Quote from: Sandon Mibut on November 20, 2025, 08:28:43 AM

Quote from: GKForverr1 on November 19, 2025, 07:20:44 PMBeen sitting on this data since the end of last season didn't seem relevant but this discussion reminded me I compiled it....had too much time on my hands....

Using the data available on ncaa soccer stats archive plotting fouls per game and yellow cards in a season I have a list with every D1-D3 school. The data is from 2017-end of last season. The list has just over 1000 teams.

The reason it starts in 2017 is that is the first year all fouls per game and yellow cards are available on the ncaa website. To go back farther id need to manually dig up numbers for each team and I'm not that crazy....

Amherst was 35th with 45.33 yellows per season with a high of 65 in the 2023.

Amherst was 2nd with 15.69 fouls per game average with a high of 16.33 in 2022

They had 17+ in 2016 but that's outside the data set I was able to easily work with.

For the record I did go back to 2014 manually for top ranked teams in these categories....Rowan has the highest D3 fouls per game average with just over 16. Amherst is second with 15.5. Again that's 2014-end of last year

The next closest NESCAC team was Middlebury at 368th with 32.5 yellows per season with a high of 43 in 2024. Obviously they have passed that this season.

Middlebury was 18th in fouls per game with 14.53 average with a high of 16.05 in 2019

Rowan was 10th in fouls per game at 14.96 and 7th in yellow cards with an average of 51.67 per season.

The national average across the data set was 11.35 fouls per game and 30.18 yellows per season.

Fun bonus stat...The team with the lowest yellows per season of any team in the whole data set (7.67) is still in the D3 tournament

I'd be interested to know where all the NESCAC teams rank amongst D3 only particularly since Covid. Amherst has been notoriously aggressive for a while but I think Midd has really climbed the rankings more recently. Sounds like both teams have bad reputations at least amongst the NESCAC.

If I re run the numbers post Covid and D3 only....471 schools total


Top 5 NESCAC Schools

Amherst is 3rd with 51.5 yellows
Middlebury is 51st with 36.75 yellows
Conn is tied for 196th with 29 yellows
Hamilton is tied for 340th with 23.75 yellows
Tufts is tied for 350th with 23 yellows

Been sitting on this data since the end of last season didn't seem relevant but this discussion reminded me I compiled it....had too much time on my hands....

Using the data available on ncaa soccer stats archive plotting fouls per game and yellow cards in a season I have a list with every D1-D3 school. The data is from 2017-end of last season. The list has just over 1000 teams.

The reason it starts in 2017 is that is the first year all fouls per game and yellow cards are available on the ncaa website. To go back farther id need to manually dig up numbers for each team and I'm not that crazy....

Amherst was 35th with 45.33 yellows per season with a high of 65 in the 2023.

Amherst was 2nd with 15.69 fouls per game average with a high of 16.33 in 2022

They had 17+ in 2016 but that's outside the data set I was able to easily work with.

For the record I did go back to 2014 manually for top ranked teams in these categories....Rowan has the highest D3 fouls per game average with just over 16. Amherst is second with 15.5. Again that's 2014-end of last year

The next closest NESCAC team was Middlebury at 368th with 32.5 yellows per season with a high of 43 in 2024. Obviously they have passed that this season.

Middlebury was 18th in fouls per game with 14.53 average with a high of 16.05 in 2019

Rowan was 10th in fouls per game at 14.96 and 7th in yellow cards with an average of 51.67 per season.

The national average across the data set was 11.35 fouls per game and 30.18 yellows per season.

Fun bonus stat...The team with the lowest yellows per season of any team in the whole data set (7.67) is still in the D3 tournament

Link shows both VAR moments


Imo gross game for a multitude of reasons. Hope this next one is better on the eyes

Quote from: Dustin_Patrón on November 17, 2024, 03:53:15 PMThe ref had a great position and that "foul" looks like it belongs in an acting class. Williams scored the goal and won the game. Messiah didn't do nearly enough to deserve a result today.

Also, why are the messiah players always winners in life? Are the Williams players losers in life then? Not sure what you're getting at bird man.

I can't speak for Falconer but for myself as a Messiah alum (track and field)...winning in sports is not the priority. Across the programs the coaches facilitate a culture that puts character development and growth in our faith above all else. I am a very different person as a result of my 4 years at Messiah and I credit that to the culture. I love competing but I had to learn that winning isn't everything.

If winning is everything then you can (but not always) get a culture that approves of the behavior seen above.

If that behavior/attitude persists...I have a hard time saying that person is winning at life regardless of what "success" might come their way

For those who come looking later here is that moment clipped

https://youtube.com/shorts/5RwWHZTKJVw?si=1PRuRMGE9kZGmzUA

Quote from: College Soccer Observer on December 04, 2023, 12:29:29 PM
Refs and Cards Part 2

As you can see by my prior post, New England referees in general are very slow to give cards compare to the rest of the country. So why is this the case?  First, several of these conferences are assigned by the same individual (NESCAC and GNAC).  With respect to the NESCAC, the coaches get what they want.  They do not want players suspended for card accumulation, and they do not want referees who give out a lot of cards on their matches.  The coaches are very influential in picking the assignor.  NESCAC games in particular are perceived to be among the best college games in the country, and referees want to be chosen to do those games, so they adjust their behavior accordingly.  A second complicating factor is that within New England, states such as Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine do not have a broad base of highly competitive youth and amateur leagues that are crucial to referee development.  Massachusetts and Connecticut do have this, but these referees are incentivized by #1 above.  Third, while the NCAA can and does issue points of emphasis and provide referee education, the bottom line is that referees are more concerned about pleasing their regular season assignor than an organization that only assigns post-season games.

This is very interesting stuff thanks for compiling and sharing!

A good chunk of the NESCAC must be balancing Amherst out...last two years they've basically lead these categories.

23-24          3rd out of 411                       15.12 fouls per game
                     1st  out of 411                       63 yellow cards

22-23         1st out of 408                     16.33 fouls per game
                   Tied for 3rd out of 408        55 yellow cards

Can you elaborate on poor quality refs?

College players have enough experience to know what is and isn't a foul regardless of the ref's stance in any given game.

Yes other teams abusive weak referees. Is that an excuse to ignore the rules?

Quote from: camosfan on December 03, 2023, 07:30:07 AM
Say what you want about Amherst, they are better prepared than any of the teams who made the final four. Playing Middlebury, Conn, Tufts and Wesleyan twice before the final four, then they were MSU, Babson and Bowdoin; to survive such a schedule says a lot.

Better prepared....to survive such a schedule....at what cost? The way they got to this moment...does the end justify the means?

IMO when I watch teams like Amherst play...there is this sense they do what they want to gain an advantage in a situation and hope for the best from the ref.

Beating a very dead horse.....but by my math Amherst has nearly clinched national lead for fouls per game (15.56) and total yellow cards (62) after yesterday.

so much pushing and holding both ways...kicking the ball away from the spot of the foul..encroaching on free kicks...foul count...

Yeah it's a semi final and emotions run high but imo this has been a very poor display both ways 

camosfan I agree the stream was not good. I do video production for a living and was annoyed to see each camera set to different exposures and white balance. Seemed like they had to cut to different cameras during second game PK's because the center camera was so dark. I expect that from student workers during the regular season but not for an NCAA hired crew. (Was told by an athletic comm friend there is a hired crew) A first world problem but nonetheless this is the championship it should look like it!

For anyone who was on site... did the field boundaries and corners seem dark? It looked like the lights did not fill the whole field with consistent light.

Quote from: soccerpapa on November 20, 2023, 11:01:54 AM
Anyone know how to find a full game replay?  I have never seen amherst play but I am now interested in seeing a game.   

If indeed there were racial slurs from the opposing fans why wasn't this addressed by amherst - they were hosting.

If you search NESCAC Watch and select Amherst and pay the monthly fee of 11 dollars and some odd cents you can see this specific game. If you YouTube Amherst there are plenty of full game replays that show their style of play.

For those who did not see the "celebration" yet....quality will improve once youtube fully uploads the file.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg9YX_NSIFE

I am screen recording these moments now. Will post a YouTube link

In times like these I like to remind myself of a RBG quote.

"Real change, enduring change happens one step a a time"

It is so frustrating to continue to see the same teams play and conduct themselves way beyond the line of honorable/acceptable/sportsmanship etc. It starts at the top and it's clear several programs have a culture where anything goes.

Nothing I can do to change them but I have control of myself and influence on my circle. Hopefully in my lifetime I contribute where I can one step at a time. I appreciate watching the dialogue here while passionate...it's respectful. After all it's supposed to be the beautiful game