WBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[hoopstermom]

Anyone know if there is going to be an ODAC vs USA South senior all star game again this year?

Just wondering if so, when and where. 

[Jeremybozz]

 Katy Bergey the leading scorer in Eastern Mennonite High School history says she will play at Bridgewater.
Katy averaged 18 points and shot 40.1% from 3 point range this year.

[Bammer]

Congratulations to Abby Pyzik.  Lynchburg made a really good choice.  Given the time, she will develop a strong program. 

[Brookland]

The ODAC All-Academic Team is out and women's basketball is well represented. To make the team, one needs to achieve a 3.25 or better GPA. By my count, 55 of last season's players made the All-Academic team. That has to be close to 40% of the combined rosters. Of particular note are W&L with 9 players, EMU with 7, and LC and VWC with 6 each.
Congratulations to all of our outstanding student-athletes! Well done, ladies!!

[hoopstermom]

Molly Ariail signed a pro contract with a European team in Germany!!  I think she's the first R-MC women's player to sign pro.  What other ODAC women's players are playing or have played pro ball in Europe?  Anyone know?

[Wydown Blvd.]

Answered my own question, when I looked up the press release on d3hoops
http://www.d3hoops.com/pressreleases.php?release=3872

[RVAHokie]

So, it's less than two weeks until practice starts.  New coach at Lynchburg, new Assistants at W&L and RMC.  What are we expecting this year in ODAC Womens Basketball?

[Bammer]

I look for W&L and Roanoke to be a little bit better than the rest of the league and the rest fighting it out.  It will be strange for RMC to not have Molly Ariail.  Roanoke and VWC lost some talented players.  The Generals should be a force to be dealt with come February in Salem. 

[Brookland]

I look for W&L and Roanoke to be a little bit better than the rest of the league and the rest fighting it out.

Bammer, I think that's a reasonable take if by "the rest of the league" you mean the teams that finished in the top seven last season. It seems to me that there is a clear divide in the ODAC between the top seven and the bottom four. EMC and Guilford finished sixth and seventh with 11-9 records in conference play. Lynchburg finished eighth with a record of 6-14 in conference play. That's a five game gap. Coach Pyzik has quite a challenge ahead of her just to move up one place in the standings! (Personally, I'm betting on her.)

Judging only from last year's rosters, Roanoke should still be a force to be reckoned with, RMC has to be weaker without Molly Arial (but still tough), champion W&L and 13-7 Bridgewater should have all of last year's starters back (giving them both a chance to be even better). VWC, EMC, and Guilford have enough talent to be in the mix, but it's not clear how they make a dramatic move. LC and Randolph are both starting over with new coaches but the new Randolph coach will be hamstrung by her predecessor's lack of recruiting success for at least a couple of seasons, so LC has a better chance of winning more games. Emory and Henry could improve but I expect Hollins to remain firmly in last place.

Of course, all of this could be rendered meaningless depending on who shows up when the final rosters are set. A transfer here, a decision not to play there, a spectacular recruit at the other place, can all make a big difference in D3. It certainly makes prognostication fun!!

Now that practice is underway, does anyone have any insights to share?

[Brookland]

OK, I'm ready to start eating my words.  
Hollins has posted its roster and new Head Coach Phillips was apparently pretty successful in his prior role as Assistant Coach responsible for recruiting. Eight freshmen on the roster including two 6-footers. I can't judge whether the quantity includes quality, but an impressive job nonetheless. Looks like last year's two quality players (Phillips and Greene) will have a stronger supporting cast, so my prediction of a solid last place finish for Hollins isn't looking as solid. My new predicted last place finisher: Randolph.
It looks like RMC has added three players with height, including a 6-2 center.
E&H also has a boatload of freshmen, but no way to judge for me.

On another topic, does anyone have any thoughts on Shenandoah joining the ODAC for the 2012 season? My one observation: with the addition of the Shenandoah Hornets, the ODAC will surely lead the nation in teams named for stinging insects (Vespidae for you scientifically-minded  ) Two Hornets, one Wasps, one Yellow Jackets. We'll get an early preview of potential cheer confusion when Lynchburg and Shenandoah open the season against each other on November 16. All I can say is, "Go Hornets!!"

[Bammer]

Time for my preseason poll

W&L  Last year's ODAC champion should be tough.  Herman should be a big advantage in most games.  Last year's freshman really contributed and should be at the next level this year.  Bolton is a tough match up and should put up big numbers.  Senior point guard Allie Long is solid.  Expect Ingram to have a poy type year following leading the league in assists and being mvp in the ODAC tournament.

RC  Great size and last 2 years' coy Dunnigan should be in the hunt.  Losing 2 first team all ODAC guards will leave big holes to be filled.  Osborne will be missed as will Long's leadership and scoring.

RMC  Good core and steady coaching.  Look for a strong freshman class. 

BC  This team goes as Jordan Burkholder goes and she can carry a team a long way.

Guilford  Good quickness and aggressive, look for them to provide some upsets

EMU  Good discipline and they make you play their style game

VWC  Big losses with the graduation of Jones and Davis.  Might take a while to find their new identity

Lynchburg  Coach Pyzik will make a difference

E&H  Tough to predict, expect freshman to contribute

Hollins  Talent level seems to be getting better

Randolph  Could be a challenging year

Looking forward to seeing how this stacks up against the board and the coaches preseason poll.

[Brookland]

Bammer,
Nice analysis; I can't argue with anything in it at this point.
Interesting that Roanoke is picked at no.21 in the DIII News preseason Top 25 poll, and W&L is nowhere in sight, not even on the list of "others to watch." No respect for W&L outside the conference, maybe?
I think the Roanoke roster impresses even before they play, but last year showed that sometimes the Roanoke whole can somehow br less than the sum of its parts...
It should be another interesting year in the ODAC!

[Brookland]

D3hoops preseason top 25 poll is out at
http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/
No ODAC teams represented, although Roanoke got a few votes.
The Commonwealth is represented by Christopher Newport at #4 and Mary Washington at #17.
Comments, anyone?

[Brookland]

ODAC Preseason poll is out:

2010-11 ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes

1. Washington and Lee (6) 115 pts.
2. Roanoke (4) 110 pts.
3. Randolph-Macon (1) 97 pts.
4. Bridgewater 83 pts.
5. Eastern Mennonite 76 pts.
6. Virginia Wesleyan 70 pts.
7. Guilford 64 pts.
8. Lynchburg 44 pts.
9. Emory & Henry 30 pts.
10. Hollins 26 pts.
11. Randolph 11 pts.

I notice it bears a striking resemblance to Bammer's preseason poll...only difference is where Guilford is ranked. Nice job, Bammer.

[Bammer]

Thanks Brookland.  I still like my Guilford pick.  They are athletic and rebound well.  The one thing I have learned from the ODAC is that the regular season is basically just to get an easier first round game in the tournament.  Great that the league is noticing the improvement in the W&L program.  Interesting that RMC got a first place vote.  Time to get started.