Hopefan,
Great stats. The SLIAC always has been in my mind, the worst or one of the worst conferences in D3 hands down. No men's team has ever won a playoff game.  Even the best teams in SLIAC history get pummeled in the 1st round by Wash U, IL Wesleyan, etc.  They just don't have the talent, period.  Same on the women's side.  A few high school teams in IL and MO would win the SLIAC handsdown, and they get most of their nonconference wins vs patsies.  I think it has gotten better, but not good enough.

It would be interesting to see how much A. running a D3 football program costs and B. how many student-athletes actually come to the school and pay tuition, and if they offset. 

I hardly doubt any schools make money off it.  Only the fewest of D1 teams make money off football, and even Ohio State is in the red this year.  FL will be in the red also.  I think in this era, schools are staying close to the books on financial responsibility, and in gender equity.

Coach Dubb,
I totally agree with you on many points.  The SLIAC has drawbacks in facilities and budgets, I understand it's hard to fundraise when you are teaching/coaching full time.  Kids don't want to raise $20k for a trip when they are paying $30k to go to school.  The conference is on the rise, but it is still one of the weakest in D3, and has been since inception.  I agree that the conference is getting better, but as a whole, they need to recruit better and play better vs non-conference opponents (CCIW, WIAC, Midwestern, etc).  I do believe Fontbonne had a good run in the 90s, and Maryville has since Coach Ellis 3rd year or so-college bball is 90% recruiting!! 

I do agree you can't have 6 cupcakes, but I think 3 of them could be, and then play 1 or 2 good teams as a measuring stick.  I would hardly call Stephens, Robert Morris, and others NAIA powerhouses.  If you were playing McKendree, Columbia College, or William Jewell, then I could understand. 

I totally agree-people make judgements on Coach Ellis unfairly.  Other coaches leave in their starters or want them to work on a different D when up 20 and no one says a word.  Just think some of the criticism is just due to jealousy.  I wish you all the best of luck and to watching more exciting games.

Well I think anyone would get crushed by D2 competition.  The SLIAC gets crushed by D3 competition-it is the worst conference in America in D3.  Hardly any teams with a winning record, don't win NCAA tourney games, and wins over top teams are few and far between.  I honestly believe some HS teams in MO and IL would make the SLIAC Tournament. 

The GLVC is one of the top 2 D2 conferences.  Even SIUE struggled in it, and UMSL has yet to be competitive except for one season years ago.  Maryville will have to recruit and will struggle for 3-4 years before being competitive, just like SIUE will struggle making the transition to D1.  Maryville will also not have the full 10 scholarships for a few years, so that will hurt recruiting.  They also do not have the recruiting grounds of a Indianapolis, N. Kentucky, etc., or the facilities.

I don't see any problem with putting your starters back in for a few minutes to work on some things.  This is competitive bball, not the YMCA.  If you can't beat them, then be quiet.  I was at the game, and I didn't see anything about running up the score.  Funny how when Maryville was terrible in the late 90s before Coach Ellis, no one complained about beating them by 30+ every night.  Recruit better, get better coaching, and beat a team instead of complaining all the time.  Look at Prin-they are usually at the bottom of the SLIAC and this year they are competing-I never hear them complaining.

I don't know if Webster made the right move.  They have played better this year, but have lost a ton of close games, and crucial conference games-Mac?? Prin?  He is at the right place at the right time.  Only in the SLIAC can someone with a year of coaching experience get a head job (I don't count being an office GA as a year).

It should be an interesting finish to the season.  We know who is the #1 seed, but how will the rest shake out.  I see MU 1, WC 2, BC 3, FU 4

Very ho hum and typical coach speak. They were picked to finish 7th.  They don't look to have many athletes, and who will score besides their best returner?

  I saw Blackburn play U of I Springfield and they did ok for this early. 

 I think you need 3 recruiting classes to be judged on your recruiting skills.  This 3rd class for WU does not look to be formidable, but will probably fair ok in the SLIAC.  I see no reason why when MU leaves, that WU shouldn't dominate the conference.  They have everything they need to be successful, but a coaching staff.

The frosh point guard transferred to Meramec Community College, I believe to play softball.  Her mother is now the coach from looking on the site.

I have watched 15-20 games over the last 2 years, and I saw nothing that made me think that Webster would be anything more than a .500 team.  The SLIAC is so bad, I think I could of grabbed 5 girls out of the stands that could win a few games.  I agree on questionable judgement-I saw nothing that showed X's and O's knowledge or adjustments to what other teams were doing.  The gameplan never changed.  3 solid wins vs NAIA opponents, but the D3 wins were over cupcakes.  I agree, it was a very pivotal year, and I felt that the grim reaper was in the stands behind the bench. 

Modestly higher?  Not one girl on Webster's team would of been in Maryville's (the top team in the SLIAC) top 10. That's my point. You need impact players, and WU had a number of role players.  This will not get over the hump.  They need a revamped roster and now!

Kudos on wanting to be a D-I head coach. That is a long road that requires many connections and hard work.  I wish her the best! 

Agreed Y Jack.  WU needs someone who will stick around, who knows how to recruit, and is committed to building a sustaining program.

This is actually a terrible move by Callahan career-wise.  SEMO is under serious NCAA sanctions for numerous violations in basketball, men's and women's. They had 2 seasons and NCAA appearances stripped, and the AD was just fired.  A new AD will clean house and hire his own people.  The timing is bad, but that is the name of the college game-what's good for me.

Plus, how is she going to recruit at D-I, when she couldn't at D-III?  A 17-33 record is hardly something to hang your hat on, especially in the SLIAC, probably the 2nd worst conference in America in bball.  Webster has the tools to dominate the SLIAC, so why isn't it being done?  They need a coach with college experience who has coached winners, not a GA who will guide a group of average high school players to 6 wins.