Blake Verbeek transferring from D1 Holy Cross to GVSU. Good pick up for GV. To bad he did not end up at Hope or Calvin who both recruited him in High school.

It is really disappointing that people think that it is a lack of recruiting and lack of replacing. The D3 landscape does not get the recruits it used to and the D3 coaches have to work hard at getting the recruits they go after. It is a reminder that this level is not only about athletics but more importantly about academics. So if you are unhappy with how coach Mitchell has recruited then you don't understand what these coaches are up against. I agree with Sac's statement of recruiting has been disappointing but it's not because of lack of trying.

Money talks as has been mentioned before. That is what i assume sealed the deal. But does that mean other MIAA schools will be in for raises?

Not just him. Others I'm sure know too

Should we put some wagers on who hires first Michigan or Calvin?

It seems like Calvin is learning that this process is a little more difficult than they expected. Hope was in the same situation 5 or so years ago. You will not get a good quality coach if you are not willing to pay what other d3's outside of Michigan are paying. Unless that coach is loyal to the school and comes in at a discount. But also don't limit yourself to a "Calvin Man". If it works it works that way but if not don't tie your hands to it.

Great news is right. Waiting on the last piece to make his decision yet.

Steginga would have more than likely ended up at hope outside of the aforementioned not liking  the hope coach. But I think he would have rather played next to Dante his AAU teammate. Plus hopes style fit steginga better. There are many players hope could have had of it weren't for d2 offering athletic scholarships and for the last minute d1 university's stealing some of the recruits with last minute offers.

I agree with FDF. Us Hope fans don't call for our coaches head after a couple of down seasons. I don't think a lot of you understand the difficulties of coaching and recruiting in division 3. It is not the way it was in the 90's and early 2000's

Great weekend in Fort Wayne. They did a wonderful job with everything. Facility was awesome. Way nicer than Salem. Oshkosh wins it all. 96-82.

And someone now brings up that he withdrew from the Hope coaching search. And yes it is accurate when you say it was because of the compensation package.  When you are making 40 percent more to just pretty much coach at Marietta and not teach that says a lot about how much Hope and Calvin and the other MIAA schools are going to pay a coach. Many other conferences and areas in other states compensate their coaches a lot more.

I guess we will see if Calvin can pay more and if they go after Vanderwal.  But I don't believe that they can him more. But to each his own.

You are correct money talks. But Calvin I don't believe can or will pay as well as Marietta. Calvin would have to offer Vanderwal a lot to lure him away from Marietta. The MIAA coaches do not make their money from being coaches. They make it from being teachers and professors the way I understand it. MIAA coaches coach for the love of the game and being around student athletes and making them better men and helping them grow.

It would be very shocking if Vanderwal left Marietta and came to Calvin. I won't say it will never happen but it is very doubtful IMHO.

That is a very good question. My guess would be that it is highly unlikely. Just a educated guess after talking to a few people at the Olivet Calvin game a few weeks ago.

With respect to coaching candidates for Calvin I think it will be hard for Calvin to pull a coach like Vanderwal from Marietta or other coaches that they may try to get from outside the Michigan area.
There are some reasons for this one of which would be can Calvin pay a guy like Vanderwal enough to leave Marietta and what he has done there, a second reason that there could be would be what criteria is Calvin going to put on what credentials the candidates need to have,(masters degree, etc) and a third that comes to mind would be are they going to want the candidates to be affiliated with the CRC or RCA? These are just some questions that have come into my mind. We will find out soon enough the answers as to what Calvin will be looking for. I am not placing emphasis on any one of the three things I listed but to me they will probably factor in somehow. And there is definitely one I feel will be a big factor but I am not going to voice that opinion right now.