UAA Soccer

[VASoccerDad]

Last couple of weeks are going to be huge in terms of AQ/at-large bids to the NCAA tournament. Right now, these are the standings...

Case 3-0-2 (11 pts)
Emory 3-1-1 (10 pts)
Rochester 2-1-2 (8 pts)
Chicago/CMU/WashU all at 2-2-1 (7 pts)
Brandeis 1-3-1 (4 pts)
NYU 0-4-1 (1 pt)

With two games remaining (6 potential points), everyone but Brandeis and NYU have a shot at the conference title.

Case has been having a magical season so far, but they've got two very tough games remaining (at Emory and home vs CMU).

Emory has two homes games left, vs Case and vs Rochester

CMU has two road games left, at Rochester and at Case

Chicago has games at Brandeis and a home game vs WashU

Rochester has a home game vs CMU and a road game at Emory

WashU has two road games remaining, at NYU and at Chicago

I think Case and Rochester have the two toughest remaining schedules and will have a hard time winning both. We'll see a lot about Case this weekend at Emory, selfishly I hope Case takes it. If Case wins and Rochester loses this weekend, I believe Case clinches the title regardless of what happens the last weekend.

Go CWRU!

[DagarmanSpartan]

Emory on the road will be tough.  But if we win that one, then I think we'll take care of business against CMU at home.

[VASoccerDad]

Yeah, I agree. The only question I have is if they clinch the UAA this Saturday, do they rest some guys vs CMU next week? It's also Senior Day so he may play a bunch of guys that normally don't get much time. But then again, he may play the regulars in order to keep the undefeated season going.

But they have to clinch this weekend before any of that other stuff comes into play. Hopefully they take care of business this weekend (and UR does their part).

[WUPHF]

Yeah, I agree. The only question I have is if they clinch the UAA this Saturday, do they rest some guys vs CMU next week? It's also Senior Day so he may play a bunch of guys that normally don't get much time. But then again, he may play the regulars in order to keep the undefeated season going.

I am not sure what a loss against Carnegie Mellon would do to the NPI, but the coach probably knows and is not going to risk losing second weekend hosting privileges.

[Sandon Mibut]

Yeah, I agree. The only question I have is if they clinch the UAA this Saturday, do they rest some guys vs CMU next week? It's also Senior Day so he may play a bunch of guys that normally don't get much time. But then again, he may play the regulars in order to keep the undefeated season going.

I am not sure what a loss against Carnegie Mellon would do to the NPI, but the coach probably knows and is not going to risk losing second weekend hosting privileges.

I did napkin math earlier today and calculated CWRU would drop approx 0.9 with a loss to CMU based on today's NPI.

That does not, however, take into account the impact of CWRU game against Emory. If they beat Emory their NPI improves and also a subsequent loss to CMU would then be < 0.9 reduction in NPI.

I don't follow UAA (nor do I know the specifics about NCAA tourney hosting rules) but I suspect like you said CWRU might be thinking ahead to hosting the 2nd weekend of NCAA tourney and want to keep the pedal to the metal to have a shot at top-4 NPI seeding.

[VASoccerDad]

I think you're right, Case will probably keep pushing. They aren't in this position very often, unlike some other teams, and will want to take full advantage of playing on their home field as long as they can.

[Sandon Mibut]

CRITERIA The Division III Championships
Committee has prioritized the site-selection criteria in the following order for Division III championships: 
1. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations. 
2. Geographical location (including such factors as rotation of sites, weather conditions, accessibility and  transportation costs).
3. Attendance history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to assure fiscal responsibility.
4. Hosts will be selected based on meeting the minimum hosting requirements and maintaining geographic proximity.

Seeding may be a consideration when selecting hosts but is not determinative.

In addition, the soccer committees include the following site-selection deliberations:
● Preference is given to grass/grass-like surfaces; and
● The potential host must have played the majority of its home games on the field it is submitting for consideration.

Also note that women have preference for hosting Sectionals (2nd weekend) in even years meaning programs at Rowan, Chicago, Tufts, Williams, Lynchburg, Messiah and Carnegie Mellon (all have both
 men & women currently ranked top 26 in each gender) would favor the women 2nd weekend.

Then you have the fact that St. Olaf, WashU, Tufts and Lynchburg all hosted men's sectionals last year.

I doubt they'd choose both Middlebury and St. Lawrence both being so far north. So it seems like CWRU would have a very good shot if they can get there!