NESCAC

[Camel_Supporter]

Huge congrats to the Jumbos. As a camels fan, man I wish we could have played them in the tourney. These games are all match ups, and I do feel we are the team that most consistently challenges tufts

[camosfan]

I told people I wanted Tufts to play anyone but Con, you are not going to beat a NESCAC team three times in a given year!

[northman]

As a longtime Polar Bears supporter, I have to point out that Bowdoin drew with Tufts in the regular season and...although in a losing cause...slightly "out statted" Tufts in the Elite Eight game.

[camosfan]

Your cross-town rivals are often your toughest games.

[Sandon Mibut]

How are the top NESCAC teams looking in 2026 as far as returning players from their 2025 squads?

Looking at the 2025 All Conference teams:

Tufts graduates 2 (GK Antic and M Daniel Yanez) and retains 3 (D, F, F; all juniors)

Middlebury graduates 2 (Gavin Randolph and Casanova); retains 1.

Bowdoin loses Huck who I assume will be hard to replace; retains 2.

Wesleyan graduates their GK but retains 4 (all current juniors).

Bates loses 1, retains 3 (2x frosh and 1 soph)

Williams graduates F Henry Kirkman; retains 1.

Conn retains all 5 of their All Conference players (D, D, M, M, F; 1x Soph and 4x Juniors).

Amherst retains 3 (2x soph and 1 junior)

Based on that small sample, one could argue that 2026 will feature Conn, Wesleyan and Tufts battling for the championship. Amherst and Bates poised to move up. Bowdoin likely to slip by losing Huck. Williams: who knows. And Middlebury losing a couple key players could slip or perhaps tread water.

[nescac1]

Congrats to Tufts, what a crazy way to secure the title -- is there a video anywhere of Tufts' game-tying goal?

Williams hasn't had great conclusions to the last two seasons (although making two straight Sweet 16s is certainly respectable), but was the only team to beat Amherst in its championship year, and one of only two to beat Tufts this year. 

I do think looking beyond the all-conference teams that Williams could be dramatically improved next year.  Next year will be the first Ephs' team that will have four Siebert recruiting classes.  Up front they return the NESCAC ROTY in Ruehlmann who I think will be more consistent as a sophomore, another strong striker in Lorcan Mitchell whose season was ended prematurely by injury, and Bethencourt, who is certainly an all-NESCAC level player and led the team in points this year and was huge down the stretch.  Overall the Ephs' return 7 of the top 8 scorers, including the 4 out of the top 5 who were underclassmen.  In the back, Williams returns four out of their top five defenders, two of whom have been all conference players (Caires and Labonski) and two of whom were FYs (Farmer and Greer, the latter of whom was I believe hurt to end the season and was a big loss, as I think he is another player who should eventually be all-NESCAC).  Finally, the young GK unit should be much improved now that it has experience, led by FY Anglada, who showed all-league potential as a FY.  Where the Ephs really need to improve is in the midfield, so hopefully some young players or incoming recruits can step up there. 

But, as noted in the prior post, the same can be said for most of the league, with (again looking beyond just all-league) Tufts, Amherst, Conn, Midd, Bates and Wesleyan all returning the vast majority of their key players.  It's crazy that NESCAC had a national title team and a few others contending deep in the tourney and yet, on paper, the league should be MUCH stronger next year overall. 

[camosfan]

and one of only two to beat Tufts this year.

Tufts lost only one game this year and that was to Williams!

[Ron Boerger]

Congrats to Tufts, what a crazy way to secure the title -- is there a video anywhere of Tufts' game-tying goal?

As a Trinity(TX) fan, it has been all over my social feeds since the event.  Here you go.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-5I4tr-dLA

[nescac1]

Thanks Ron.  Man, it cannot get any more brutal than that ...