WBB in the CCIW is pretty rough right now.  Even in a rebuilding year I think IWU is way out in front.  Just from my observing over the years they general level of athleticism seems to have gone down. 

Quote from: AlwaysHope on October 16, 2026, 01:07:22 PM2026-7 Roster posted, with four freshmen, all guards:  https://athletics.hope.edu/sports/womens-basketball/roster

Four FR guards indeed - 5-5, 5-9, 5-11, and 6-0

Quote from: crufootball on Today at 09:30:32 AM

Quote from: Ron Boerger on Today at 09:22:01 AM*** Maryville LEAVING THE SAA FOR THE CCS ***

https://x.com/d3hoops/status/2112534422356410836

https://mcscots.com/news/2026/10/20/general-maryville-college-to-depart-saa-rejoin-ccs-in-2027.aspx

But is this statement going to save SAA football, at least for a bit?

"Affiliate memberships for football and women's golf are being finalized ahead of this transition."

My guess is they will stay with the SAA for a year since they don't have to travel to SA for football next season.  But this might also encourage other SAA schools like Centre and Oglethorpe to abandon the conference as has been rumored since Southwestern and Millsaps announced their departure.

Setting aside the handling of the coaching/administrative issues, the Maine schools being a combined 0-15 is part of a larger malaise (debacle?) around college football state wide.

The entire state is 4-36, and one win (UNE over Maine Maritime) was intrastate.

The reasons are varied, and each school has its particularities, but the slow death of Maine high school football isn't helping.  No, UMaine (1-6) and the CBB schools have never relied on Maine for the bulk of their athletes, but you've got to have SOMETHING locally just to add depth and have some low hanging fruit to recruit to bolster your numbers.  And all four schools have had Maine kids excel at their programs.  Husson and Maine Maritime are feeling this the worst because they should be fielding rosters that are 75% local (UNE is very new, so this isn't a radical departure for them).  Go around to high school fields in Maine on a Friday night and you'll see top class schools show up with 25-30 kids, total, on their sidelines.  There are exceptions, but the vast majority of programs are running very thin.  It's hard to coach kids up, it's hard to develop future collegians, if you're just triaging every position every week.

And, yes, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin aren't looking for Waterville or Brunswick or Lewiston High Schools to provide them with the bulk of their rosters.  But it's a lot easier to find a backup linebacker 5 miles away than it is to find one in California, or at a NEPSAC school recruiting against Williams and Middlebury and Tufts. 

Quote from: Ron Boerger on Today at 09:22:01 AM*** Maryville LEAVING THE SAA FOR THE CCS ***

https://x.com/d3hoops/status/2112534422356410836

https://mcscots.com/news/2026/10/20/general-maryville-college-to-depart-saa-rejoin-ccs-in-2027.aspx

But is this statement going to save SAA football, at least for a bit?

"Affiliate memberships for football and women's golf are being finalized ahead of this transition."

*** Maryville LEAVING THE SAA FOR THE CCS ***

https://x.com/d3hoops/status/2112534422356410836

https://mcscots.com/news/2026/10/20/general-maryville-college-to-depart-saa-rejoin-ccs-in-2027.aspx

First, I'll admit I was mistaken about the fourth-down play being from midfield, and I appreciate the correction CarrolFan. That said, I think the history behind the Illinois Wesleyan–Millikin rivalry runs a lot deeper than you might realize.

This rivalry dates back to 1904, and there's a long history of pride, tradition, and competitive tension between these two schools. One particularly significant chapter came during World War II, when Millikin did not field a football team from 1943 through 1945 while almost all of its students/players went off to serve their country. Illinois Wesleyan, meanwhile, continued to play football during those 3 years.

You can imagine how a difference like that could become part of the story and identity surrounding a rivalry that was already deeply rooted. Over the years, those experiences, combined with the schools' different identities and cultures, helped fuel the competitive edge between them.

Millikin has traditionally been viewed as the more blue-collar school of the two, an identity many of its supporters still embrace today. That working-class pride is part of what makes this rivalry so personal for Millikin fans. It's not just another game on the schedule; it's about school pride, history, and bragging rights.

So, while I was wrong about the exact location of that fourth-down play, I don't think you can fully understand the intensity of this rivalry by looking at one game or one play. When a rivalry stretches back more than a century, there's a lot of history and emotion behind it that doesn't always show up in the box score.  The all time series after last night is 56–55-7 in favor of Illinois Wesleyan.

Just to clarify, it was only my personal opinion that Wesleyan didn't respect Millikin enough going into the game. That wasn't something I claimed to know for a fact.

But having been around football for a long time, I've learned to pay attention to more than just what happens between the lines. Watching the Wesleyan players on the sidelines and observing the coaches, I got the distinct impression that they were shell-shocked and frustrated that they were still in a fight that late in the game. To me, their body language suggested they hadn't expected Millikin to challenge them the way they did.

That's simply how I read the situation from what I saw. I could be wrong, but it was my impression as someone who's spent a lot of time around the game. And honestly, I think Millikin deserves credit for putting Wesleyan in that position.

NM, Amherst has obviously played the weakest schedule (I'm not disagreeing), but let's not act like Wesleyan and Trinity have played significantly stronger schedules. Wesleyan's opponents have a combined record of 6-19 and Trinity's have a record of 8-17. I wouldn't say those seem like the toughest schedule's either, but that's just what happens when games are only played within the league. With all that said, don't disagree with any of the rankings, just wanted that to be acknowledged.

Quote from: Hawks88 on Today at 08:38:23 AMI'm looking forward to getting Murvul back on our schedule. We always enjoy those trips to eastern Tennessee.

Have fond memories of my trip there last season.  Lovely campus, friendly people, some really good grub.

In addition, schools are recruiting in the South because the college-aged cohort is still growing there.