FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[DBQ1965]

I am an IIAC guy living in west Michigan.  Olivet will have a chance but they will have to be almost perfect on both offense and defense.  My alma mater ... University of Dubuque ... lost to Central by a field goal in 3 overtimes ... and that was just one of 5 or 6 games where Central had to come from behind to win.  They are the proverbial "bend but don't break" team.   I'd love to see the Comets pull it off.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

All-MIAA Offensive First Team
OL – James Boyd, Olivet* (senior from St. Charles, Ill./Stoney Creek HS)
OL – Wren Chellis, Alma** (senior from Ellsworth/Central Lake HS)
OL – Jake Droppers, Hope** (senior from Kalamazoo/Portage Northern HS)
OL – Erik Ladomersky, Hope** (junior from Grandville/Grandville HS)
OL – Evan Walters, Albion* (senior from Laingsburg/Laingsburg HS)
TE –Kevin Vandenbosch, Hope** (senior from Grandville/Calvin Christian HS)
WR – Joe Cline, Alma*** (senior from Ithaca/Ithaca HS)
WR – Josh Silvernail, Albion* (senior from Livonia/Clarenceville HS)
WR – Doug VanEerden, Hope* (senior from Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS)
RB – David Booko, Hope** (senior from Three Rivers/Three Rivers HS)
RB – Pat Clasgens, Olivet* (sophomore from Livonia/Stevenson HS)
QB – Troy Niblock, Adrian* (junior from White Pigeon/White Pigeon HS)

All-MIAA Defensive First Team
DL – Marc Miller, Olivet* (senior from Sunfield/Lake Odessa HS)
DL – Ward Ritter, Adrian* (senior from Rockwood/Oscar A. Carlson HS)
DL – Matt Rugenstein, Hope*** (senior Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS)
DL – Zac Zanotti, Alma* (senior from Bay City/Bay City Central HS)
LB – Courtney Pearson, Tri-State* (junior from Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side HS)
LB – DeRan Thomas, Olivet** (senior from Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame HS)
LB – Drew Weigl, Hope* (senior from Saginaw/Nouvel Catholic Central HS)
LB – Hakeem Yakubu, Olivet* (sophomore from Kalamazoo/Central HS)
DB – Troy Blasius, Hope* (senior from Gaylord/Saint Mary's Catholic HS)
DB – Nate Hughes, Olivet** (senior from Marshall/Marshall HS)
DB – Brandon Mohney, Adrian* (senior from Napoleon/Napoleon HS)
DB – Michael Terranova, Olivet* (junior from Lansing/Catholic Central HS)

Thoughts?

[DutchFan2004]

formerd3db,

From the posting of the All MIAA team looks like Olivet is or has more standouts on D that O.  Would you say the strength of the team is the D?

[ACRULZ]

DAWG:


My only thought is that it is very hard for me to see that Hope would have as many selections on the first defensive team seeming as though they gave up close to 375 a game...If anything give Olivet more guys if nobody thinks the Adrian guys earned it!

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Suprise picks to me from the MIAA 1st team All League.

Evan Walters Albion - Had a great year last year, but came in this year way to heavy and was ineffective at tackle in the games I saw.
Matt Ruggenstein Hope - Has the best tool set of any DL in the MIAA but at times did not appear to be used effectivley and his stats suffered as a result.  Was a virtual non factor when I watched him play against Adrian  That being said he is still an amazing talent but had an off year.


My shocker for a player being left off of the team.

Gino Panza Adrian - My opinion the best DT in the MIAA from a motor standpoint and a physical ability standpoint.  Amazing hands, always moving and always making plays yet left off of the first team in favor of some other DT's.  Second team isn't bad for a Sophomore but on the year he had it is a disservice. 

[DutchFan2004]

Suprise picks to me from the MIAA 1st team All League.

Evan Walters Albion - Had a great year last year, but came in this year way to heavy and was ineffective at tackle in the games I saw.
Matt Ruggenstein Hope - Has the best tool set of any DL in the MIAA but at times did not appear to be used effectivley and his stats suffered as a result.  Was a virtual non factor when I watched him play against Adrian  That being said he is still an amazing talent but had an off year.


My shocker for a player being left off of the team.

Gino Panza Adrian - My opinion the best DT in the MIAA from a motor standpoint and a physical ability standpoint.  Amazing hands, always moving and always making plays yet left off of the first team in favor of some other DT's.  Second team isn't bad for a Sophomore but on the year he had it is a disservice. 

When we played at Hope Ruggenstein was nursing a Ham string injury.  He was not near the player the year before.  I have never pulled a ham string but they say it is very painful and if he only missed like one game I would be willing to bet he was never 100%.  If that is so that he was never at 100% he still did pretty well from what I can tell.

[ACRULZ]

ADAWG:

I would have to say that is pretty much right on!

[DEACONBLUE]

Post-season question?

I realize this question may have answered at length on this board before my time...and I have viewed the NCAA's +30 page document on it...but, if a simple explaination is possible...What is the transfer conditions between MIAA schools?  If an athelete played football and remained eligible at the end of the Fall semester...could he play football for another MIAA school next Fall, assuming he either finished the Winter semester at the original school or a junior college meeting the required credits and 2.0 average?  And...does this happen often in the MIAA?

[formerd3db]

DutchFan2004:
Olivet had some very good linebackers and although their db's were smaller, they were good as well.  I would say, however, that at least in their game with us, I was more impressed with their offense.  Yet, their defense will have to bring their "A" game against your team to have a chance.

Also, Ruggenstein unfortunately did not have the type of year that he did last year.  Indeed, hamstring strains, even the lesser ones, basically bother a player for the rest of the season (it usually really takes 6 months to recover fully from those).  I know that affected him to some extent.  However, as you and others have noted, he is still a great player and I know he gave 100%.   



DEACON:
Not having the NCAA rule book at my immediate use, I will attempt to answer your question from what I know (i.e. admittedly only a little ) and from what I recall was discussed on here and some of the other boards in the past.  As far as the NCAA, there is no "sit-out" rule when transferring to another DIII school i.e. lateral move, like there is at DI (and DII I believe; likewise, if a player transfers "down" i.e. from DI to DII or DIII, they do not have to sit out a year).  However, most transfer rules are by each league's own rules and, of course, a particular school's requirements would play into that as well.  As far as I know, a player has to be fully enrolled at the school to be elibible to play.  In the scenario you relate, it wouldn't matter that the athlete competed and finished the season prior at another school, even if he didn't attend that school (or any school for the subsequent spring semester).  I don't recall that the MIAA has any requirement that you have to have "x # of credits" a semester before to be eligible - I could be wrong on this, although there may be a similar type requirement that would apply to basketball players transferring in "the middle of the year" as far as being eligible for the second half or semester of the season.  But I believe that if a coach has a player who wants to transfer in from another school, as long as that student-athlete is accepted into the college and enrolls full time by the deadlines for the fall semester, I believe he is eligible.  One of the Hope players on this year's team did that from Olivet it is my understanding.  Perhaps some of our MIAA colleagues are more knowledable on this as far as the MIAA specific rules.  I'll see what I can find out from my "inside sources"!  Interesting question.

[bonk78]

I'am curious how do players get selected I know it is important how the team finishes but do any of these coaches actually pay attention to any other players other than their own!

[DEACONBLUE]

D3DB- Thanks for the info.

ADAWG- You nailed the MVP's.

[formerd3db]

bonk:
Sometimes they do; unfortunately sometimes they don't.  I've known it to go both ways.  IMO, the selections should be based on what a player did in the current year, not their overall careers and talent.  That's why I've mentioned in the past my concern when a player who leads a category in the league in a particular year doesn't get selected to the first team (I'm not talking about someone who got in a few games and was "in the right place at the right time" to "pad their numbers" so to speak, but rather a player who was a starter and big-time contributor to a team that year).  Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen and again, many times, the team who wins the league gets the most players.  As I and others have always said, there are players every year who are deserving of 1st team, but don't ever receive that honor.

Also, it has been striking, or should I say, surprising, that the trend in recent years has been to select more than 11 players for the defensive and offensive teams.  While I realize that, at times in some years, there indeed may be two players at the same position who are "equal" and both deserving of the 1st team honor, IMO, sometimes that has been "overdone".  The player who demonstrated the best overall performance for that year should be the one selected - period - even if his team finished last.  Again, just MO

DEACON:  You are welcome.

[DutchFan2004]

Deacon,

I can shed some light about transfers.  Here it the IIAC we had an all conference selection transfer from Coe to Wartburg this year.  There are no NCAA restrictions on the transfer from one school to another.  Any restrictions would have to be by the conference ie from Olivet to Hope that sort of thing.  The player was a starter for Wartburg for the whole season.  There was some rumblings amongst the posters that the IIAC may look at this but I doubt it. 

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Deacon:

When a player transfers laterally at the scholarship level they must sit out, if a player transfers up or down there is no stipulation that players sit out I do not believe.  So if you go from DI to DI or DIAA to DIAA you must sit out.  However if you go from DI to DIAA you do not need to and if you transfer up from DIII to DII I also do no believe that you must sit out.  I know that transferring laterally at the DIII level does not require the athlete to sit out as we at Adrian had one of our players transfer to Bluffton and he played against us the next year.  Thats just my understanding of the situation.

[sac]

As long as your in good academic standing, and have no discipline issues you can compete at another D3 school from semester to semester in the same sport if you wish.  Barring of course any leagues that have rules against it.  The MIAA does not.

About 3 or 4 years ago (or longer) a Hope JV basketball player transferred after the first semester to Alma and played varsity for the Scots the 2nd sememster.