Still have to think that, despite Whitman's loss tonight, that Concordia-Moorhead is still in.  They'd better be or I'll raise hell come Monday. 

A MIAC guy just crossing over to the MIAA board for the first time.  The UST - Hope game should be a great one to be sure.  Have heard a lot about Liz Ellis on here.  Can anyone else break down the Hope team for me?

Hard to believe but here we are again.  The close of yet another regular season and the MIAC Playoffs that saw UST repeating as champs in a year where everything did not necessarily go smoothly for them.  Yet when the chips were down, they found a way to battle back and find themselves again and, just as important, get their mojo back as well.  But let's also give some props to both Concordia and SMU as well.  The Cobbers got the regular season title and got to host the MIAC Championsship Game for the first time since 2006.  It's obviously disappointing for them not being able to close the deal but they have a lot to be proud of this year.  And how about SMU down in Winona.  Winning a season high of 22 games and fnishing tied for second with UST in the conference standings.  They have definitely set the bar much higher there and I think they'll be one of the upper echelon teams in the MIAC now.

That said, how does all this parlay out in the big scheme of things; particularly on Selection Monday?  It's difficult to tell, but I feel quite confident that the MIAC will get at least two bids this time around after being consistently short-changed by the mindless nimrods at the NCAA Selection Committee.  There's just simply no, no way, that the MIAC doesn't get two bids this time around.  I think things played out well enough around the West Region that makes this possible.  I'd also like to think that there might be a miracle out there that would allow SMU to sneak into the dance as well.  They're deserving of it and, while their body of work may work against them, their 22 wins can't be ignored either; especially in a conference as tough as the MIAC is from top to bottom.  So, let's look at the prospects for the MIAC's best hopes:


UST - They can relax and enjoy the day today knowing that they're in with the AQ as MIAC Playoff Champions.  The big question for them now is where are they going to be sent?  It's unlikely, IMHO, that they'd get to host a Regional pod with Simpson winning the IIAC Championship Game and with a 24-1 Cornell team winning the MWC Championship Game as well.  So the guess here is that they'll get sent to either Simpson (located in Indianola which is not that far from Des Moines) or possibly to Cornell (located in Mt. Vernon which is just a hop, skip and a jump away from Cedar Rapids on U.S. Highway 30 and the Union Pacific's "Overland Route" mainline).  Personally, I'd like to see the Tommies shipped down to Mt. Vernon as it's a much better trip down there than it would be to Indianola and I would like the Tommies chances of making a deep run much better there than I ever would at Simpson.


Concordia - You know they'll be on pins and needles up in Moorhead today but it's just incredibly difficult for me to envision a scenario in which they get left out.  With a 21-5 overall record and their body of work which includes a MIAC regular season title, it would be incredibly outrageous if they get the shaft here.  Their opening season loss to UM-Morris hurts but that shouldn't be enough to damage the other good things they've done.  Assuming they get in (they bloody well better) I'm guessing that they'll get shipped out west to either Cal Lutheran or perhaps Lewis & Clark (despite their loss in the NWC Championship Game).  It would be a bonus for them to get sent to either of the possible Iowa destinations or perhaps over to UW-Stevens Point but I don't see it playing out like that.


SMU - They're a longshot here (and even they know that as well).  Still, they're deserving of an invite to the dance and I would love this for seniors Jessica Thone and Jamie Stefely to get one more shot.  IF, if they somehow garner an invite, they'll get sent over to UW-Stevens Point or to one of the Iowa destinations.  Let's hope they have a reason to celebrate over at the Chula Vista restaurant in Winona tonight!     


UPDATE - D3 Hoops' Pat Coleman has Concordia in - barely (!) - but in nonetheless!  Even more interesting is that they have the Cobbers headed to Mt. Vernon to take in UW-Whitewater in a VERY intriguing 1st round match-up and instead have St. Scholastica headed out west.  Hmmm...Well, in any event we'll find out at 1:30 this afternoon how this is all going to shake out! 

Oh yeah, that time of the year again to try and break down the MIAC Playoffs in what has been an incredibly unpredictable year.....Let's see I can make some sense out of all this and try and predict what MAY happen.


6.  GAC - This has been arguably a trying season under new Head Coach Laurie Kelly that saw the Gusties bolt out to a good start only to have the bottom almost fall out come mid/late January.  The tailspin this squad endured makes me hesitant to even think that they would even have a remote chance of doing the unthinkable.  But the Gusties do have one element in their favor that some of the other teams in this mix don't have - experience.  Seniors Abby Rothenbuehler, Kelsey Florian and Steph Comer have all been in these battles in past seasons and know what it takes to win these games.  Junior Julia Dysthie can be one of the most dangerous players out there and can be deadly behind the arc.  But if the Gusties are going to do this, they're going to have to do it the hard way - on the road.

Sure sign of trouble - If the turnovers start piling up early on and Rothenbuehler gets into foul trouble before halftime.



5.  Hamline - This wildly unpredictable team has been one of the toughest puzzles to try and figure out this season and it's equally difficult to predict their chances beginning with tonight up at CSB.  Yet if there's a longshot in this mix that can pull this off and shock the world in the process it's this group.  There is simply no other team in the conference that possesses the kind of speed and athleticism they have and it's little wonder that a lot of teams hate having to play Hamline.  They also have a trio of seniors who can light it up behind the arc as well; Steph Pilgrm, Cassidy Vogt and Kara Poirer.  They are not a "big" team by any means and depth can be an issue for this squad.  Yet, given their body of work during the regular season (road wins at both Concordia and UST) I can't put it completely past them to pull this off.

Sure sign of trouble - If the "3's" aren't falling and they are forced to play a slower-tempo halfcourt game where they get beat up in the paint.



4.  CSB - The Blazers were aruably the hottest team in the conference not long ago; ripping off ten straight wins in a period from mid-January to early February; capped off by the big home win against Concordia.  They then leveled off somewhat; dropping two straight before rallying at home in the regular season finale vs St. Olaf.  This is a relatively young team but it does have two seniors who are leading the way nicely for Mike Durbin's squad - Whitney Canton and Morgan Dale.  While this team has a lot of potential for the future, I think it's probably a bridge too far for this team to win it all and the late road losses to both UST and SMU I think reflect my cautious approach with this group.

Sure sign of trouble - If they start getting beat at the post position (especially now w/o Hylla) and Canton and the Lueck Sisters can't bail them out behind the arc.



3.  SMU - Clearly one of the more pleasant surprises in this conference has been the emergence of former Cobber great Mandy Pearson's squad into one of the upper echelon teams in the MIAC.  I only got to see them play once this season but was very impressed with what I saw.  They have a great scorer from the outside in Jessica Thone and a dual big threat in both senior Jamie Stefely and junior post Courtney Euerle plus a very underrated player, IMHO, in Octavia Brown.  Plus, you really have to like their body of work as well (18-4 conference, 21-4 overall) which SHOULD be good enough to get them into the Big Dance if they can manage to get past GAC tonight at home in Winona.  I do have a bit of concern wrt their lack of experience in the MIAC playoffs despite their win at St. Olaf last year before falling to UST but this is a team that definitely can pull it off if everything fall into place for them just right.


Sure sign of trouble - If Euerle gets bottled up down low and Thone is unable to come to the rescue behind the arc.



2.  UST - You had to wonder at one point in the season when the Tommies suddenly lost four out of six games in January if their aura of invincibility had finally dried up and if they were now mortal like the rest of us.  Well, Ruth Sinn's squad proved that they could not only recover despite the inuries and other off-court happenings that tried this squad mightily but also look as good as ever in the latter stages of the regular season.  Taylor Young LOOKS to be 100% right now and Anna Smith has done well in filling in for Maggie Weiers who was lost in the second game of the season to injury.  The Tommies have also had a lot of young players step up this year as well.  The bottom line here is that this team made a serious run to the whole ball of wax last year (probably should have won it) and they will be awfully tough for anyone to knock off whether it's at Schoenecker Arena or on the road.

Sure sign of trouble - If Young or Kellie Ring should be victim to a freak injury.  The Tommies NEED those two.  It's as simple as that.



1.  Concordia - Am not at all surprised to see Jessica Rahman's squad in this spot as they ALWAYS seem to be in the thick of things in one way or another this time of the year.  Having the #1 seed is a bit of a change but if there's one team that can handle it, it's these guys.  They're not particularly flashy and they won't necessarily "wow" you with anything they do out there.  They're just coldly and brutally efficient.  At the same time, this paradoxically seems to be their undoing on the national stage as they haven't been past the first round in the NCAA Tournament yet in trips to both Wisconsin and Iowa in recent years.  Still, I really like the core of this squad; seniors Emily Thesing and Tricia Sorensen and sophomore sharpshooter Alley Fisher and having the odds being on your side give this team the inside track to repeat their feat from two years ago.

Sure sign of trouble - If Lippert gets into early foul trouble the burden down low will fall on reserve junior Kelsey Walloch.  And Fisher and Thesing have to keep defenses honest by hitting enough treys as well. 

With the MIAC playoffs looming in a couple of days, I thought this A.M. might be a very good time to bang out the last power rankings for this season.

1.  Concordia

2.  (tie)  SMU & UST

3.  CSB

4.  Hamline

5.  GAC

6.  St. Olaf

7.  Augsburg

8.  Bethel

9.  Carleton

10.  Macalester

11.  St. Kate's


Congrats to the Corn on winning the MIAC regular season title and locking up the #1 seed in the MIAC playoffs this week.  They survived the brutal MIAC regular season with the fewest nicks.  Both SMU and UST are right up there as well and I think you have to give UST a lot of credit for turning things around when they went through a rough stretch not so long ago.  CSB has leveled off a little bit but this is a young team with a bright future ahead of it.  Hamline has a knack for living dangerously - and they survived two huge challenges this last week.  GAC had to work hard to hold off Carleton at home and then, somewhat predictably fell to the Corn up in Moorhead yesterday. 

Without question the most confounding team this year was St. Olaf which had so much hope, potential and promise at the beginning of the year only to have injuries and other misfortunes doom this talented group.  Yesterday's loss at CSB in which they blew an 18-point halftime lead really was the season in a nutshell for this program and I can't help but feel badly for seniors Mackenzie Wolter, Erin Haglund, (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue, and Ashley Menzel who had set lofty goals at the beginning of this year.  Augsburg never was consistent enough to put together a stretch run despite the talent it has.  Bethel will be a team to keep your eye on in the next couple of years as this young group gains experience as the Royals have a bevy of talent.  Carleton, Macalester and St. Kate's are all going through a lot of growing pains right now and can only go up. 

Tuesday A.M. I'll handicap the MIAC playoffs and see if I can shed some light on who might emerge from the battles to claim the MIAC Championship game - and the automatic bid to the Big Dance.

One more week of the regular season to go and it's a jumbled up mess at the top.....

1.  Concordia

2.  (tie)  SMU & UST

3.  CSB

4.  Hamline

5.  GAC

6.  St. Olaf

7.  (tie) Carleton & Augsburg

8.  Bethel

9.  Macalester

10.  St. Kate's


Cobbers remain atop of the hill for this Monday A.M. despite losing a tough one this last Wednesday night in St. Joe to CSB.  Things could have gone totally kablooey for them but they hunkered down and held off a hot Hamline squad in Hutton Arena on Saturday.  This last week of the regular season LOOKS favorable anyway; with home dates against St. Kate's on Wednesday and then GAC on Saturday to close out the regular season - and then presumably to get the #1 seed in the MIAC playoffs.  SMU, however, is right on their tails as is now suddenly UST which seems to be sailing in the right direction again as they recorded a resounding victory over CSB on Saturday.  As such, I simply felt I had to knock CSB into the third spot on my power rankings as I'm beginning to have serious doubts about if this team is ready (or capable) of pulling off road victories against the upper-echelon teams and they've got another big one on Wednesday night down the River in Winona against SMU.  Hamline had it's six-game joy ride come to an end on Saturday against the Corn but they have a great shot still to nail down that fifth spot as they have Bethel at home on Wednesday night and then a roadie at Carleton on Saturday.  GAC will likely have to settle for the sixth spot as they have to travel up to Moorhead on Saturday to take on the Corn.  St. Olaf's slim (and I mean SLIM) playoff hopes, which were put back on life support this last week, will likely get the plug finally pulled as they have BOTH UST and CSB this coming week.  Ouch.

As we head into the home stretch of the regular season, things are beginning to finally shake out - in some cases in a very unexpected way....

1.  Concordia

2.  CSB

3.  SMU

4.  UST

5.  Hamline

6.  (tie) St. Olaf & GAC

7.  Augsburg

8.  Bethel

9.  Carleton

10.  Macalester

11.  St. Kate's

Give props to the Cobbers for enduring road games on back-to-back days - and getting over on both occasions.  As such, they're solidifying their spot at the top of the heap - at least for the time being anyway as CSB continues to nip on their heels.  The Blazers are arguably the hottest team in the conference right now as they've ripped off eight straight wins and logic would suggest they'll make it nine in a row tonight before the big showdown Wednesday night at home against Concordia where they'll have to roll the dice.  SMU, meanwhile, blew a golden opportunity to knock the top dog off of its perch when they lost at home to Concordia yesterday.  Still, at 17-4 overall (14-4 in conference play) they're still in good shape and the only daunting aspect left of the regular season schedule is a return trip to CSB and, you'd have to think that, in a worst-case scenario that they'd be no worse than a #3 seed come playoff time.  UST has at least stopped treading water and now appears to be afloat again but they've still got work ahead of them - a home date with CSB and a roadie down to St. Olaf are still in the offing for them.

The same cannot be said, however, for GAC as they've gone into a total free-fall rivaling the collapse of the Soviet Union and its east European satellite nations; losing five out of their last six games and six out of their last nine.  It's a downfall that, quite frankly, not even I could have ever envisioned happening.  Even more puzzling is the manner in which they're losing games as three of these losses have been by two points or less.  Now comes the $64,000 question:  Can the Gusties SOMEHOW turn this titanic-like season around and salvage something out of it?  (sigh).....I truly don't know....They've got talent certainly and those close games that they've lost would seem to suggest that they COULD anyway and it may also suggest that it may be a confidence factor more than anything.  At the same time, though, when I look at the road ahead for GAC, to say that it's going to be a hard row to hoe would be an understatement.  Road trips to both UST (yeah, yeah I know...We've been over that ad nauseum) and Concordia (gulp) remain and homes games with Macalester, St. Kate's and Carleton are no longer "sure" things.  In the end, I guess only the Gusties themselves can answer that question but I do not like how this is setting up at all for GAC.  Hamline is another team that is on a tear as they've suddenly won four straight and their schedule is a bit more favorable as they've got both St. Olaf and Concordia at home.  The Oles are still clinging to a life-line; they're likely pointing to that showdown at Hamline this coming Wednesday night.     

(yawn) Just another wild, crazy week in the MIAC.  So, what else is new?  Anyway, here's how things stack up in this Monday morning's MIAC Power Rankings:


1.  Concordia

2.  (tie) CSB & SMU

3.  (tie) UST & GAC

4.  (tie) St. Olaf & Hamline

5.  Augsburg

6.  Carleton

7.  Bethel

8.  Macalester

9.  St. Kate's


The sure and steady Cobbers have suddenly vaulted their way to the top of the rankings by scoring huge wins this last week including the big upset of UST this last Monday night.  While things look favorable for them this week, they do have big road contests looming in the distance at both SMU and CSB.  Speaking of those two, they now find themselves embroiled in a battle for second place (in both rankings AND conference standings) as the Cardinals claimed two road wins at Hamline and St. Kate's that sandwiched the huge win at home vs UST while CSB claimed three wins this last week; highlighted by the thriller in St. Peter against GAC......

Meanwhile, suddenly slumping UST has seen its dreams of easily repeating as MIAC champions go up in flames as they've inexplicably lost four out of their last six.  I don't want to say that the Tommies are suddenly circling the drain but it must feel like it right about now.  Another team that may want to strongly consider breaking out the panic button is GAC as they've now lost three out of their last four games; including heartbreakers at home to both Concordia and CSB just this last Saturday.  Things don't get any easier for the Gusties as they have to travel to Winona on Wednesday night to go up against SMU and then come up to the Cities on Saturday for another tricky contest at Hamline.  Speaking of the Pipers, they've suddenly got on the right track despite dropping a tough game to SMU last week Monday night by getting a big road win at Augsburg and then pulling off the unthinkable by knocking off UST in the Tommies own crib on Saturday.  St. Olaf, which appeared to be on life support just a mere week ago has suddenly righted the ship as well by getting three big wins this last week including the big one at home against GAC last Wednesday night.  IF, if they can stay healthy and get point production from their guards (Mackenzie Wolter, Lauren Gutierrez, and Kim Cerjan) they could be very, very dangerous once the conference playoffs roll around.         

Let's see how things look as of this A.M.  Not surprisingly, a few changes are in the offing......


1.  UST

2.  (tie) GAC, Concordia, & CSB

3.  SMU

4.  Hamline

5.  St. Olaf

6.  Carleton

7.  Augsburg

8.  Bethel

9.  Macalester

10.  St. Kate's

Tommies remain in the top spot after convincing victories but this upcoming week will be a huge test as they have roadies at Concordia (tonight 1-21) and then down the River in Winona on Wednesday night.  The Cobbers, meanwhile, got their act together by claiming not only a road win at Bethel but going into St. Peter and pulling off the upset against the Gusties.  A heartbreaker for sure for GAC but they should presumably take care of business this week before another showdown at home with suddenly surging CSB next Saturday.  The Blazers just continue to impress me with strong showings on the road this last week and they should also roll before the showdown with GAC next Saturday.  As such, I've got a three-way logjam in the second spot for the moment.  SMU got a huge scare on Saturday at Augsburg and had to go into an extra session to stave off defeat.  This week will be a huge opportunity for the Cardinals as they have favorable road trips at Hamline and St. Kate's that sandwich the big home game Wednesday night with UST.  I think that, when you take a look at the top five teams in this conference, it just shows you how incredibly strong the MIAC truly is this year.

Just getting into mid-January and already we're getting a glimpse of how incredibly crazy this conference can be at times.  Saturday's events obviously shake things up some but I've a feeling this may only be the beginning.

First, before I go too far here I want to offer my sincerest apologies to the Gustavus program for the remark that I made last week.  It was off-color and highly inappropriate and, contrary to what I was trying to convey.  I don't deny that I get a little carried away sometimes with what I say and how I try to say it and I guess this was one of those times.  It should have been done differently.  Lesson learned.  That said, it doesn't change the situation because, in the final analysis, no matter how you twist it or turn it or slice it and dice it, it is what it is and the numbers don't lie.

Moving right along, let's take a look at how things are on this Monday morning....

1.  UST

2.  GAC

3.  SMU

4.  CSB

5.  Concordia

6.  Hamline

7.  Augsburg

8.  St. Olaf

9.  Macalester

10.  Carleton

11.  Bethel

12.  St. Kate's

So, who'd have thunk it?  CSB pulled off the upset of the weekend (maybe of the year) by knocking off big bad UST at home in St. Joe.  Realistically, I think this young Blazer team is probably a year away from seriously contending for the title but Saturday's stunning upset I think gives us the first glimpse of what this team is capable of.  I'll keep UST at the top spot for now by virtue of the 65-43 shellacking they handed the #2 team in the rankings, GAC, at Schoenecker West.....I mean, I mean, Lund Arena, this last Wednesday night.  Now, however, UST finds their lofty spot atop the hill suddenly slippery and they'd better be careful because there's a host of challengers more than happy and ready to replace them.  GAC, as expected, rebounded from Wednesday night's defeat by cruising to an easy win over at St. Kate's on Saturday.  At the moment, they would appear to be the heir apparent to take over the top spot should UST stumble again as they're tied with the Tommies in the actual standings for first place.  SMU took care of business at home over the last couple of outings as expected but, in the other stunner this last weekend Hamline, despite having their bus careen off an icy I-94 on Friday night, got into Moorhead on Saturday and shocked the Cobbers in OT.  This Hamline team may very well be the most dangerous team in the conference right now and when they're hot, look out.  As a result, the Birds move up to #3 while the Corn slides down to #5.

Elsewhere, can ANYONE out there please explain what the deal is with St. Olaf???  Yes, they did win on Saturday but they had to pull off a late run to stave off defeat AT HOME against Augsburg.  Just not very impressive, IMHO, of a team with the kind of talent that they have.  At this juncture, it's difficult for me to envision the Oles overtaking Hamline for that sixth spot UNLESS the Pipers get riddled again with red crosses like they did last year with the injury bug (hmm...a lot like my fantasy football team every year).  I give the Scots the 9th spot for now as I haven't seen Carleton play yet.  Bethel, despite Saturday's loss in Winona, appears to be getting incrementally better with each outing as they picked up their first conference win this last Wednesday night against St. Kate's.

Well, here we are; the first Monday in January 2013 and it's time once again for my weekly MIAC Power Rankings:

1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  Concordia
4.  SMU
5.  CSB
6.  Hamline
7.  St. Olaf
8.  Macalester
9.  (tie) Carleton & Augsburg
10.  (tie) Bethel & St. Kate's

At this early point in the season, it's difficult to deviate from the actual standings too much.  No surprise to who's still at the top.  But how about GAC sporting a 7-0 conference record so far and 8-2 overall?  I have to admit that even I could not have forseen that one.  Whether GAC can continue on this unexpected run I don't know but I think you have to give first year Head Coach Laurie Kelly a LOT of credit for bringing this squad to where they are right now.  That said, Gusties have two big games coming up this week - tonight at Macalester and then Wednesday night at home against UST.  Gusties found out last year the hard way that they'd better not take Scots for granted in Leonard Center.  And GAC has been UST's little b***h the last few seasons.  Concordia, meanwhile, is still solid; still rolling right along as expected.  SMU, despite taking a hit last Wednesday night at GAC remains in the thick of things.  I give them an edge over CSB at this point anyway.  Hamline is in the sixth spot in my rankings because I can't justify putting St. Olaf over them at this juncture.  I do, however, give the Oles the benefit of the doubt as I have them in the seventh spot as they found a way to overcome a very sluggish start at Bethel on Saturday.  But, as I've said before, their margin for error is practically non-existent at this point and blowing a 27 point second half lead at Concordia last week burned up another one of their lifelines.       

Quote from: bballfan13 on January 02, 2013, 08:35:04 PM
Anyone know why Taylor Young is not playing for St. Thomas?  Do you know when she will return?  Also, any news on Maggie Weiers injury and when she will return?

While Weiers is out for the year (presumably anyway) with her foot injury, it is anticipated that Young SHOULD be back playing for the Tommies sometime this month last I heard.

Well, here we go.  I've given this a lot of thought over the last several weeks and also wanted to see what some other thoughts were before I went and just put something out there.  So here's my thoughts on how things will shake out this year.




Hands Down Favorite




1.  UST - How can you NOT go with this squad?  Other than losing the MIAC's 3-point shooting Queen in Ali Johnson and trusty guard Carolyn Dienhart along with do it all post Sarah Smith the Tommies have an abundance of talent coming back; notably all-world Taylor Young and the MIAC's premier post player in Maggie Weiers.  And not only that, they have some great up and coming players in Kelly Brandenburg and former Eastview standout Jen Dockter.  Perhaps the only thing different about this year's version is that they may not be infalliable as they were last year; asking them to go undefeated in the MIAC two years in a row may be a bridge too far.  And let's also not forget that the Tommies get their mettle tested early - like this upcoming weekend - when they travel to Decatur, Illinois to take part in the Coaches vs Cancer Classic and take on preseason #1 Calvin on Friday night and then turn around and take on perennial powerhouse host Millikin.  A week later, the Tommies then host WIAC favorite UW-Stevens Point.  It's quite possible that a great team like UST could have a couple of dents in its record by the time they delve into MIAC play.







The Title Challengers




2.  St. Olaf - Last year was something of a disappointment for the Oles as they showed potential from time to time but could turn around the next night and be wildly inconsistent and lose to the Detroit Lions of the hoops world.  But the difference with this year's squad is that Head Coach Dave Stromme finally has depth at pretty much every position - a luxury he didn't enjoy last year.  It's young depth but it's depth nonetheless.  They've got a fantastic front line consisting of junior Elise Raney, senior Erin Haglund and sophomore Nikki Frogner who hails from Providence Academy.  Sophomore Maddie Ehrich is now finally healthy again and senior Ashley Menzel and junior Brit Webber should be fully healthy soon.  Stromme also has the best point guard in the conference, IMHO, in Mackenzie Wolter.  Unfortunately, Wolter may be out for an undetermined amount of time with an injury and this may be where all that young depth has to step up in a hurry.  Presumably freshman Lauren Gutierrez will fall into that spot.  In any event, if there was ever a year where St. Olaf had a legitimate shot of winning the title, this year would have to be it.




3.  Concordia - The Cobbers were probably one of the more under appreciated teams last year as they quietly went on a run late in the year before bowing to GAC in the MIAC playoff semifinals.  Given how incredibly steady and consisten they are and with the returners they have coming back; not to mention one of the best coaches in the conference in Jessica Rahman, this squad will be that much better this year and have a shot to unseat UST as well.  Seniors Tricia Sorensen and Emily Thesing have a knack for being in the right place at the right time (they learned well from their predecessors) and 6'4" post Alexandra Lippert is now a seasoned junior.   







Solid Playoff Contenders




4.  SMU - I have to admit that I really didn't know this team that well and only got to see them play once - when they upset St. Olaf in Northfield in the first round of the MIAC playoffs before bowing to UST.  They have one of the top post players in the conference in junior Courtney Euerle and a very versatile player in senior Jamie Stefely along with solid guard play led by fellow senior Jessica Thone.  They surprised a lot of people last year (including yours truly) in getting to the MIAC playoffs and now that they've done that they certainly have bigger and loftier goals for this season.  I don't think that they're quite on the same level as either St. Olaf or Concordia; much less UST but they should be at least marginally better than what they were a year ago.




5.  GAC - It's a new era in St. Peter as Laurie Kelly assumes the head coaching position that was held by Mickey Haller for 10+ seasons.  This is a team that also lost the best point guard in the conference last year in Colleen Ruane along with Molly Geske and defensive specialist Ava Perry so there are some HUGE holes to fill here.  The point guard spot will likely be inherited by senior Steph Comer who I felt slowly started coming into her own last season.  There are plenty of other bright spots for the Gusties as well - senior post Abby Rothenbuehler and fellow senior Kelsey Florian along with junior three-point bomber Julia Dysthe and freshman sensation Lindsey Johnson.  The big question for the Gusties is transitioning into a new system and how well they adapt.  This should be a squad that is definitely good enough to at least get to the MIAC playoffs.  Beyond that, I just don't know.




6.  CSB - The Blazers are arguably one of the great unknowns to me and arguably to perhaps others as well.  I simply don't know very much about this team other than they return seniors Whitney Canton, Morgan Dale and Jamie Wollin.  This is a program that slipped badly a year ago and never could find any degree of consistency to get into that upper echelon where they normally find themselves.  But, credit longtime Head Coach Mike Durbin for going out and hitting the recruiting trail HARD.  Just looking at their roster has to make one salivate at what the future holds:  6'6" Sydney Hughes out of Olympia, Washington and 6'1" Sarah Berbos out of Fullerton, California; two lanky freshmen that highlight an impressive list of up and comers for the Blazers.  This year may again be more of a learning year for this young team but they should be good enough to be in the playoff hunt and after that - LOOK OUT!!







Challenging For That Coveted Sixth Spot




7.  Bethel - It's not easy to have to replace the MIAC's Player of The Year in Taylor Sheley but that's exactly what Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has to do.  Truth is, you can't really "replace" someone like Sheley who, in many ways, helped the Royals get back to back playoff berths single-handedly with her scoring ability.  You just have to make the moving parts you do have work.  And the Royals do have some very good moving parts beginning with senior Kelly Swenson who can be one of the dominant defensive players in the conference.  She does have the ability to score as well and this year she needs to assert herself from an offensive standpoint.  Also back is senior guard/forward Alicia Montbriand who has the ability to light things up from downtown along with capable junior Nicole Berscheid.  Bethel's margin for error is much smaller than what it was last year and they have to avoid that Chicago Cub-like January swoon that could kill their chances.




8.  Hamline - Granted, I've had some of my fantasy football teams go totally club med on me in years past but what happened at Hamline last year was utterly ridiculous as Head Coach Kerri Stockwell had to use bubble gum and baling wire just to keep her team intact through all the injuries they suffered last year.  Despite losing post Steph Rice to graduation they still have a solid nucleus of returnees highlighted by senior three-point specialist Steph Pilgrim and senior forward Cassidy Vogt coming off an ACL injury back in January.  Sophomore standout Jordan Sammons without question is one of the top athletes in the conference and can be a fantastic playmaker at any given moment.  This is an incredibly athletic, fast squad although not one of the bigger squads in the conference.  Needless to say, they have to keep their key cogs healthy at all times as depth could be an issue here as the season rolls along.




9.  Macalester - I've learned over the years to never, NEVER underestimate an Ellen Thompson-coached squad.  Even when she loses a great senior class from last season that included the three-point terrorist twin sister act of Jessica and Shannone Rene.  Still, the Scots got a huge get from transfer post player Veronika Jakubovie that definitely filled a hole at that position.  The roster at first glance may not look like much but one player to keep your eye on this year is junior Carmen Whitehead who has impressed yours truly in early season scrimmages.  Also, senior point guard Kyanna Jones is one of the most dangerous backcourt players you'll find in the MIAC.  They'll definitely have the ability to spoil some team's big dreams.







The Rest Of The Bunch




10.  Augsburg - The Auggies were a big surprise last year as well and some key losses late in they year kept this squad out of the MIAC playoffs.  Despite losing seniors Serenae Levine, Brittany Dyshaw and Lexi Thompson, Head Coach Bill McKee does have a solid enough group coming back highlighted by senior forward Brittany Zins.  Last year at this time I had no idea what to think of this group and I find myself in the same quandry this time around as well. 




11.  Carleton - In some ways, I feel like I should have this squad higher than in the eleventh spot but, just like CSB, they are one of the great unknowns to me as I did not get to see this team play at all last year.  When I got to visit with Head Coach Cassie Kosiba recently she seemed cautiously optimistic about her team's outlook for this season.  And, why not?  Despite struggling record-wise last year, this squad does have some players that make you stand up and take notice - particularly senior Akemi Arzouman and sophomore Skylar Tsutsui.  I don't know if this squad is really ready to take the next step; i.e., contending for a MIAC playoff spot, but they should definitely be better this time around.




12.  St. Kate's - The Wildcats also usher in a new era as well as new Head Coach Sean Pinkerton takes the reigns from Gary Rufsvold who stepped aside this last summer.  This is still a very young team with not one senior on the roster.  While not much may be expected of this year's edition of the Wildcats, they historically have not been the kind of team to simply go quietly in the night as they have been very scrappy at times and have given the best of teams fits.  The 'Cats will be led by sophomore Sarina Baker and junior Kristen Lee who can light it up from downtown.  A healthy Madison Pertler also returns as well and sophomore Sarah Mong looks to hold down the post spot this year. 

Quote from: miacmaniac on March 03, 2012, 03:57:02 PM

Quote from: LA RAMS on February 27, 2012, 05:48:22 PM
Well, wanted to take some time today to let my thoughts pour out about the injustice (ONCE AGAIN) done to the MIAC after watching the NCAA Women's Selection Show earlier this afternoon.  Yes, UST did get the automatic berth from Saturday's victory and will host a sub regional (pod) this weekend as expected.  BUT, as I feared earlier today, GAC got the mother of all snubs from the selection committee when it was left out of the field of 64 (in retrospect, I KNEW I should have made that quick run to Walgreens earlier this A.M. to get that little bottle of Vaseline that I just knew I'd need when the Selection Show came on).  Yes, despite going 20-6 on the year AND being ranked in the West Regional rankings - AND making it to the MIAC Championship game where they fell to UST after making a valiant second half comeback bid.  You'll notice, of course, that the neighboring WIAC and IIAC conferences got their requisite four (the WIAC gets FOUR!) and two teams in, respectively.  But, for some reason, the NCAA just doesn't think the MIAC is good enough to warrant this kind of consideration.  Well, gee, NCAA....thanks for all the consideration.  Hopefully, you'll have a somewhat better explanation for the four seniors on the GAC team (Molly Geske, Colleen Ruane, Ava Perry, and Liz Shay) who worked so hard this year and DESERVED an NCAA Tournament bid.  This is the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW that the MIAC has suffered this kind of fate and, quite frankly, it's getting old.  This is the time - NOW - when the conference, it's administrators, athletic directors, and coaches have to take DECISIVE action or else they'll be in the same predicament year after year after year.  Just utterly ridiculous.

As an avid follower of MIAC men's hoops and a casual follower of the women's game, Ive been scratching my head for nearly a week after readiing this, particularly the lines I put in bold. What "decisive action" should the conference administrators, MIAC school ADs and coaches be taking? Rams, be so kind as to explain what you think needs to be done. Are you suggrsting boycotting? Legal action? Cying and begging for a 2nd,3rd or more teams in the NCAA field?

I'd say maybe the MIAC teams need to post better nonconference records, and do so against quailty, in-region opponents. Not that long ago, 3 MIAC teams got in on the women's side, and if my memory serves me right, they all lost over the opening weekend.

"It's not fair" isnt a very logical argument; as JFK famously said "Life is not fair."

Actually, the coaches have already begun to take decisive action, agreeing in principle to divide the conference in two divisions ( North and South) which would call for a 16-game conference schedule that would really open up the possibilities for non-conference games for all the schools in the conference.  Of course, now it becomes a matter of getting the ADs on the same page as the coaches.  That could be a different matter entirely.....

That said, I still think you can make a very strong case for GAC getting into the Dance.  They won their two games out in California (against Occidental and Redlands) and lost a tough one to UW-River Falls on the Falcons home court; hardly a loss to hang your head over.  The truth of the matter is that there are conferences out there that are arguably weaker than the MIAC that get more than one team into the Big Show.

As far as the year that the MIAC DID get three teams in (2008), you should also note that all three were set up in position to lose early; both GAC and Carleton were sent down to Simpson while UST got shipped over to Wisconsin.  Things could have been that much different if one or two teams had been able to host a sub-regional pod.

Congratulations to Bethel's Taylor Sheley on being named MIAC POY - an honor well-deserved.