2025 ECAC Tournament

[SierraFD3soccer]

People seem to forget sometimes, but seniors played their last games ever. They have played week after week for years and often worked very hard for theirs and their teams' legacies. They will always have those memories esp if they have post season games.

Some might go play in a rec league or a little better, but, basically, that's it. Coaches always have another game to coach. Coaches move on and seniors a stuck with it. Coaches always have their next season. Yeah I know some take over another program or decide not to coach, but, generally, coaches continue with the same program.

A game or two more with something on the line really means a lot to seniors.

ODAC and Landmark confs have a deal in football to play each other one extra game in two post season bowl games. 2nd and 3rd place finishers play each other. The teams that make the NCAAs obv do not play W&L played Lycoming in the Cape Charles Bowl which is a part of the Chesapeake Challenge. So they get an 11th game the weekend before Thanksgiving. Something for the seniors and the programs to hang their hat on.

[Hopkins92]

I'm not disagreeing with you Sierra, but at least with soccer, it's not hard to find highly competitive teams/leagues that you can play with/in for MANY years after college. I was able to latch onto a team that made it to the Over 30 final four that was held in Orlando. (humble brag ;-))

The guys I feel for are football players. More than any other sport, it's really difficult to keep playing after college. Just too expensive and to much chance for serious injury.

[Ejay]

My Junior year we won the ECAC tournament. It was awesome. My senior year, nobody wanted to play in it. It was a frustrating year and we just wanted it over. We made the finals and it was 38 degrees, raining, with 30 MPH winds. The absolute worst game to finish your career on. I was never so happy to be subbed off in the second half. With about 15 minutes to play, coach asked me to go back in. I said, "nah, I'm good. Let one of the younger kids play".

[VASoccerDad]

I'm not disagreeing with you Sierra, but at least with soccer, it's not hard to find highly competitive teams/leagues that you can play with/in for MANY years after college. I was able to latch onto a team that made it to the Over 30 final four that was held in Orlando. (humble brag ;-))

The guys I feel for are football players. More than any other sport, it's really difficult to keep playing after college. Just too expensive and to much chance for serious injury.

I agree with this to a point...but playing for your school is sooo much different than playing for a random club/team. Even my high school senior son right now says that...he has a lot more fun playing for his high school than he ever does playing for his highly competitive ECNL team. His ECNL team has made the national playoffs the last 2 (hopefully 3) years and he's gotten to travel all over the world with different teams, and his high school team sucks. But ask him which one he prefers and it's his HS team- all because of his friends. That's who he grew up with, been friends for years with. His club team doesn't offer that.

I know that changes as you get older, but we're talking college kids- I think when they really think about it, they would want one more game with their school team.

[VASoccerDad]

My Junior year we won the ECAC tournament. It was awesome. My senior year, nobody wanted to play in it. It was a frustrating year and we just wanted it over. We made the finals and it was 38 degrees, raining, with 30 MPH winds. The absolute worst game to finish your career on. I was never so happy to be subbed off in the second half. With about 15 minutes to play, coach asked me to go back in. I said, "nah, I'm good. Let one of the younger kids play".

In the moment you were fine giving it up because of the weather, frustration, etc., but looking back on it (not now, but back then) would you want one more game? I would say probably yes...

I know in my case I would.

[Saint of Old]

My Junior year we won the ECAC tournament. It was awesome. My senior year, nobody wanted to play in it. It was a frustrating year and we just wanted it over. We made the finals and it was 38 degrees, raining, with 30 MPH winds. The absolute worst game to finish your career on. I was never so happy to be subbed off in the second half. With about 15 minutes to play, coach asked me to go back in. I said, "nah, I'm good. Let one of the younger kids play".

We won the ECACs in 97' my Freshman year.
In hindsight, it was the beginning of the 60 game win streak that saw us win the NCAA in '99.
ECAC Titles are a big deal man and does a lot for team confidence and building.

I think most of us would definitely want to lace them up a few times more if given the opportunity. For the boys playing now and especially this weekend. Enjoy it man.
You will be thinking about these moments for as long as you live.

[Ejay]

My Junior year we won the ECAC tournament. It was awesome. My senior year, nobody wanted to play in it. It was a frustrating year and we just wanted it over. We made the finals and it was 38 degrees, raining, with 30 MPH winds. The absolute worst game to finish your career on. I was never so happy to be subbed off in the second half. With about 15 minutes to play, coach asked me to go back in. I said, "nah, I'm good. Let one of the younger kids play".

In the moment you were fine giving it up because of the weather, frustration, etc., but looking back on it (not now, but back then) would you want one more game? I would say probably yes...

I know in my case I would.

It's a great question, but I was honestly done. Took me almost 2 years before I touched a ball again.

What I would want though, is to redo that entire season. We were returning 10 starters, we had a successful preseason trip with all returning players (defeating a U20 National Team among others), and were firing on all cylinders. Things looked promising. So what does coach do? He throws 3 new players (1 freshmen, 2 transfers) into the starting lineup. There goes the chemistry. Things just spiraled from there.

[kevdog]

My Junior year we won the ECAC tournament. It was awesome. My senior year, nobody wanted to play in it. It was a frustrating year and we just wanted it over. We made the finals and it was 38 degrees, raining, with 30 MPH winds. The absolute worst game to finish your career on. I was never so happy to be subbed off in the second half. With about 15 minutes to play, coach asked me to go back in. I said, "nah, I'm good. Let one of the younger kids play".

We won the ECACs in 97' my Freshman year.
In hindsight, it was the beginning of the 60 game win streak that saw us win the NCAA in '99.
ECAC Titles are a big deal man and does a lot for team confidence and building.

I think most of us would definitely want to lace them up a few times more if given the opportunity. For the boys playing now and especially this weekend. Enjoy it man.
You will be thinking about these moments for as long as you live.

That was definitely a change because in 93 we had a chance to go but the administration did not want to pay for us to go. That didn't sit well with us or a lot of people especially since tuition, room and board was so high. It definitely does give you confidence.