2016 Rankings

[blooter442]

They are like Arsenal, always find a way to champions league (Playoffs).
Last year seemed to be lost, but with good and intelligent schedule and some key wins RPI managed to sneak in.
They also won their first round game in order to prove they belong.

I like the metaphor. Only difference is that 4th place in the PL is not decided by a selection committee whose choices can be rather dubious.

Agree that they did "belong," although they rode their luck against Stevens, but they were deservedly knocked out by Brandeis in 2OT after tying the game with their one real chance. Your luck is usually going to run out at some point, unless you're Chelsea in the 2012 UCL.

Rochester

I think Rochester is a wounded animal. They really fell apart last year pretty much out of nowhere and weren't even in contention for an NCAA bid for the first time that I can remember. But Greblick and Ben Swanger will be seniors so I think they are in position to rebound this fall, although they did graduate a ton on defense.

[Saint of Old]

They had better.
Back to back years of underachieving will be a blow to the program.
There are too many up and coming programs out there (Upstate NY  alone) to have a 2 year slip.

[PaulNewman]

Look for one out of these 3 to have a very good year -- Wesleyan, Wheaton (MA), or Babson.

New England region darkhorse: WPI.

In Great Lakes, can Denison or Wabash dislodge one of the 3 NCAC heavyweights of Kenyon, OWU, and DePauw? Good time to pick off DePauw as the Tigers graduated a strong group but they still have one of top 2-3 players in the conference with Gonzalez.  OWU also graduated a strong class but reportedly are bringing in one of the top recruiting classes in the country.

Important year for Thomas More. Can they stay relevant nationally in the post-Juniet era?

[Ommadawn]

Look for one out of these 3 to have a very good year -- Wesleyan, Wheaton (MA), or Babson.

New England region darkhorse: WPI.

The NEWMAC should be a tight race this year, with the aforementioned Wheaton (MA), Babson, and WPI vying for the top spot, MIT possibly descending, and Springfield on its way up after an ECAC title last fall.

[blooter442]

Back to back years of underachieving will be a blow to the program.
There are too many up and coming programs out there (Upstate NY  alone) to have a 2 year slip.

Agree with both of these things.

Regardless of where "upstate" NY begins, as it's highly ambiguous, there are a number of really good teams in NY state. SUNYAC has definitely gotten a lot stronger in the last 5 years - they've had at least 4 NCAA teams in the last 4 years, and Oneonta has done really well the last two years alone. And then Morrisville State made NCAAs, too (even if in the NEAC), along with RPI, SLU, Vassar, etc...the list goes on.

[Saint of Old]

Indeed it does.
SUNYAC alone has strong teams:
Brockport, Plattsburgh and some up and coming, Potsdam State and New Paltz.

That's just one Conference, which also includes the recently dominant Cortland State.

[Mr.Right]

Don't forget from 2004-2008 SUNYAC had some impressive teams as well. Before Oneants went D3 they had Geneseo St make the NCAA Final 4(albeight on a lucky win v Williams at SLU in the Eliye 8). Cortland and Fredonia were vey balance teams as well.

[D3SoccerFan]

I realize this is mostly a discussion on New England area teams, but does anyone have any thoughts on how well other teams with good reputations will do this season? Ohio Wesleyan, Wheaton, Calvin, Messiah?

[MidwestGrinder]

I realize this is mostly a discussion on New England area teams, but does anyone have any thoughts on how well other teams with good reputations will do this season? Ohio Wesleyan, Wheaton, Calvin, Messiah?

I've ran this by in another thread but might as well post it here too.

Loras loses 7 starters and 14 players overall

Calvin loses 5 starters, specifically Nick Groenewold (arguably the best CB in the nation last year), a third team AA in Taylor Pruis, and a nationally top 5 keeper in Niko Giantsopoulos.

OWU loses 5 starters and 12 players overall

Wheaton lose 5 starters including Hollingsworth, Golz and starting GK Paprocki.

As you can see above, these teams all lost a lot of firepower. That being said, I'm sure they all brought in great recruiting classes and will all probably be favored to win their respective conferences this year regardless of the losses. There should be much parity in the Midwest and Great Lakes this year.

[Part_Bart]

Don't forget from 2004-2008 SUNYAC had some impressive teams as well. Before Oneants went D3 they had Geneseo St make the NCAA Final 4(albeight on a lucky win v Williams at SLU in the Eliye 8). Cortland and Fredonia were vey balance teams as well.

Oneonta's dominance in SUNYAC continues, but their play has helped several others rise:  Plattsburgh, Cortland and Brockport are able to rise up to match the Red Dragon's play, with Potsdam and Geneseo also able to compete, if not always win. The rest of the SUNYAC is struggling, so there are some eas_ier_ games in league. Two or even three of the SUNYAC teams will be in top 25 by season's end and my guess is Cortland and Plattsburgh join Oneonta...

[stlawus]

Don't forget from 2004-2008 SUNYAC had some impressive teams as well. Before Oneants went D3 they had Geneseo St make the NCAA Final 4(albeight on a lucky win v Williams at SLU in the Eliye 8). Cortland and Fredonia were vey balance teams as well.

Oneonta's dominance in SUNYAC continues, but their play has helped several others rise:  Plattsburgh, Cortland and Brockport are able to rise up to match the Red Dragon's play, with Potsdam and Geneseo also able to compete, if not always win. The rest of the SUNYAC is struggling, so there are some eas_ier_ games in league. Two or even three of the SUNYAC teams will be in top 25 by season's end and my guess is Cortland and Plattsburgh join Oneonta...

Don't sleep on New Paltz.

[Golden_Fan]

Don't forget from 2004-2008 SUNYAC had some impressive teams as well. Before Oneants went D3 they had Geneseo St make the NCAA Final 4(albeight on a lucky win v Williams at SLU in the Eliye 8). Cortland and Fredonia were vey balance teams as well.

Oneonta's dominance in SUNYAC continues, but their play has helped several others rise:  Plattsburgh, Cortland and Brockport are able to rise up to match the Red Dragon's play, with Potsdam and Geneseo also able to compete, if not always win. The rest of the SUNYAC is struggling, so there are some eas_ier_ games in league. Two or even three of the SUNYAC teams will be in top 25 by season's end and my guess is Cortland and Plattsburgh join Oneonta...

Don't sleep on New Paltz.

or buff state. They have really improved the past few years

[Part_Bart]

Don't forget from 2004-2008 SUNYAC had some impressive teams as well. Before Oneants went D3 they had Geneseo St make the NCAA Final 4(albeight on a lucky win v Williams at SLU in the Eliye 8). Cortland and Fredonia were vey balance teams as well.

Oneonta's dominance in SUNYAC continues, but their play has helped several others rise:  Plattsburgh, Cortland and Brockport are able to rise up to match the Red Dragon's play, with Potsdam and Geneseo also able to compete, if not always win. The rest of the SUNYAC is struggling, so there are some eas_ier_ games in league. Two or even three of the SUNYAC teams will be in top 25 by season's end and my guess is Cortland and Plattsburgh join Oneonta...

Don't sleep on New Paltz.

or buff state. They have really improved the past few years

Agreed -- and now eight of the 10 teams in SUNYAC mentioned as very good squads.  Can't see more than two or three being ranked by season's end, but can imagine seven or eight teams making reasonable claims for being one of them!

[Flying Weasel]

The SUNYAC has always been an interesting conference to follow over time because of the turnover in who the top teams are.  Every couple years there seem to be a shift/change in the front runners.  Looking back over the past 25 years, Cortland St. seems to alternate 5 or so good years with 5 or so average to weak years.  Fredonia was strong in the mid and late 90's but not since.  Geneseo seems to fluctuate between mid-table and pushing the leaders, with a number of strong years in the mid 2000's, including their surprise trip to 2004 Final Four.  Brockport was an average team in the 90's but in the 2000's established themselves as a team that could push for the conference title as often as not.  Almost no teams have been immune to bad spells over the past 25 years besides Plattsburgh State who almost always seems to be in the mix at the top of the table.  Once Oneonta transitioned to D-III and rejoined the SUNYAC almost 10 years ago, they have been a top team.  And every several years it seems like Potsdam or New Paltz or Oswego show signs of being able to climb out of the bottom half of the conference.  Just an very interesting dynamic in the SUNYAC.

[Saint of Old]

It is a very dynamic conference...
That is why St. Lawrence joined