FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[NED3Guy]

Does anybody recall off memory who the finalists were when Hamilton and Bowdoin made their recent hires?

I seem to recall Keith Emery from Western New England being in the mix at Hamilton and Chris Rourke from Dartmouth being in the mix at Bowdoin, but I'm too lazy to go back on this thread and look.

Any coordinators in the conference that are ready to be head coaches?

[polbear73]

Chris Rourke and Dan Gritti, the Head Coach at Rhodes College were among the finalists at Bowdoin.

[IslandTime]

Not sure how to feel about this. My son and I were in Kelton's office a week ago and met a few of his key staff. ALL of them were fantastic and it was a great visit. We were wondering with the history, new facilities and the draw of getting a degree from Williams why the program was so down. Kelton spent over an hour talking with my son one on one. It was an experience that my son won't soon forget.

Wish him the best of luck as Coach Kelton's personality was a big big factor in why my son left being so fired up about becoming an Eph!

Coach Creighton is staying on for the time being and he was the primary recruiter for my son and also his position coach so we are really hoping my son can get on the new coach's radar!

[NewtoNescac]

Not sure how to feel about this. My son and I were in Kelton's office a week ago and met a few of his key staff. ALL of them were fantastic and it was a great visit. We were wondering with the history, new facilities and the draw of getting a degree from Williams why the program was so down. Kelton spent over an hour talking with my son one on one. It was an experience that my son won't soon forget.

Wish him the best of luck as Coach Kelton's personality was a big big factor in why my son left being so fired up about becoming an Eph!

Coach Creighton is staying on for the time being and he was the primary recruiter for my son and also his position coach so we are really hoping my son can get on the new coach's radar!

What year is your son in? What position does he play? Also, if he wants Williams (and who wouldn't), I hope he gets his wish.

[nescac1]

IslandTime it's always tough on, and unfair to, players when a coaching change is made after they have committed (not sure if your son has committed yet, but sounds like he may have).  Rest assured that if your son ends up at Williams will be getting a great education that remains second-to-none.  And I'm confident that Williams will hire a coach who will be able to inspire and lead the program and earn the loyalty of Coach Kelton's recruits, so that the experience on the field matches the experience academically.  There are several reasons why the program has been down but it became clear over the past few years that absent some substantial changes, things were not going to turn around.  Good luck to your son, hopefully he ends up at Williams and helps to lead an Eph resurgence, and I hope you post again under happier circumstances! 

[NewtoNescac]

I've always been a big fan of Joe Early, formerly of Middlebury. If he were interested, I think he'd be a great hire for Williams. Great recruiter, and solid football guy. And, a really nice guy. I'd be interested to see if he pursues it.

[PolarCat]

I seem to recall Keith Emery from Western New England being in the mix at Hamilton and Chris Rourke from Dartmouth being in the mix at Bowdoin, but I'm too lazy to go back on this thread and look.

It may be apropos of nothing, but the Dartmouth AD (Harry Sheehy) was the AD at Williams before being lured away bu the chance to build something unique with the Dartmouth Peak Performance Institute.  Rourke is an excellent coach, and given Dartmouth's performance this year, he'd have immediate street cred.

I just hope the Ephs keep their mitts off Chris Kempton.  He'll be a fantastic HC some day, but I'm hoping he's in Garnet for the rest of my son's career.

[IslandTime]

[quote author=IslandTime link=topic=4146.msg1718148#msg1718148 date=1450368547

What year is your son in? What position does he play? Also, if he wants Williams (and who wouldn't), I hope he gets his wish.

He is a 2016 HS graduate. Plays Middle and Outside linebacker. We also met with Amherst and Middlebury who were also incredibly impressive; Schools, facilities and coaching staffs!

Tufts and Wesleyan wanted us to stop by as well but we couldn't pack in anymore quality time in the 5 days we were up their. Between the 3 of those schools, my son would be truly blessed to attend those  caliber of educational institutions. And the added benefit of playing in a very competitive football conference would be a huge bonus.

He has his applications into all three and we are keeping our fingers crossed he gets enough of the little push academically that he needs to get accepted.

I have become a big fan of NESCAC schools and football.

[NewtoNescac]

[quote author=IslandTime link=topic=4146.msg1718148#msg1718148 date=1450368547

What year is your son in? What position does he play? Also, if he wants Williams (and who wouldn't), I hope he gets his wish.

He is a 2016 HS graduate. Plays Middle and Outside linebacker. We also met with Amherst and Middlebury who were also incredibly impressive; Schools, facilities and coaching staffs!

Tufts and Wesleyan wanted us to stop by as well but we couldn't pack in anymore quality time in the 5 days we were up their. Between the 3 of those schools, my son would be truly blessed to attend those  caliber of educational institutions. And the added benefit of playing in a very competitive football conference would be a huge bonus.

He has his applications into all three and we are keeping our fingers crossed he gets enough of the little push academically that he needs to get accepted.

I have become a big fan of NESCAC schools and football.

I'm sure you already know it, but just in case you didn't realize, Middlebury has ED2. Going ED may be the ticket to getting the needed "help" to get your son admitted. He may get admitted to all three. But, HC's will always push harder for the player they are sure will be attending. Just a thought that I hope helps.

[IslandTime]

Coach Ritter did push for ED2 and told us he would have very strong "support".  Tough decision on our part, but we decided not to so that my son could have atleast the opportunity to choose the others if he got accepted.

Hope it doesn't come back to bite us, because Middlebury's campus and facilities for a school that only has 2500 students were UNREAL !

[NewtoNescac]

Coach Ritter did push for ED2 and told us he would have very strong "support".  Tough decision on our part, but we decided not to so that my son could have atleast the opportunity to choose the others if he got accepted.

Hope it doesn't come back to bite us, because Middlebury's campus and facilities for a school that only has 2500 students were UNREAL !

The HC's can't guarantee admission, but "very strong support" is as close to a guarantee as you can get. If it were my son's decision, I'd recommend switching the application to ED2, assuming Ritter's "very strong support" is still offered (hopefully it is). But, that is 100% a personal decision for you and your son. I do hope it works out for him. And BTW, I love the Middlebury campus, and the football coaches, even though my son attends another college.

[Nescacparent]

NewToNescac and IslandTime- Strong support is not the best you can get. A "slot" is the best you can get, below that the "tip" and way low down is strong support. Ask the head coaches if they have used up their finite number of slots (14 at some NESCAC school)  in the ED round. Usually a tip plus some other desirable characteristic ( legacy status etc.) will result in admittance.

[mariner75]

Coach Creighton was at Tufts when my son played for the Jumbos and he was great...a real class act.  Hopefully he will land on his feet depending on the outcome of the HC search at Williams.

[PolarCat]

Island Time,

The unfortunate fact is that a great many of the NESCAC athletic admits are ED1 or ED2.  If you look at the Class of 2020 Facebook pages for any of the schools, you'll see a huge number of athletes.  The Admissions office tends to use Regular Admissions to create a balanced class: the tuba player for the band, the home schooled kid, the kid from an under-represented minority group, the kid who spent summers counting caribou in Saskatchewan, the legacy of the big donor who is dumber than a post, the token Conservative, etc.

Statistically, ED1 and ED2 are your best options if your sights are set on Williams, Amherst and Midd.

If your son is determined to matriculate in the 'CAC THIS YEAR, he should also apply to Bates, Hamilton and Wesleyan.  All fabulous schools, where the coaches may still be able to support him this late in the game.  And if his grades are good enough to qualify for Amherst and Williams, don't rule out Trinity (though they over-recruit every year, and lots of deserving frosh get cut in pre-season).  Finally, if he doesn't get accepted at the school he wants, don't rule out a PG year at Andover, Exeter, Tabor, etc.  Sometimes that is "just the ticket."

You do have one thing working in your favor.  All the 'CAC schools are deluged with applicants from New England and the Mid-Atlantic.  The Admissions folks love geographic diversity, so the fact you're from the Sunshine State is a plus.

Good luck, and keep us posted how it works out!

[nescac1]

I'm guessing Creighton will stick around as an assistant coach in some capacity -- especially since his wife is I believe number two at the Williams Admissions Department.