Top 25 talk

[KnightSlappy]

I didn't realize you guys were doing your bit.

This is a hint that Pat is joining the D3 Double Take next year on Hoopsville?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I just mean, having seen Rochester play Swarthmore, and knowing what each team brings back, if you're going to include Swat in the poll, you should also include Rochester.

If you had to vote today, Ryan, would you have Swat in?

I try not to make decision for next November in the Spring, because a lot will change, but I would expect to have Swarthmore somewhere around 15-20 to start next year.  Maybe higher depending what other teams bring back.

[WUPHF]

It starts to become about taking good gambles at some point around #15.  Rochester could be a good gamble.

Makes sense to me...

I just mean, having seen Rochester play Swarthmore, and knowing what each team brings back, if you're going to include Swat in the poll, you should also include Rochester.

Makes sense to me...

[Greek Tragedy]

With all this talk about next year's poll, I'm running a pool to see how many we can get right. Pick 25 teams you think will be in the preseason poll! Check out the fantasy board.

[Titan Q]

Added Rochester...now up to 22 teams for the 2020-21 Preseason Top 25.

(alphabetical order)

* Albion (21-5, 12-2)
* Amherst (18-8, 7-3)
* Brockport (26-3, 17-1)
* Elmhurst (25-5, 11-3)
* Emory (22-5, 11-3)
* Hobart (23-5, 15-3)
* Illinois Wesleyan (19-9, 11-5)
* Johns Hopkins (24-4, 16-2)
* Marietta (21-7, 14-4)
* Middlebury (21-6, 6-4)
* Randolph-Macon (28-2, 15-1)
* Rochester (16-9/7-7)
* RPI (24-5, 17-1)
* St. Joseph CT (26-3, 11-0)
* St. Thomas (26-3, 19-1)
* Swarthmore (28-1, 18-0)
* Tufts (23-6, 8-2)
* UW-Platteville (23-5, 12-2)
* Wabash (17-9, 3-5)
* Wash U (22-5, 11-3)
* WPI (20-8, 10-3)
* Yeshiva (29-1, 16-0)

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Other candidates...

PSU-Harrisburg
St. John's
Susquehanna
Texas-Dallas
UW-La Crosse
UW-Oshkosh
Virginia Wesleyan
Wheaton (IL)

Who else?

Who will be the favorite in the NWC?

---------
Please keep the ideas coming.

[Gregory Sager]

I didn't realize you guys were doing your bit.

This is a hint that Pat is joining the D3 Double Take next year on Hoopsville?

Wouldn't that make it the D3 Triple Take?

[WUPHF]

I thought about this overnight as I am struggling with Covidsomnia.

Brandeis loses a quality senior, but returns everyone else including both all-Association players.

Brandeis is going to be picked third in the league over Rochester and is unquestionably the better team on paper.

[Titan Q]

I thought about this overnight as I am struggling with Covidsomnia.

Brandeis loses a quality senior, but returns everyone else including both all-Association players.

Brandeis is going to be picked third in the league over Rochester and is unquestionably the better team on paper.

Now you are messing me up.

[Titan Q]

Rochester removed as further UAA analysis continues.

Now up to 21 teams for the 2020-21 Preseason Top 25.

(alphabetical order)

* Albion (21-5, 12-2)
* Amherst (18-8, 7-3)
* Brockport (26-3, 17-1)
* Elmhurst (25-5, 11-3)
* Emory (22-5, 11-3)
* Hobart (23-5, 15-3)
* Illinois Wesleyan (19-9, 11-5)
* Johns Hopkins (24-4, 16-2)
* Marietta (21-7, 14-4)
* Middlebury (21-6, 6-4)
* Randolph-Macon (28-2, 15-1)
* RPI (24-5, 17-1)
* St. Joseph CT (26-3, 11-0)
* St. Thomas (26-3, 19-1)
* Swarthmore (28-1, 18-0)
* Tufts (23-6, 8-2)
* UW-Platteville (23-5, 12-2)
* Wabash (17-9, 3-5)
* Wash U (22-5, 11-3)
* WPI (20-8, 10-3)
* Yeshiva (29-1, 16-0)

--------
Other candidates...

Brandeis
PSU-Harrisburg
Rochester
St. John's
Susquehanna
Texas-Dallas
UW-La Crosse
UW-Oshkosh
Virginia Wesleyan
Wheaton (IL)

Who else?

Who will be the favorite in the NWC?

---------
Please keep the ideas coming.

[SpringSt7]

Whitman--- Graduates a senior class full of contributors but they have also tended to rely on a decent amount of transfers to come in and play right away.
Whitworth--- Graduates 4 of its 5 leading scorers including All-American Ben College.
Linfield---Returns 2 of their top 4 including Dempsey Roggenbuck from a team that went 20-6 and 14-2 in conference.

I would default to Whitman as the NWC favorites followed by Linfield, and then a huge drop off. I don't think any of the teams warrant Top 25 consideration.

As an aside, coming from a Northeast perspective, if WPI is going to be on that list then Brandeis undoubtably should too.

[Titan Q]

Whitman--- Graduates a senior class full of contributors but they have also tended to rely on a decent amount of transfers to come in and play right away.
Whitworth--- Graduates 4 of its 5 leading scorers including All-American Ben College.
Linfield---Returns 2 of their top 4 including Dempsey Roggenbuck from a team that went 20-6 and 14-2 in conference.

I would default to Whitman as the NWC favorites followed by Linfield, and then a huge drop off. I don't think any of the teams warrant Top 25 consideration.

As an aside, coming from a Northeast perspective, if WPI is going to be on that list then Brandeis undoubtably should too.

Seems like no NWC teams for the preseason ballot.

And yes, I think I am now swinging to the Brandeis side of things.  And I am not voting for 4 UAA teams in the preseason...so Rochester is probably out.

[Titan Q]

Final Massey:

* Brandeis #45 (wins over Massey top 50 - vs #16 Emory)

* Rochester #52 (wins over Massey top 50 - vs #45 Brandeis, vs #29 Ithaca)

[WUPHF]

Now you are messing me up.

I apologize. I even read the Brandeis press release.

I do think Brandeis will be a Top 25 team eventually if Lawrence Sabir and everyone else remains healthy.

[SpringSt7]

Just for a frame of reference, last year's Preseason Top 25, plus the additional 25 teams that received votes, by conference:

Top 25 Teams---16 Conferences Represented:

MIAC: 3
NCAC: 3
NESCAC: 2
CCIW: 2
UAA: 2
OAC: 2
ODAC: 2
Centennial: 1
WIAC: 1
ARC: 1
CAC: 1
CCC: 1
ASC: 1
NEWMAC: 1
NWC: 1
E8: 1

Others Receiving Votes---18 Conferences Represented:
SUNYAC: 3
NESCAC: 3
UAA: 2
SCIAC: 2
LEC: 2
MASCAC: 1
WIAC: 1
CAC: 1
CCIW: 1
NEWMAC: 1
NJAC: 1
Landmark: 1
CCC: 1
OAC: 1
NWC: 1
USA South: 1
ARC: 1
Skyline: 1

Took the liberty of highlighting a couple of interesting conference trends, although I probably could've noted more. Such is the volatility of D3. My main takeaway would be that the conversation over the last handful of days in this board is probably overly concerned with which teams are losing what. This poll seems to be giving a decent amount of the tournament teams/conference tournament winners the benefit of the doubt.

An additional stat worth considering: The average previous year's record of the preseason Top 25 was 24-6

[Pat Coleman]

The 25 is a big range. Might be interesting to break that down on 1-10 and 11-25.