NCAA TOURNAMENT 2024

[SierraFD3soccer]

What a night to be a Vermont Catamount....

UVM 2, Marshall 1 OT1

UVM...2024 D1 National Champions

True, but definitely not the same as maybe 10-20 yrs ago. In fact, I would say that we probably should not follow D1 soccer.  Marshall starters were all int'l and Vermont 7. So only 18% of the starters were Americans. Nothing to cheer about really. Seems that D1 coaches have pretty much given up on US talent which is fine, but nothing for us to still follow.

Just means more D1 and could be even more D3. With roster limits and int'l, may also mean that better talent pushed to D3.

[PaulNewman]

Sierra, no doubt your take is a popular one.

I personally don't care if Vermont's players are from Pluto. Still have to convince them to come to Burlington, VT. Or try Huntington, WV. I wish there were more "American" players, but maybe "we" just need to get better. UVM survived an incredible gauntlet and was the underdog every step of the way except for maybe the 1st round. Still a stunning achievement getting thru Hofstra, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Denver, and Marshall...all on the road.

I noticed the large international presence, and sure, I wish it wasn't quite so large...but imo the two most key players for UVM were Americans...and I thoroughly enjoyed a dramatically competitive match, with an actual winner of the game, and the emotionality exhibited showed me that the result means a ton to the team, school, and state.

On a side note, anyone know of non-FB and non-BB D1 athletes on significant NIL deals? Anything prohibiting an athlete in D3 from having NIL deals? My granddaughter turns 1 in four days and just wanna be prepared.

[Kuiper]

On a side note, anyone know of non-FB and non-BB D1 athletes on significant NIL deals? Anything prohibiting an athlete in D3 from having NIL deals? My granddaughter turns 1 in four days and just wanna be prepared.

Start taking her to tumbling classes.

Livvy Dunne, Gymnast at LSU, has made about $9.5 million in NIL deals in college

https://www.mensjournal.com/news/livvy-dunne-whats-next-nil-money

DIII players can definitely have NIL deals.

Jack Betts, a football player at Amherst, had 40 deals by the time he graduated

https://sportsepreneur.com/king-of-d3-nil-jack-betts/

[Ron Boerger]

The QB at East Texas Baptist had an NIL deal with a local real estate firm - the day after the firm bragged about his season the young man announced he was in the portal and got himself a D1 ride at Louisiana Tech. 

[SierraFD3soccer]

Sierra, no doubt your take is a popular one.

I personally don't care if Vermont's players are from Pluto. Still have to convince them to come to Burlington, VT. Or try Huntington, WV. I wish there were more "American" players, but maybe "we" just need to get better. UVM survived an incredible gauntlet and was the underdog every step of the way except for maybe the 1st round. Still a stunning achievement getting thru Hofstra, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Denver, and Marshall...all on the road.

I noticed the large international presence, and sure, I wish it wasn't quite so large...but imo the two most key players for UVM were Americans...and I thoroughly enjoyed a dramatically competitive match, with an actual winner of the game, and the emotionality exhibited showed me that the result means a ton to the team, school, and state.

On a side note, anyone know of non-FB and non-BB D1 athletes on significant NIL deals? Anything prohibiting an athlete in D3 from having NIL deals? My granddaughter turns 1 in four days and just wanna be prepared.

I hear you. As to us getting better, many, and maybe most, int'l players start playing in the US at age 20 or so. So already at least one year ahead of US players along with some of the best coaches in their countries. Son's roommate was a 21 yr old freshman from Senegal. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6Td84-HCLW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Any really good US player is not playing college soccer or only for a year or two at best. 

[Hopkins92]

College Hockey has been this way for many years. Guys who aren't top-level prospects in their teens tend to play in quasi-professional leagues (major juniors, CHL, etc.) and then mature to the point that college hockey programs offer them scholarships in their early 20s. You have guys playing college hockey up until 26, sometimes 27 years old. At that point, they're either done or go play in the AHL or Europe somewhere.

[eaglesoccerdad]

Plenty of good US players but a US college education is very attractive to international players that no longer have pro chances. Conversely the US players is finishing up college at 21-22 vs the internationals starting at the same ages