Well gotta say Adrian and Hope right now.  Adrian knocked off Marietta on Saturday.  I'd say Adrian is the odds on favorite. 

I think Calvin, Trine and Albion are all potential maybe's.   Also next year we will finally see the MIAA conference tournament to see who goes to the NCAA...wow! 

Looks like the MidEast Region will be tough again.  Being an MIAA fan, I was very surprised to see Adrian split with Marietta.  Does D3Baseball.com really think Adrian's off to a disappointing start?  Looks to me they had a good spring trip against some quality teams.  Also see Marietta's staff looks tough, Heidelberg is pounding the ball.  Can't wait til the season gets in full swing!

Ralph,

Will be looking forward to seeing your thoughts on this.  I see the Mideast being the region that will get traditional Mideast teams sent out.  I see Adrian and Rose-Hulman being sent to either the Central or Midwest.  I just don't see enough teams to fill those regionals.  I haven't checked, but think Adrian or RHIT can bus to both sites and stay under the miles.  I also see other teams from the East regions that can get to Marietta, not to mention the east has several teams that should get in.

Thoughts??

Should be fun...

Yes...sorry for misleading you here.  Jim Lyall, the new head coach at Siena Heights, is the former head coach at Adrian College.  Perhaps we might see the Adrian College vs. Siena Heights match up someday?  I know schedules are usually done two years in advance, but you never know.

After completing a thorough five-month exploration process, Siena Heights University announced it is starting intercollegiate football that will begin play in fall 2011.

President Albert said the decision was made to move forward with football based on the recommendation of the Football Task Force she established in January. The task force was led by SHU Athletic Director Fred Smith and included SHU faculty, staff and students as well as board members and members of the community. This task force gathered extensive information, including how football would impact the athletic, academic, financial and student life areas of SHU. After this information was compiled and presented, the SHU Board of Trustees met May 1, 2010, and approved the plan to begin football, which was the final step in the approval process.

"Adding football at Siena Heights has been talked about for years, but this was the right time for us," Smith said. "I was impressed by the way our community came together and looked at all the factors involved in this decision, which were many. I would especially like to thank all those who were involved in the process. I am thrilled to have helped lead this exploration process and believe football will enhance the university as well as our athletic program."

Siena Heights also introduced the coach who will begin Siena Heights' football tradition. Veteran coach Jim Lyall was introduced as Siena Heights' first head coach. With more than 20 years as a college head coach as well as being a former player at the University of Michigan under the late legendary coach Bo Schembechler, Lyall will bring his combination of leadership, experience and character to Siena Heights, according to Smith.

"We couldn't have asked for a better person to lead our football program," he said. "We wanted someone who understood not only how to run a college football program, but could build it the right way. We want success both on and off the field, and Jim will accomplish that for us at Siena Heights."

"Since the very first day I came over and interviewed with Sister Peg, her focus is on the students here at Siena," said Lyall, who served as a consultant during the exploration process. "Everything she does is pointed in that direction. How do we make the mission come alive here? How are we going to affect these young men and young women at Siena Heights for really the rest of their lives. ... Having the opportunity to talk with Sister Peg, I know how important the mission is to Siena Heights University and that a program could be built around that whole idea of helping young men become competent, giving them purpose, meaning in their lives. And teaching and modeling ethical behavior. That has to be the foundation of the program."

Lyall said he and new offensive/recruiting coordinator Jeff Hancock will begin recruiting student-athletes immediately. The Saints, who will become the only Catholic college or university in Michigan to offer football scholarships, will play a junior varsity schedule beginning in fall 2011. SHU has applied for membership in the Mid-States Football Conference, one of the top NAIA conferences in the country. If accepted, Siena Heights will begin conference play in 2012.

"We need to have young men who understand the whole meaning of character and integrity," Lyall said. "Because we don't have any senior leadership right now, it's going to be important for us to recruit a certain type of student-athlete. We're going to target captains. We're going to going to target players from programs that have been successful."

The Saints will also compete on a new, on-campus, artificial grass outdoor performance stadium that is expected to be completed by the start of the 2011 season.

Adrian clinches birth today with sweep of Albion.  Adrian is now co-champs for sure and needs one win to win it outright.  However, they still claimed the NCAA berth for the MIAA by beating everyone head to head that is chasing Adrian.  Congrats to the Bulldogs!

Let it Rain-

I don't know....looks like Wisc. Whitewater might not be the same, but if I want any returners back I want the Oline, All-American RB and All time WR leader back...don't forget the rumors that Adrian lost three of four Dline starters from last year - they either transferred or graduated.

The 2010 Warhawks return seven starters on defense and five offense. Sixteen more players that were listed on UW-W's two-deep are also back. Among the players returning are All-American running back Levell Coppage (2,107 yards, 35 TD's), four of the five offensive linemen including All-American guard Matt Weber, and wide receiver Aaron Rusch, UW-W's career reception leader.

formerD3:

Well put and well taken.  I did confirm today from an "Adrian Alum" that all three of those things have went down.  ADAWG might be able to provide more info as well?  I'm sure this is just some of the stuff going on.

I heard the first full time hire was let go - I'll simply put from what I'm told, "it wasn't good".

A school dropped them for next year.  That school's coach is a former Adrian alum and former staff member with Lyall.  From what I'm told, he didn't like how they handled it and got support from his bosses to go ahead.  So it sounds like Adrian is scrambling for a 10th game.

Two full-time defensive line guys did leave the team.  One transferred to Northwood, the other is not in school.  From what I'm told these guys were pretty good.  Take that they lost the MIAA defensive MVP, that might hurt a tad.

Like you mentioned, I as well wish Adrian luck in the future, but it sounds like the football family around the country supports giving a man a good exit, rather than pushing him out classless. 

What goes around comes around?

Haven't posted in quite sometime, but read everyday...

tell me my friends from Adrian...i talked to another MIAA source who is very trustworthy.  He tells me that all of Adrian's defensive line has transferred, one of their coaches has been fired already and recruits are down.  He also told me that an alum, who was to play Adrian this year, dropped them cold turkey like two weeks ago for this year?!?!? 

Sounds like a rough start to the new era...

thoughts...

I shake my head at this and wonder why the change was made.  I mean really, why was this needed?  Sad day in the MIAA. 

ADAWG:  Jim Deere, the new head coach, didn't he have a pony tail coaching a couple of years ago?  If so, I never thought he'd be in control, not saying a guy with a pony tail couldn't be a head coach, but from the sounds of it, the president at AC probably wouldn't let the pony tail back on the sidelines, LOL.  I remember some great stories provided about that guy from friends that played with him.  Congrats to him!

ADAWG:

Word in the MIAA is if AC doesn't win, their staff is possibly going to be let go?  Is this rumors?  Seems to me this has been mentioned in years before as well.  If true, that is sad.  Facilities or not, no president should let go a D3 coach, who keeps the schools enrollment up with recruiting 100 kids, like Jim Lyall has done for what, 18 years.   I imagine a guy like Coach Lyall who has been at Adrian for so long, has the support of former players, right?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Capital has an opening?  I didn't know?  What happened?

I've talked to some people at Adrian and the recruits have been showing up non stop at Adrian.  I'm hearing transfers are coming from all around to come back and play for Mark White.  It is pretty exciting to hear.  Also heard about a kid that played for White that was the top 250 players in the nation by rivals.com appears to be heading to Adrian.  I'm sure everyone will wonder how this is happening, like me?

I'm hearing press conference set in Adrian this week.

Long time no post!  I've been watching, but haven't wrote in a while.  Anyways, I was enjoying this nice weather on the deck with some brewski's, when a friend of mine who knows some people over at Adrian said they are hot to trot on Mark White for their new basketball coach.  Sounded to me like it is a done deal.  I guess former player, coaches down in Detroit, a proven winner.  I guess we'll have to see their website here in the next couple of weeks.  This year is probably shot for recruiting eh?

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090220/SPORTS05/902200326/1004

For those of you that don't know...read above....this would be a great pick-up for Adrian College.