While not up to the workload of an asst. football coach (perhaps the rarest women's hoops combo out there, up there with Harvey Shapiro's former role as w. hoops/baseball duo) or a two-sport varsity coach, Pemper is not sitting around fishing out of season. I believe her administrator duties include being the SWA, which is a year-round job.

With a little research:

Amh: McBride - Asst. Football
Bates: Murphy - W. Soccer
Bow: Pemper - SWA
Colby: Gear-McBride -  unknown (I'd guess asst. softball like O'Brien)
Conn.: Hungerford - none listed
Midd: Pecsok - Asst. Softball, Club sport liasion
Trin: Davis - none listed
Tufts: Berube - none listed
Wes: Mullen - Adjunct Professor
Will: Manning - couldn't find anything, but i believe she is an asst. with another team

Purpose? I think good coaches are good coaches, regardless of the workload. I would argue the workload of a good coach might be increased just because they have shown success. Murphy stands out because of his ability to have his teams at such a high level in consecutive seasons (a little more common in the fall/spring double).

1. Considering recent history, Bates and Bowdoin will see enough of each other without meeting in a tip-off tourney. With three meetings almost assured already, I think fans will get enough of that rivalry. If I had to put together an enticing tourney, Brandeis is not among the four.

2. My point still stands: if Brandeis gets thrown into a Pool C scenario with that schedule, they will be a low seed, if qualifying at all.

3. I hear Springfield is lovely in the spring. Make sure to lock your hubcaps.

4. It's impossible to play more than one game at a time under the currently accepted space/time continuum theories, which I believe have been adopted by the NCAA...

On a side note, I would take Justine Pouravalis (D3H HM Preseason AA) over Ashley Marble (2nd team).

The miserable teams that get into the NCAAs every year are AQs from weak conferences, not from the at-large pool. I use Pool C as my barometer for judging teams -- and conferences -- because it invariably means those team were willing to play a tough schedule and fell a game or two short of the AQ. Brandeis will either get the AQ from the UAA this season (an event that will certainly earn them the credit some think they've already earned) or they will continue to be the poster gals for the ECAC. For whatever reason, Brandeis is unwilling to put itself out there for Pool C consideration, and because of that they will continue to remain a second tier from my perspective.

I have that sickening feeling I've opened up the tiresome 'no double-round robin' can of worms, but hopefully I'm wrong.

As I look at the NESCAC schedule this year, I think the team that ends up hosting the tournament will have one loss.

Interesting about Kostakis. I'll be curious to see how she fits in with Bates' style of play. I agree, Williams has all the pieces to win the league this year. They just need to learn how to finish. They also get Bates and Bowdoin at home, both of which are the Saturday games.

Bears, you are correct, I do need to see Brandeis. In the NCAAs. Until then I will scream(?) overated. If they couldn't beat out Wesleyan, a team knocked out in the first round of the conference tournament, for an at-large bid, I consider them an also-ran. They've done nothing to rectify the problem (weak non-conference schedule) that hurt them last year. If they get thrown against the third-best team in the NESCAC again this year for an at-large, say Bowdoin, Brandeis will experience the same fate. It appears they have the scheduling mentality of "the UAA AQ or bust," a risky move considering the strength of both their conference and region.

Wow, Nov. 1 and we've already got the insider scoop kicking in. Good stuff. Unless your insider info has to do with Kostakis, I think Amherst will be better. No need to confirm or deny...probably not appropriate for this board.

Bowdoin's schedule is okay (USM, Ithaca, Emmanuel, Staten Island) in non-conference, but nothing like last year (so far). Forgive me if I'm not impressed with the Brandeis tourney. The Judgettes are painfully overrated in this site's ranking and have again decided to fatten up with the dregs of New England (Bobcats excluded) in an effort to get an at-large sniff. They're an ECAC lock, more along the lines of a Plymouth State or UNE than a big dog. Murph better be careful, he may have bitten off more than he can chew...unless he thinks he has a contender, as well.

I guess I'll go ahead and put Bowdoin at the top of my list, since they've managed to hold off everyone for the last five years and this team might be the best of the bunch.

Frost, Middlebury? They haven't been on the radar for a while. They get some people back, but any difference-makers? But hey, Wesleyan made the NCAAs after falling in the quarters, so anything can happen, I suppose.

Red (1),

I would agree with your picks with one change: I'd move Amherst up to No. 4 and bump everyone down a peg. I think the Lady Jeffs will be better wire-to-wire this year, expounding on the late season success of last winter.

I'll also tip my cap to the Ephs, who will play a very strong early schedule, making me think their coach feels they have a contender. It's always smart to play USM early than late, as well. Even if they stumble, they'll be battle-hardened for the conference slate.

Red, hopefully you'll be brought along for the Bobcats' Vegas trip...

Angus King (formerly Lloyd Christmas...an even longer story...).