaves the OAC for the NCAC
Johnson & Wales (NC) joins the C2C
Johnson & Wales (RI) leaves the GNAC for the CNE
Keystone (UEC) is doing the limbo
LeTourneau leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Northland closes
Regent joins the C2C
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2026-2027
Asuza Pacific joins the SCIAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Maryville leaves the CCS for the SAA
McMurry leaves the SCAC for the ASC
Rosemont (UEC) ceases athletics (merging into Villanova)
St. Francis (PA) joins the PAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Schreiner leaves the SCAC for the ASC
SUNY New Paltz leaves the SUNYAC for the NJAC