This is not an apples to apples comparison in large part due to schedule strength, but looking at Utica's 4th year, they were 3-7, and competitive most weeks. They beat Hartwick and a 5-4 RPI, lost by 11 to 8-win Alfred and 17 to St. John Fisher's only Pool A team ever.

Hilbert went winless, and only two losses were even close: a 28-7 loss to 2-8 St. Vincent and a 15-8 loss to a 1-9 Buffalo State.

They grew their roster from 46 players in 2024 to 63 last year. Which is encouraging, but still seems low for a 4th year program

Another interview on the future of Division III that is worth a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccc6k0GgcVg

Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on June 22, 2026, 03:02:53 PMAbsolutely. Many remember the US (and maybe still today to a certain extent) when it was a lot of Germans on the USMNT which was primarily through so many service members stationed in Germany. Will always remember Thomas Dooley, Jermaine Jones, Timothy Chandler and Fabian Johnson.

One child of an  American dad, but playing for the German Nat'l team, Nathaniel Brown.

Even today it is hard to say that USMNT players were trained by the US system. Many have went over to Europe to learn and train.

It's certainly true that a lot of U.S. players end up in Europe. But many start here. As with you, I remember the days of "shopping for shirts". We still do it of course. We got lucky with Balogun. He had 3 or 4 different countries after him.

On the current squad, Robinson, Weah, Dest, Berhalter, Tillman, Pepi and Balogun, off the top of my head, could all have played for other countries.

Famous names that chose the U.S. that I remember --

Dooley, Stuart, Jones, Johnson, Adu, Chandler, Diskerud, Boyd, Brooks, Green, Carter-Vickers.... some had great careers, Stuart, others flamed out, Green, but all had other options.

And there is probably a whole other list just for those who chose between Mexico and America.

I think shopping for shirts didn't get the best results. The late 2000s German contingent just didn't have the heart when pulling on American shirts. And many of the Mexican-American players, so brilliant when playing in LigaMX, struggled under the rigidity of our national team. I think today it's different. Today we have players, not just a system.

The best U.S. teams like the 2002 Korean WC team, or the South African Confederations Cup team, they won because they simply worked the system so well as a team. They knew their chance to be discovered was if the team was successful, and so they played better as a team than they were as a sum of their parts. Now? Not so much. We have the players to be a top 20 team on talent. They get discovered long before they hit the national team. Now we need the parts to add up to greatness in any system they need to play.

We have the players to be defensive and counter, we have the players to be possessive and attacking. We have the players to compete. We don't need to be defined by the system.

I still don't think we are a top 10 team. We don't have those players. But I think we are inching closer again. 2018 was a shift in the players, from the old school, chip on shoulder, play as a team, to the new school talent. It simply didn't work, and we missed out. 2022 we were young and lacked confidence. Now? We are a solid team. Better than we looked before the tournament started. Win a World Cup? I'll be satisfied if we get to the Round of 16. Thrilled if we get to the last 8. Someday the players and stars will align to give us a shot at the ugliest trophy in sports. But not yet.

Absolutely. Many remember the US (and maybe still today to a certain extent) when it was a lot of Germans on the USMNT which was primarily through so many service members stationed in Germany. Will always remember Thomas Dooley, Jermaine Jones, Timothy Chandler and Fabian Johnson.

One child of an  American dad, but playing for the German Nat'l team, Nathaniel Brown.

Even today it is hard to say that USMNT players were trained by the US system. Many have went over to Europe to learn and train.

Carnegie Mellon

Quote from: Patrick Coleman on June 22, 2026, 12:17:11 PMNew coach at Hilbert -- third coach in five seasons.
https://d3football.com/notables/2026/06/another-new-coach-hilbert

So Hilbert is 0-35 since starting their program, and still uses an average HS stadium as their home field.  They play in the LL, which at the top (5-6 teams now) is a very good conference.  Then they have to play 2 E8 teams, and they have 3-5 solid teams.  I dunno, these guys just aren't setting themselves up to win IMO.  Are they building a stadium or is this a Mt. Ida/Anna Maria panic move where the school just adds a ton of sports to save itself financially. 

A Coast Guard coach told me way back that one of the reasons for leaving the LL was that they just didn't have the resources the LL teams had and at that point the travel and competition simply wasn't where CGA fit at the time.  We forget how great the LL and E8 conferences are in terms of depth at the top.  Both very competitive leagues with some great teams.   

Quote from: markerickson on June 21, 2026, 11:52:14 PMTragic news at Wheaton.  Sandy, a friend of Greg and I, lost an uncle due to riptide at "Pilgrim Pines," which is about one mile south of Warren Dunes in MI.

I am surprised by NPU's financial health rank.  Plus, NPU must spend money now on retrofitting the old and/or building new ones.

Terrible news.

Mark, I think you might mean Bethany Beach?  Pilgrim Pines is a covenant camp in New Hampshire.

Due to a late schedule change, the University of Wisconsin–Platteville Men's Basketball program is seeking two games in mid-December for the 2026-27 season.

If you have availability or interest in discussing scheduling opportunities, please contact:

Jeff Gard
University of Wisconsin–Platteville Men's Basketball
gardj@uwplatt.edu
608-342-1278

Due to a late schedule change, the University of Wisconsin–Platteville Men's Basketball program is seeking two games in mid-December for the 2026-27 season.

If you have availability or interest in discussing scheduling opportunities, please contact:

Jeff Gard
University of Wisconsin–Platteville Men's Basketball
gardj@uwplatt.edu
608-342-1278

New coach at Hilbert -- third coach in five seasons.
https://d3football.com/notables/2026/06/another-new-coach-hilbert