MBB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Can Sewanee tap into the same talent base that has gone to Maryville?

I doubt that the academic qualifications for Sewanee and Maryville are that dissimilar.

I think you will find that most of us from Sewanee would highly disagree with that statement. 

The talent pool is broader as there has been a push over the past 10 years to broaden the recruiting of students beyond our traditional base in the South.    There has been a major push from our Administration to attract students from the Northeast and from the UAA schools.   

Peace,
AWL

Yes, and if those assumptions are true, then the student who qualifies at Maryville may pull a much more complete financial aid package relative to the peers at Maryville than the package that Sewanee may offer, relative to the peers enrolling at Sewanee.

I assume that the recruiting that you are doing is to pull kids from the South away from UAA and northeastern schools because the 2007-08 basketball roster had everybody from Tennessee or a contiguous state (except 2 from Florida).  That is not success from the northeast. 

(Keep 'em home!)

Nevertheless, good job! 

And look at the wife, Cortney!   

[awadelewis]

I assume that the recruiting that you are doing is to pull kids from the South away from UAA and northeastern schools because the 2007-08 basketball roster had everybody from Tennessee or a contiguous state (except 2 from Florida).  That is not success from the northeast. 

(Keep 'em home!)

Yes and no.   There's been a push in the recent past to try to broaden the demographics at Sewanee to include a higher percentage of students from outside our traditional market here in the South.   Our administration believes that we need to do that in order to compete long term against not only places like Maryville but also schools like Rhodes, Emory, and Davidson.  That's the three schools that people in our Administration would most likely describe as our top three overall competitors.      I agree with you about the financial aid side of things and it's an issue that our alumni push back to the administration about on a regular basis.

The attempt to change the campus demographics is one of the reasons why we've added lacrosse as a varsity sport even through it isn't all that popular here in the Deep South.   It's because we're trying to recruit from the prep schools in the Northeast where it's real popular.   However,  the attempt in adjusting the demographic hasn't been reflected in the roster of the major sports.  Might be one of the reasons why the "Powers that Be" decided a coaching change was in order.    Of course, 6 or 7 rather lackluster seasons really didn't help Joe Thoni's case very much either.
:-( :-)

Peace,
AWL

[scottiedoug]

Ralph:  Your question about sociology and demographics and Southern history as they relate to The University of the South and Maryville is a good one.  One way to keep The South's Finest from having to hang out with Yankees at Princeton was to found The University of The South.  Meanwhile, Maryville was educating Cherokees and "free" blacks and not the sons of planters. 

I know of some local/regional kids who were recruited by both schools to play basketball in recent years and who could have gotten into both, but Sewanee can legitimately claim to "belong" in the class (if you will excuse the term) of Rhodes and Centre.  Davidson seems like a stretch to me, but, hey, that is what makes places work hard.  I sure hope Coach Smith can avoid turning Sewanee's men's team into a peer of Davidson's!  I'm not sure even Randy Lambert wants to deal with that!

[mattgrubb]

He is about the get the business in the south, Randy style!

Go Scots

[Bruin]

New to the boards.  Anyone assess how the 08/09 season looks now? I know some of the stronger teams lost several starters

[Ralph Turner]

New to the boards.  Anyone assess how the 08/09 season looks now? I know some of the stronger teams lost several starters

Welcome Bruin!  Glad to have another poster from the East side. 

[tarheelfan]

New to the boards.  Anyone assess how the 08/09 season looks now? I know some of the stronger teams lost several starters

I think Trinity will be tough along with Hendrix and Austin College.  All these teams return most, if not all of their key players.

[Bruin]

It seems the eastern division will be the weaker of the two.  Is Ogelthorpe the favorite in the east?  What does Rhodes have?  What will the new coach at Sewanee have to work with?

[tarheelfan]

I believe it's a toss-up in the east.  Oglethorpe returns most of their starters but I think DePauw and Centre will still be contenders.  You can't count out the Tigers when they still have Moore and Centre returns a strong nucleus of players in Thomason, Noll, Crowdis, Herman, and Gowers.

[Major_Fan]

Not suprised there's no talk about Millsaps who went 28-4 a year ago.  They lost five senior starters, but still have Chad Songy, Chris Sanders, Cameron Varnado, Chris Ingle and a sleeper incoming center.  Don't count the Majors out just yet, they have gone 42-8 in their last 50 games.

[DPULefty22]

DPU returns the high-octane backcourt of Mike Moore (SCAC Player of the Year preseason favorite?) and Tony James, and the expected addition of a 6'3" guard who played the last two years as a walk-on at Valpo should be a boost. But DePauw lost a whole lot underneath with the graduation of Schott and Oilar. If they can find a low-post scoring presence, I think the Tigers will be just fine.

[brave heart]

I think Depauw will be effective in the low post,but I expect they will look to a four out set.Joe Bergfeld has some time down there and has put on size this summer.Dave Gray will be tough if he stays out of foul trouble.Ryan Russell has put on muscle and grew as well he should step up and be a threat low,but can step out and go around the big man.Tom Callan will also be strong to the basket.

[tarheelfan]

Not suprised there's no talk about Millsaps who went 28-4 a year ago.  They lost five senior starters, but still have Chad Songy, Chris Sanders, Cameron Varnado, Chris Ingle and a sleeper incoming center.  Don't count the Majors out just yet, they have gone 42-8 in their last 50 games.

Where is the newcomer from?

[Ralph Turner]

Great schedule for Southwestern.

[pbrooks3]

Great hire at Centre with Matt Nestheside taking over as Coach Mason's assistant.  Best wishes to James Booker who has moved on to a head coaching job at the high school level with Country Day in Louisville.