Top 25 talk

[y_jack_lok]

I've talked to Merkel, not about him moving to D1, but about D3 coaches doing it in general, and he said, "the only benefit is the money," referencing all the other headaches that come with contemporary D1 basketball.  So, I suspect, so long as he and his family are happy and comfortable in Ashland, he'll probably stick around.

I'm sure that quote "the only benefit is the money" is true for Coach Merkle. But other former D3 coaches now in D1 might thrive on the perceived negatives of coaching at that level. I think of former RMC coach Mike Rhoades, now at Penn State. He must have a kind of personal ambition that allows him to deal with the pressure of being a D1 coach, especially in the Big 10. It seems he very intentionally charted a post-RMC path (assistant at VCU, head coach at Rice, head coach at VCU) to get to where he is now.

[bopol]

I've talked to Merkel, not about him moving to D1, but about D3 coaches doing it in general, and he said, "the only benefit is the money," referencing all the other headaches that come with contemporary D1 basketball.  So, I suspect, so long as he and his family are happy and comfortable in Ashland, he'll probably stick around.

I'm sure that quote "the only benefit is the money" is true for Coach Merkle. But other former D3 coaches now in D1 might thrive on the perceived negatives of coaching at that level. I think of former RMC coach Mike Rhoades, now at Penn State. He must have a kind of personal ambition that allows him to deal with the pressure of being a D1 coach, especially in the Big 10. It seems he very intentionally charted a post-RMC path (assistant at VCU, head coach at Rice, head coach at VCU) to get to where he is now.

I'd say that a person that knows themselves well enough to know where they will be happy is a lucky person.

[Darryl Nester]

How They Fared (Complete)—still awaiting the result of CMS/Cal Lutheran (currently at halftime).

The final report of the 2024-25 season.

Top 25

Rank	Pts	Team	W-L	Results
#1	623	Wesleyan	26-1	def. T#33 Hamilton, 82-77 2OT; LOST to #6 Trinity (Conn.), 67-75
#2	593	New York University	24-1	won at Brandeis, 94-76
#3	584	UW-Platteville	25-2	def. UW-Stevens Point, 83-73; def. #4 UW-La Crosse, 89-68
#4	522	UW-La Crosse	22-5	def. UW-Eau Claire, 69-55; LOST at #3 UW-Platteville, 68-89
#5	503	Randolph-Macon	23-4	def. Shenandoah, 81-51; LOST to (n) Guilford, 49-52
#6	496	Trinity (Conn.)	24-3	def. (n) #9 Tufts, 74-51; won at #1 Wesleyan, 75-67
#7	457	Hampden-Sydney	21-5	LOST to Lynchburg, 66-72
#8	441	Christopher Newport	22-5	def. (n) UC Santa Cruz, 84-78; LOST to (n) Mary Washington, 66-71
#9	389	Tufts	21-5	LOST to (n) #6 Trinity (Conn.), 51-74
#10	359	St. John's	24-3	def. Hamline, 72-54; def. Carleton, 74-59
#11	340	Redlands	22-4	LOST to T#30 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 87-89
#12	317	Emory	20-5	won at Rochester, 103-70
#13	283	Washington U.	19-6	LOST at T#37 Chicago, 68-76
#14	268	WPI	24-3	def. Emerson, 93-73; LOST to Clark, 65-80
#15	267	Calvin	21-6	def. Olivet, 63-47; def. Hope, 62-59
#16	259	Illinois Wesleyan	22-5	def. Augustana, 70-65; won at #23 Carthage, 79-60
#17	238	Wisconsin Lutheran	25-3	def. Rockford, 86-57; def. Concordia (Wis.), 86-65; LOST to St. Norbert, 52-70
#18	233	Trine	21-5	LOST to (n) Hope, 62-64
#19	162	Roanoke	23-5	def. Ferrum, 89-75; def. (n) Lynchburg, 96-92 OT; LOST to (n) Guilford, 74-79
#20	151	Cal Lutheran	22-5	def. Whittier, 90-89; LOST to T#30 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 71-72
#21	141	Whitworth	22-4	LOST to Lewis and Clark, 64-71
#22	97	St. Thomas (Texas)	25-2	def. (n) Schreiner, 61-60; def. (n) #29 Trinity (Texas), 58-53 OT
#23	92	Carthage	21-6	def. North Central (Ill.), 84-83; LOST to #16 Illinois Wesleyan, 60-79
#24	80	Denison	24-3	def. Ohio Wesleyan, 74-70; def. Wooster, 79-68
#25	77	Drew	24-3	def. Susquehanna, 97-81; def. T#30 Catholic, 85-70

Others receiving votes

Rank	Pts	Team	W-L	Results
#26	35	Gustavus Adolphus	21-5	LOST to Carleton, 64-75
#27	34	John Carroll	22-5	def. Muskingum, 80-62; def. Mount Union, 82-69
#28	26	Franklin and Marshall	21-6	def. Ursinus, 75-64; def. Johns Hopkins, 60-47
#29	25	Trinity (Texas)	22-5	def. (n) Colorado College, 67-50; LOST to (n) #22 St. Thomas (Texas), 53-58 OT
T#30	6	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps	20-7	won at #11 Redlands, 89-87; won at #20 Cal Lutheran, 72-71
T#30	6	Catholic	22-5	def. Wilkes, 96-76; LOST at #25 Drew, 70-85
T#30	6	Maryville (Tenn.)	21-6	def. Asbury, 91-73; LOST to Huntingdon, 92-93
T#33	4	Ramapo	20-7	def. Stockton, 88-81; LOST at T#37 Montclair State, 85-91 OT
T#33	4	Hamilton	20-6	LOST at #1 Wesleyan, 77-82 2OT
T#35	2	Anderson	22-6	def. Hanover, 84-69; LOST to Franklin, 66-72
T#35	2	Belhaven	21-5	LOST to (n) Huntingdon, 66-78
T#37	1	Chicago	18-7	def. #13 Washington U., 76-68
T#37	1	Montclair State	21-6	def. TCNJ, 80-62; def. T#33 Ramapo, 91-85 OT
T#37	1	Virginia Wesleyan	19-7	LOST to Guilford, 61-74

[monsoon]

Thanks for doing these again this year, Darryl; here and on the women's page.

[y_jack_lok]

Fifteen of the top 25 lost in their conference tournaments. Four of them lost to other top 25 teams.

[Titan Q]

Matt Goldsmith (new Middlebury head coach) on the Q-cast...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2UjoLF7Dwc

[Greek Tragedy]

https://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2025-26/preseason

Preseason poll is out.

Before you ask, 1st regular season poll is Monday, November 24.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

https://d3hoops.com/top25/men/2025-26/preseason

Preseason poll is out.

Before you ask, 1st regular season poll is Monday, November 24.

Unofficially it's called the "Over-reaction to the GLI" Week 1 poll.

[Darryl Nester]

How They Fared (Almost Complete)

Hampden-Sydney vs. Pfeiffer still underway.

Top 25

Rank	Pts	Team	W-L	Results
#1	623	Trinity (Conn.)	3-0	def. Lehman, 101-39; def. Eastern Connecticut, 99-69; won at #31 Yeshiva, 76-52
#2	537	Randolph-Macon	4-0	def. (n) Eastern, 97-71; won at T#41 Gettysburg, 62-59; won at #9 Christopher Newport, 71-65; def. #31 Yeshiva, 92-57
#3	529	Emory	3-1	won at Piedmont, 98-89; LOST to (n) T#50 Trinity (Texas), 78-90; def. (n) UC Santa Cruz, 96-78; won at Guilford, 106-97
#4	520	Tufts	3-2	LOST at Babson, 79-83; LOST at Endicott, 73-76; def. Suffolk, 54-47; def. (n) Emerson, 84-50; def. #31 Yeshiva, 100-94 OT
#5	499	Washington U.	3-0	def. Carroll, 90-78; def. Eureka, 100-53; def. #34 St. Thomas (Texas), 54-53
#6	492	Redlands	5-0	won at UC Santa Cruz, 102-88; def. (n) Pacific Lutheran, 94-91; def. Pacific, 108-80; def. Schreiner, 106-92; def. Willamette, 117-78
#7	397	UW-La Crosse	5-0	def. (n) #17 Hampden-Sydney, 77-75 OT; won at #14 Virginia Wesleyan, 74-71; won at North Park, 80-67; def. (n) Rose-Hulman, 84-73; won at Wheaton (Ill.), 70-66
#8	396	Carthage	2-2	won at St. Mary's (Minn.), 98-75; won at Alma, 79-60; LOST to (n) #21 Maryville (Tenn.), 66-78; LOST to (n) #15 Mary Washington, 57-68
#9	394	Christopher Newport	3-2	won at Penn State-Altoona, 86-67; LOST to #2 Randolph-Macon, 65-71; LOST at #22 Catholic, 74-84; won at N.C. Wesleyan, 78-69; def. Cairn, 89-82
#10	341	Roanoke	4-1	def. Christendom, 90-38; def. Southern Virginia, 86-56; def. Marymount, 73-54; LOST to (n) #13 Wesleyan, 79-84; won at Salisbury, 79-63
#11	340	Chicago	3-1	def. UC Santa Cruz, 82-64; def. T#50 Trinity (Texas), 87-57; LOST at #16 Illinois Wesleyan, 69-72; won at Edgewood, 78-66
#12	310	Calvin	3-1	LOST at #33 Denison, 59-61; won at Ohio Wesleyan, 64-46; def. Colorado College, 85-70; def. UW-Stout, 81-66
#13	278	Wesleyan	3-1	def. (n) Johnson and Wales, 100-38; LOST at #24 TCNJ, 90-92 OT; def. (n) #10 Roanoke, 84-79; def. (n) T#41 Gettysburg, 59-56
#14	262	Virginia Wesleyan	2-1	def. #28 Keene State, 87-84; LOST to #7 UW-La Crosse, 71-74; def. Newport News Apprentice, 91-63
#15	239	Mary Washington	6-0	def. Guilford, 82-78; def. Eastern Mennonite, 72-64; def. Rowan, 94-87 OT; def. #31 Yeshiva, 90-89 2OT; def. (n) T#39 Trine, 72-57; def. (n) #8 Carthage, 68-57
#16	227	Illinois Wesleyan	5-0	def. Illinois College, 71-67; def. T#37 UW-Oshkosh, 75-68; def. #11 Chicago, 72-69; def. (n) #45 Wisconsin Lutheran, 97-42; def. (n) Kenyon, 89-59
#17	220	Hampden-Sydney	4-1	LOST to (n) #7 UW-La Crosse, 75-77 OT; def. (n) #28 Keene State, 79-61; won at Salisbury, 79-56; def. Mary Baldwin, 71-40; def. Pfeiffer, 84-71
#18	213	UW-Platteville	3-2	def. Nebraska Wesleyan, 78-62; LOST to Coe, 68-71; def. Carroll, 88-80; won at North Central (Ill.), 66-60 OT; LOST at Gustavus Adolphus, 72-87
#19	187	WPI	4-1	def. Lasell, 81-69 OT; won at Worcester State, 81-73; def. Mass-Dartmouth, 94-77; def. (n) #27 St. Joseph's (Maine), 73-67; LOST at #28 Keene State, 62-66
#20	176	Hardin-Simmons	4-2	def. Texas Lutheran, 86-83; def. Schreiner, 88-80; def. McMurry, 79-70; won at University of Dallas, 71-53; LOST to Concordia (Texas), 96-107; LOST at Texas Lutheran, 67-70
#21	151	Maryville (Tenn.)	6-2	def. (n) Pfeiffer, 84-72; won at #44 Berry, 68-53; won at Sewanee, 92-87 OT; LOST to (n) T#37 UW-Oshkosh, 91-94; def. (n) Illinois College, 69-65; def. Berea, 81-73 OT; def. (n) #8 Carthage, 78-66; LOST at Washington and Jefferson, 75-79
#22	112	Catholic	4-1	def. (n) Lynchburg, 82-63; LOST at Hood, 106-109 OT; def. #9 Christopher Newport, 84-74; won at Goucher, 62-56; won at Lycoming, 82-49
#23	111	Montclair State	4-0	def. Dickinson, 97-63; won at Penn State-Harrisburg, 75-73; won at Alvernia, 93-91; def. T#41 Gettysburg, 84-65
#24	84	TCNJ	4-1	def. (n) FDU-Florham, 96-71; LOST at Drew, 78-82; def. CCNY, 106-74; def. #13 Wesleyan, 92-90 OT; won at DeSales, 65-62
#25	69	St. Joseph (Conn.)	3-2	def. (n) Worcester State, 91-80; LOST at Mass-Dartmouth, 83-84; won at T#46 Clark, 79-75; def. (n) Albright, 71-61; LOST to (n) Cortland, 57-61

(continues in next post)

[Darryl Nester]

HTF part 2

Others receiving votes

Rank	Pts	Team	W-L	Results
#26	63	Williams	4-0	def. Morrisville State, 89-67; def. Alfred, 60-53; def. SUNY Oneonta, 79-72; won at Emmanuel, 90-77
#27	53	St. Joseph's (Maine)	2-4	def. (n) SUNY-Old Westbury, 100-62; LOST at New York University, 94-99 OT; won at Husson, 89-69; LOST at T#46 Clark, 69-74; LOST to (n) #19 WPI, 67-73; LOST to (n) Nichols, 79-81
#28	48	Keene State	2-3	LOST at #14 Virginia Wesleyan, 84-87; LOST to (n) #17 Hampden-Sydney, 61-79; LOST to Western New England, 73-78; def. Nichols, 87-72; def. #19 WPI, 66-62
#29	42	Stockton	1-2	LOST at Salisbury, 74-83; LOST at T#41 Gettysburg, 58-61; def. Swarthmore, 81-74
#30	35	Franklin and Marshall	4-1	LOST at Elizabethtown, 59-68; won at Marymount, 62-57; def. (n) Pitt-Bradford, 75-62; won at Rutgers-Newark, 66-57; def. Albright, 66-60
#31	32	Yeshiva	0-5	LOST to T#50 Chapman, 77-81; LOST at #2 Randolph-Macon, 57-92; LOST at #15 Mary Washington, 89-90 2OT; LOST to #1 Trinity (Conn.), 52-76; LOST at #4 Tufts, 94-100 OT
#32	16	Hamilton	2-2	LOST to T#46 Ithaca, 71-75; def. SUNY Potsdam, 100-59; def. (n) Fredonia, 92-56; LOST at Hobart, 70-84
#33	15	Denison	2-2	def. #12 Calvin, 61-59; def. Alma, 88-66; LOST at Carnegie Mellon, 87-90; LOST at Capital, 67-78
#34	14	St. Thomas (Texas)	3-1	def. College of Biblical Studies, 89-55; won at East Texas Baptist, 72-64; def. (n) T#46 UW-Whitewater, 81-73; LOST at #5 Washington U., 53-54
T#35	12	MSOE	1-2	LOST to UW-Stevens Point, 59-79; def. Lake Forest, 93-86; LOST at Elmhurst, 67-71
T#35	12	Whitworth	4-0	def. Walla Walla, 92-47; def. Bethany, 94-72; won at Gustavus Adolphus, 62-60; won at T#37 St. John's, 74-58
T#37	11	St. John's	2-2	LOST at T#37 UW-Oshkosh, 86-90; def. Central, 74-71; def. Simpson, 85-66; LOST to T#35 Whitworth, 58-74
T#37	11	UW-Oshkosh	3-1	def. T#37 St. John's, 90-86; def. (n) #21 Maryville (Tenn.), 94-91; LOST at #16 Illinois Wesleyan, 68-75; won at Carroll, 85-76
T#39	9	Mount Union	6-0	won at Penn State-Harrisburg, 86-78; def. (n) Dickinson, 74-59; def. (n) Muhlenberg, 76-40; def. (n) Case Western Reserve, 82-72; def. (n) Transylvania, 88-66; won at Mount St. Joseph, 81-57
T#39	9	Trine	4-1	def. Ohio Northern, 74-73; won at Illinois Tech, 86-66; def. Baldwin Wallace, 76-72 OT; LOST to (n) #15 Mary Washington, 57-72; def. (n) Marietta, 86-55
T#41	6	Claremont-Mudd-Scripps	5-0	won at Pacific, 95-61; won at George Fox, 103-65; won at LIFE Pacific, 75-66; def. UC Santa Cruz, 79-69; def. Willamette, 92-81
T#41	6	Concordia (Wis.)	2-3	LOST to Wheaton (Ill.), 95-99; won at Wartburg, 80-75; LOST to (n) UW-Eau Claire, 59-61; LOST at Webster, 58-75; def. (n) Westminster (Mo.), 87-85
T#41	6	Gettysburg	3-4	def. Wilson, 81-79; LOST to #2 Randolph-Macon, 59-62; def. Mount Aloysius, 89-64; def. #29 Stockton, 61-58; LOST at #23 Montclair State, 65-84; LOST to (n) Notre Dame (Md.), 79-84; LOST to (n) #13 Wesleyan, 56-59
#44	5	Berry	3-3	def. Centenary (La.), 77-55; LOST to #21 Maryville (Tenn.), 53-68; won at Asbury, 72-60; LOST at Transylvania, 68-70; def. Covenant, 97-89; LOST to Hanover, 65-82
#45	3	Wisconsin Lutheran	1-4	LOST to Lawrence, 70-75; LOST at Augustana, 73-90; LOST at Elmhurst, 50-75; LOST to (n) #16 Illinois Wesleyan, 42-97; won at Albion, 69-67
T#46	2	Clark	4-2	won at Roger Williams, 74-67; LOST to #25 St. Joseph (Conn.), 75-79; LOST to (n) Albertus Magnus, 72-82; def. (n) SUNY-Old Westbury, 85-65; def. #27 St. Joseph's (Maine), 74-69; won at Western Connecticut, 76-75
T#46	2	Ithaca	1-3	LOST to Brockport, 87-96; LOST at Cortland, 61-80; won at #32 Hamilton, 75-71; LOST at Western New England, 60-77
T#46	2	UW-Whitewater	3-1	won at Ripon, 76-58; LOST to (n) #34 St. Thomas (Texas), 73-81; def. (n) Eureka, 116-73; def. Aurora, 82-73
T#46	2	York (Pa.)	5-0	won at Hobart, 85-67; def. Johns Hopkins, 76-73; def. (n) Notre Dame (Md.), 107-80; won at Susquehanna, 72-63; def. Arcadia, 77-71
T#50	1	Chapman	2-1	won at #31 Yeshiva, 81-77; LOST at Stevens, 68-84; won at Baruch, 68-64
T#50	1	Trinity (Texas)	4-1	won at Mary Hardin-Baylor, 82-74; def. (n) #3 Emory, 90-78; LOST at #11 Chicago, 57-87; def. (n) Marietta, 86-81 OT; def. (n) Case Western Reserve, 75-59

[Titan Q]

Darryl, thank you very much for doing "How They Fared" again.  It's a huge help as a Top 25 voter. Hope all is well.

[stlawus]

How on earth is Tufts still ranked.  I've never seen a program get more excuses.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

How on earth is Tufts still ranked.  I've never seen a program get more excuses.

Tufts often look pretty poor in the early going and then end the year pretty well.  Bringing back almost the entire roster from a team one bucket away from the Sweet Sixteen.  Losing close games to Babson and Endicott are not ideal, but not terrible.  You get the benefit of the doubt early when you're a known quantity.  It's not like they won't have plenty of opportunities to prove it if they're really not very good.

[stlawus]

Is the top 25 about who are the best teams at the end of the season or who are the best teams right now?  Otherwise what is even the point of doing a poll if results aren't going to matter.

[D3BBALL]

Is the top 25 about who are the best teams at the end of the season or who are the best teams right now?  Otherwise what is even the point of doing a poll if results aren't going to matter.
[/quote
Great point. Tufts has plenty of time to get back into the top 25, but 2 losses and a 3rd that could easily have happened at home against Yeshiva that got thumped by Trinity at Yeshica and Trinity was missing their starting center. Yeshiva has played a tough schedule but lost them all.
Teams like Mary Washington and Illinois Wesleyan moved up a lot which they should have and teams with bad losses barely move down if not at all.