Quote from: Caz Bombers on October 02, 2026, 11:38:31 AMthe way I heard it was the LL recruited Bard as opposed to Bard actively seeking admission. When RIT and Ithaca applied together the LL was delighted to have RIT and didn't want IC at the time. The ADs were very much opposed to Bard and correctly so.

The league members won't kick anyone out but people who know things have told me Bard coaches and AD are extremely tired of having their heads bashed in all the time; they basically have a PIF for themselves but  if it doesn't work out in a few years they will look for alternate conference arrangements.

Bard's best option for both a suitable level of competition and multiple fairly close in distance opponents is the Skyline Conference.

On a personal note, I will miss a fairly short drive from my home to spring baseball games at Bard and the high success rate my team generally has whenever they go there. However, Bard's expiration date for competing in most sports at the Liberty League level is fast approaching and it is getting to be time to say goodbye.

Quote from: Bartman on October 02, 2026, 08:05:05 AMNice contributions by Tony troy and stlawus. One idea I like that stlawus put forth is saying good bye to Bard and replacing them with St. John Fisher as a full member. It helps the LL football issue(no disrespect to Hilbert but they need to find another home or Buff State can swap with Fisher and return to the E8) and Fisher is competitive in all sports. As far as Ithaca, they've totally lifted the LL profile in sports , I just hate that we can't beat them in football at Butterfield, so it sucks to be reminded of that every other year.

St. John Fisher is not a bad idea at all. However, just wonder if enough uppity institutions (one of which i follow) or very progressive liberal arts institutions would ever vote yes in sufficient numbers to having a religious institution in their conference as a full member.

Remember that St. Lawrence is not named after a saint. It is named after a river.

Quote from: IC798891 on October 01, 2026, 08:56:44 PM

Quote from: ICGrad on October 01, 2026, 03:35:34 PMMy only real issue with the whole thing is Hilbert. They simply aren't an LL-caliber team.

Hilbert really should not be playing varsity right now.

As for the LL thing, I'm old enough to remember when they didn't think *Ithaca* was a fit and turning them down for membership at least once. Heck, "institutional fit" was Union's excuse to duck, ahem, decline to play Ithaca in the regular season all the way back to the 1980s. And it's not like Buffalo State bears any resemblance to anyone in the conference anyway.

I'd personally rather see Ithaca play someone in Pennsylvania -- like, W&J -- annually.

And I am even older.

The earlier Ithaca attempt (the unsuccessful one) had a lot more than Union dead set against it. Picking on them alone is not entirely fair.

The later attempt (the successful one) also had a number of detractors mostly among "more non football playing progressive liberal arts institutions". There was even consideration of at least some of them in eastern New York leaving the Liberty League (believe it was for NEWMAC) should Ithaca be admitted. Eventually and supposedly most were convinced that the Liberty League needed a new full member with a football program or they risked losing their auto bid in football and Ithaca, like it or not, was that new member. So, shut up and vote yes!!! Also probably did not hurt that the detractors eventually realized on their own that having all their programs traveling to and from the entire eastern seaboard amounted to fiscal insanity!!!

As for Union and the "institutional fit" bit. Union joined the NESCAC in 1971 and "withdrew" from it in 1977. At the time it was generally accepted dogma that Union was allowed to gracefully exit before they were booted out for taking athletics way too seriously by NESCAC standards and it was the very same Union who was then considered the "unsuitable fit". Talk about what goes around comes around or is it the other way around.

When all the above was said and done and regardless of who liked or disliked who the bottom line is this. Admitting Ithaca to the Liberty League as a full member for ALL SPORTS enhanced the athletic credibility of the conference and, conversely, losing Ithaca as a full member for ALL SPORTS diminished the athletic credibility of the Empire 8.   

Quote from: UfanBill on October 01, 2026, 07:46:32 AMAnyone got anything?...On June 10, 2024 the Liberty League and the Empire 8 announced an agreement which essentially traded Hilbert College from the E8 to the LL to balance numbers. This was done to facilitate a scheduling agreement which shook out as each team in each league scheduling two other teams in the other league. This was initially a two year deal. The match-ups that ensued were well thought out and made sense. For example Ithaca and Cortland kept their Cortaca Jug rivalry game. Rochester vs. neighbor St. John Fisher, Hilbert vs Alfred St and Hartwick in games they might have a chance to compete in...RPI vs Utica, Union vs Cortland, St Lawrence vs long time foe Alfred etc...That two year period is over. Does anyone have any insight on whether the agreement has been extended? Will match-ups change as I suspect or will they remain the same? Inquiring minds want to know. 

I did hear something last spring while attending a Liberty League baseball game that appeared to at least indicate that the agreement will go on into 2027-2028 and that all the institutions involved already new the new pairings for 2027-2028.

However, do not remember anyone saying for sure that the agreement itself was already extended or if the new pairings were created in case the agreement is actually extended at some point in the future.

There were also a new pairings or two mentioned but I just don't remember them (nor cared during baseball season).

Best place to satisfy any curiosity is to contact your institution's SID. By now (over 5 months later) they must know if the agreement was extended, not extended and are instead busting their butts trying to find at least two more non conference games.
 

 

Just noticed that RPI will have a new play caller in 2026 replacing the one who has been there since 2018. No idea if  it's for a new job or for a new life outside of coaching. Seems like more and more people are doing the latter lately.

Quote from: Bartman on February 16, 2026, 03:48:53 PM

Quote from: UfanBill on February 16, 2026, 12:02:55 PMNot sure if this is official as it's from an X post but Union has announced their 2026 football schedule. They will be fulfilling the home and home commitments started last year so non conference opponents have not changed. Susquehanna will be visiting on September 5th, Cortland on the 12th and the Garnet are at Morrisville on Sept. 19th...Liberty League play begins on Sept 26th hosting Buffalo St. Trips to St. Lawrence and Hobart are followed by an Oct.17th bye week. Ithaca visits Schenectady on Oct. 24th then a road trip to play Hilbert on Halloween. The last home game is Rochester on Nov 7th and the Shoes will be contested at RPI on November 14th.

Same for Hobart starting with Alfred, Brockport and Utica followed by the LL schedule starting with RPI in Troy. Only a little over six months 

So it looks like we now know two 2026 Liberty League football schedules. Those two have a common thread. Except for home and away being switched from 2025 to 2026, eight of the ten games are in the exact same order as last year. The only two that differ in order from last year are the first two Liberty League games (9/26 & 10/3). While the opponents are the same, the order is reversed in 2026.

Guess we will need to see at least a couple more schedules to see if the above applies to all eight Liberty League teams or just some of them.

Quote from: stlawus on February 11, 2026, 05:18:02 PMWhy am I not surprised to see Frank Rossi be quite literally the only person defending Flo Sports on social media.

Read last paragraph under Controversy on their Wiki page at the extreme end of a rather lengthy page. Don't know exactly what defending you are referring to or why it is being defended. However, if Frank is comfortable giving them personal information after reading that paragraph, then we should all be happy for Frank.

Quote from: ICGrad on October 11, 2025, 04:33:10 PM

Quote from: Jonny Utah on October 11, 2025, 03:52:46 PM

Quote from: stlawus on October 11, 2025, 02:45:37 PM

Quote from: Jonny Utah on October 11, 2025, 01:11:06 PMOn St. Lawrence's schedule the day after they play RPI it says they are playing Clarkson in a "scout team scrimmage".

What is that??

It's against Clarkson's club team, just a way to get the scout team a competitive game.

Too bad they can't get an actual team. That would be a fun rivalry up there. 

I have a couple of nephews who are seniors @ Clarkson and who play on the club team. I was shocked to discover that Clarkson have never had a varsity football team; I could have sworn we used to play them back in my days at IC.

I agree, it's a shame they don't have a varsity team. It would be a nice addition for the LL.

Apparently, there is nothing wrong with your memory. A search of Clarkson University football history will take you to a site that lists all the results of their days of varsity football from 1930 through 1951 when, apparently, the program was terminated. They played Ithaca a few times in those years.

1951 was 74 years ago and you would had to have been at least 18 to be at Ithaca. Is ICGrad at least 92 years old???

Quote from: Ice Bear on October 08, 2025, 11:52:35 AM

Quote from: Jonny Utah on October 07, 2025, 09:56:17 AMAnd all this previous talk about booting Hilbert or someone out of the LL.  Rochester should be booted for charging for their video streams. 

It's a ****ing joke and they should be ashamed of themselves. It's real, "let them eat cake" type ****. Can you imagine being the parent of a player, shelling out all that $ for your kid to go to U of R, and they have the balls to charge you to watch your kid play each week?

Correct me if I am wrong, but, it is my understanding that if Rochester ever sequered a berth for either an NCAA tournament game or an ECAC Bowl game one of the requirements they must meet to host such an event is to providing a live feed at no cost!!!

If I am correct, then there is no real reason on earth why the Liberty League can't require the same thing for all conference games their member institutions hosts.

As for non conference games, the Liberty League would probably be overstepping their bounds to require the same thing. For those games this particular institution can continue to be their usual arrogant, greedy selves!!!

 

Quote from: Bartman on October 04, 2025, 04:55:26 PMCongrats to RPI on the win today, they are best team in the LL. Hobart urinated all over themselves today.Although they were fairly even in Total yards, 3 turnovers, a blocked punt, and giving RPI 3 first downs on critical penalties was a killer. The worst game I've seen them play in many years as far as self inflicted pain and RPI did what a good team does by taking  full advantage. Also, many injures today that will deplete the depth chart and risk further losses. We have to win out to be 5-2 in the league and 6-4 on the season. Good luck to the rest of the LL who haven't lost a game yet, at least you have a shot. So much for being picked to win the league again.

Thank you for being so gracious.

Yesterday was only the 13th time RPI has ever won a game in Geneva covering 115 years. The only other one of the 13 that could even be considered a rout was 33 years ago, a 28-0 RPI win in 1992. There have been far more than two trashings done by Hobart in Troy.

In addition, you do have yet another virtually guaranteed stellar hockey season coming up in less than a month to enjoy. We don't nor do I know anyone really looking forward to what starts just five days from now.

In fact, I am probably looking forward more to enjoying watching your hockey season online (with one in person viewing in January at nearby Saratoga Springs) than I am looking forward to watching my own season!!!. In addition, a few of us are even considering taking a group trip to Utica for the D3 championship game in March should Hobert make it that far yet again as this year the game is being played in a real arena. Excellence is not very hard to sell when organizing a trip.

 

Quote from: Bartman on October 02, 2025, 09:35:22 AM

Quote from: Machiavelli on October 02, 2025, 08:32:47 AMHoly cow, it's Thursday already. Guess it's that time to get in on predictions(thanks Bartman for the reminder post...LOL).

Mach's Worthless and Weak Week 5 Predictions:
Ithaca - 31
Rochester - 14
Not impressed with Rochester last week. Ithaca should win this one without too much trouble.

RPI - 24
Hobart - 21
This feels like a coin flip kinda game given the location. Utica blasted RPI and Hobart beat them, but I'm chalking it up as a bad day and bad matchup, and RPI wins out.

Dilbert - 0
St. Lawrence - 40
Gross. Just gross.

Union - 45
Buff St - 6
Union is showing they could be a contender. Buff St scores a TD with 3 seconds left and misses the extra point.

There ya have it. Down with the pumpkins!

Mach, you and I are in total agreement that your picks are worthless and weak. I cannot even fathom the possibility of an RPI win on Family/Homecoming weekend at the BOZ and ruining my future trip to Troy to root for your team to beat Ithaca and a glorious 3 way LL title tie.

Someone is actually planning a leisure trip to within the city limits of Troy, my original childhood hometown back when it was still nice and safe? Stop the presses!!!!

Even those of us that are now fortunate enough to live in the much nicer and safer immediate surrounding towns, villages and hamlets don't often do that anymore unless there are absolutely, positively no other preferred choices for things such as appointments with medical practitioners. However, among the few remaining voluntary leisure activity reasons there are for entering Troy are RPI games but not that many people do that anymore either.     

Quote from: Machiavelli on September 29, 2025, 05:34:10 PMAdding Cortland into this conversation is a great comparison. They are also 3-1, essentially have beaten no one that matters at this point, and their loss was NOT to the still # 3 team in the country(who seems like a legit national champ contender). 100 votes, just because the name is more recognizable I guess. Yes, they were a preseason 10 and all and those tend to hover for a while, but if Utica beats them, they should be off the grid.

If RPI beats Hobart, 'Bart becomes the best 1-4 team in the country, but it does nothing for RPI unfortunately. RPI will have to run the table to even get a sniff at getting votes. Same Same every year. Ithaca is pretty much in the same boat really.

Just the thought of a Hobart team starting 1-4 has me thinking not possible.

Set the odds of that ever happening about the same as either Elvis not getting the girl at the end of virtually all his movies or that of an Oriental gal ever getting the guy at the end of a Hallmark movie!!! 

Quote from: Bartman on September 02, 2025, 07:54:59 AMWEEK #1 PREDICTIONS Finally, the 2025 season begins.

BUFFALO ST. (10).  v.  BROCKPORT(35)
SLU (24)           v.  OLIVET(17)
ALFRED(14).        v.  HOBART(31)
ITHACA(14).        v.  JOHNS HOPKINS(31)
SUSQUEHANNA(38).   v.  UNION(14)
St.VINCENT (31).   v.  HILBERT(10)
RPI (28).          v   WPI(10)
ROCHESTER(24).     v.  OLIVET(17)

Good luck to all.         

Olivet is going to lose a doubleheader???

Quote from: unionpalooza on December 10, 2024, 04:36:45 PM

Quote from: UfanBill on December 09, 2024, 05:38:59 PM

Quote from: tony/troy on December 08, 2024, 10:30:16 PM

Quote from: UfanBill on December 07, 2024, 08:09:40 PMGreat to see eastern teams continue to prove themselves against national competition. Things have surely shifted. I was not surprised that Springfield came to play today since their ground game has been rolling and Cortland isn't the 2023 Dragons. Susquehanna knocking off St. John's was gold and JHU and Salibury showed Maryland strong. Nice...All great programs.  

BTW as a Union fan I'm trying hard to forget the disappointment of this past season. It started with only having 4 scheduled home games and the struggle became apparent quickly in a scrimmage against lowly Hartwick. The Garnet never got it right and 3-7 was exactly where they deserved to be. My sources tell me Union's OOC schedule for next season should include the two agreed upon E8 vs LL opponents(I heard Cortland and Utica?) and Susquehanna. Not sure about Springfield since with Hilbert joining the LL there's now room for only 3 OOC games. 2025 looms just as formidable and forgettable. I hope coach Drach brings in some studs. 

So should Union really be playing Cortland and Utica in 2025 and we also already know Cortland will be playing Ithaca every year, Cortland is "off the board" as far as the 2025 LL/E8 interlock goes.

Should anyone find out anything else besides the above about the eastern side of the 2025 interlock post it.

If and when "enough precincts report their results" then everyone in the east can "project their interlock pairings" for 2025 by process of elimination.

Some of the eastern LL websites sometimes take forever to post upcoming schedules. Would be nice to know before forever.

 

Unless the plan has changed the original press release concerning the Liberty League vs Empire 8 scheduling agreement(https://empire8.com/news/2024/6/19/empire-8-and-liberty-league-announce-football-non-conference-scheduling-agreement.aspx) states..."This agreement will see members of both conferences fill vacancies within their respective schedules with nonconference opponents, with each institution playing two contests (one home, one away) against opponents from the other conference.

yeah, the announcement was pretty unclear as to whether or not Cortaca "counts" as one of the two interplay games.  My hunch is generally no - most years both teams will have two interplay games in addition to Cortaca, exactly for every fourth year when they otherwise would get each other in the regular rotation.  Those interplay games will be in Week 2/3, except that Cortaca can flex to Week 11 when it's a "interplay" game and not an "extra" OOC game.

I for one can't wait for interplay.  Games against every E8 squad every four years sound awesome.  Union v. Brockport and Cortland and Alfred (again)!  Sort of how I felt when Ithaca joined the LL.  These games are way more fun than Montclair or Worcester St. or Oliver. 

Though still hate we had to take in Hilbert as part of the deal.  The far west wing of the LL continues to make no sense.

Only time will tell if I what I heard back when is right, wrong or just be total BS but:

1) LONG STANDING ANNUAL rivalry games between teams from opposite conferences, namely Cortica and I90, would remain annual and be INCLUDED in the two games for all the teams involved.

2) The whole idea behind this agreement was to both reduce the total of needed non conference games from 4 to 3 AND to fill 2 of those 3 with lower cost games requiring no overnight stays and accompanying meals for travelling parties of 70 or so. With the possible exception of whenever SLU and Hartwick play each other, this agreement would do that every single time.

3) Thus, in order to contain costs, the four eastern LL teams (RPI, Union, SLU and Ithaca) will only be playing the four eastern E8 teams (Cortland, Utica, Morrisville and Hartwick). With the exception of the previously mentioned non annual SLU Hartwick matchup, the cost all games would be only two buses for one day each and fast food for the same day trip back home.

4) Obviously, the same would be desired for the west. Only problem is that the west started with 5 from the E8 but only three from the LL. So somebody had to be magically be transformed from a E8 team to a LL team and that somebody was Hilbert. Thus, in order to contain costs, the now four western LL teams (Buffalo State, new to the LL Hilbert, Rochester and Hobart) will only be playing the remaining four western E8 teams (Alfred, new to the E8 Alfred State, Brockport and St. John Fisher). With no exceptions, the cost all games would be only two buses for one day each and fast food for the same day trip back home.

5) Only guessing, but, choosing Hilbert as the team to move probably has something to do with geography and total miles traveled though I will be damned if I can figure out exactly what that is.     

Quote from: UfanBill on December 07, 2024, 08:09:40 PMGreat to see eastern teams continue to prove themselves against national competition. Things have surely shifted. I was not surprised that Springfield came to play today since their ground game has been rolling and Cortland isn't the 2023 Dragons. Susquehanna knocking off St. John's was gold and JHU and Salibury showed Maryland strong. Nice...All great programs.  

BTW as a Union fan I'm trying hard to forget the disappointment of this past season. It started with only having 4 scheduled home games and the struggle became apparent quickly in a scrimmage against lowly Hartwick. The Garnet never got it right and 3-7 was exactly where they deserved to be. My sources tell me Union's OOC schedule for next season should include the two agreed upon E8 vs LL opponents(I heard Cortland and Utica?) and Susquehanna. Not sure about Springfield since with Hilbert joining the LL there's now room for only 3 OOC games. 2025 looms just as formidable and forgettable. I hope coach Drach brings in some studs.   

So should Union really be playing Cortland and Utica in 2025 and we also already know Cortland will be playing Ithaca every year, Cortland is "off the board" as far as the 2025 LL/E8 interlock goes.

Should anyone find out anything else besides the above about the eastern side of the 2025 interlock post it.

If and when "enough precincts report their results" then everyone in the east can "project their interlock pairings" for 2025 by process of elimination.

Some of the eastern LL websites sometimes take forever to post upcoming schedules. Would be nice to know before forever.