MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

And that's after I abandoned my plans to go to the Cactus Jam in Phoenix in December (which would have been 12 games in 3 days...still pretty tempting.) 

Just the words 'Phoenix in December' would be tempting enough for me! 8) 

[David Collinge]

The first two NCAC 2007-08 rosters are now posted.

Kenyon lists 19 players, including 8 frosh, on their 2007-08 roster.  It may be hard for this large first-year class to find playing time, as the entire 9-man rotation from last year's 10-16 (6-10 NCAC) squad returns, bringing with them 97.6% of the scoring and 97.9% of the rebounding.  The Lords will be led by senior co-captains Josh Klinger (5'10" G, HM All-NCAC, returning from an injury that kept him out of 8 games last season) and Chris Yorlano (5'9" G, 45% 3-point shooter, also an all-conference honoree as a 2nd baseman), All-Conference returnees Bryan Yelvington (6'6" junior F, led team in both scoring [13.5] and rebounding [7.5]), Korey Haddox (6'2" junior G, 11.3 ppg) and Dave Jolson (6'3" junior G, 10.4 ppg), and last year's NCAC Newcomer of the Year Dave Knapke (6'5" sophomore F, 10.2ppg, 5.4 rpg, .510 FG%).

The freshman class is made up of 6 guards all 6'4" or shorter, including Korey Haddox' little brother Kodey, and two big men: 6'8" Evan McCulley (Winter Park, FL) and 6'7" Uros Vasiljevik (Ellicott City, MD).

I am very high on this squad, and I think they will be disappointed with anything less than a first-division finish this season.  Furthermore, if they can find a reasonable replacement for Klinger at the point, this team could (gasp) challenge for the league title in 2008-09--and maybe this year too.  You heard it here first.

[David Collinge]

Oberlin's 2007-08 roster is also posted.  The Yeomen will be without the services of 2007 graduate and two-time All-NCAC performer Quinton Spencer, but return the rest of their top 8 scorers from 2006-07.  The returning core will be led by All-NCAC honoree Michael Loll (6'5" junior G/F), who led the team in both scoring and rebounding (15.8 and 7.1, respectively).  Overall, 76.2% of the scoring and 74.6% of the rebounding return, along with 80.6% of the minutes played.  However, there should be room for the four freshmen (profiled earlier on this page) to make inroads, considering that Oberlin finished 5-20, 4-12 last season and missed the NCAC tournament.  Although Spencer is a big loss, Oberlin appears to be a program on the rise, and I think it's more than reasonable to expect to see the Yeomen playing a 26th game this March.

[smedindy]

I think the Lords could challenge for a home game this year. I'm glad that Oberlin and Kenyon are improving. Let's hope their non-conference records are reasonable!

[David Collinge]

Why Sports Matter, by Betsy Mitchell, Allegheny College Director of Athletics and Recreation.

Required reading.  My single biggest regret is that I never participated in varsity athletics in my school days; Ms. Mitchell explains very cogently why it is so important.

[David Collinge]

Former Wooster standout Rodney Mitchell has been named the new head coach at Wayne College in Orrville, according to the Daily Record's Aaron Dorksen.  Wayne is an adjunct of the University of Akron and competes in the Ohio Regional Campus Conference (ORCC) with the likes of OSU-Newark, Ohio Eastern, and Cincinnati Clermont.  The Warriors will play the Wooster JV squad twice this season, on Dec. 3 (at Wooster) and Feb. 4 (at Orrville).  Wayne's AD, Rodney's new boss, is former Wooster assistant coach Patrick Ruefner, who also coaches the Lady Warriors.  In addition to serving as the Warriors' head coach, Rodney also serves as the assistant director of the Wooster Community Youth Center, and is a student in Ashland U.'s MBA program.  Congratulations and good luck to Rodney in his new assignment!

[smedindy]

Isn't Clermont transitioning to D-3?

[David Collinge]

Another roster is posted; this time it belongs to Wabash (it's labeled as "2007" but it clearly refers to this year's squad). 

Like Kenyon and Oberlin before them, Wabash returns the great majority of their team, losing just 2007 graduate Ryan Stephens' inside presence and a handful of end-of-the-bench players (senior Ryan Nuppnau, juniors Collin Smith and Mark Turpin, and sophomore Kyle Brasher.)  The Little Giants bring back 92.3% of the offense and 83.1% of the rebounding from an 11-16 (7-9) squad.  Leading the returnees is first-team all-NCAC F/C Andrew Zimmer (6'5" senior), the team's leader in scoring (19.7), rebounding (7.8 ), blocked shots (40), steals (26), and minutes played (30.7), all by substantial margins.  Four other players who started at least 13 games last year are returning: senior guard Earl Rooks (1.46 A/TO), and sophomores Robert Haltom (10.6 ppg last year as Chase Haltom), Aaron Brock (9.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg), and Andy Root (9.3 ppg.) 

There are seven freshman among this 21-man roster (I do not include senior Torm Hustvet, who although listed on the roster is clearly the team manager.)  There's not a lot of size among the plebes, with only 6'5"/200 Benjamin Burkett of C'ville contributing interior size to the team.  The other frosh include paper-thin 6'4"/175 SF Alan Forman, 6'3"/185 G/SF Wesley Smith, 6'3"/180 SF Chad Barkdull, and guards Andrew Gilman (6'1"), Kenneth Taylor (6'0"), and Dominique Thomas (6'0").  However, with over 86% of the minutes from last season going to players returning this year, these frosh may have to get their collegiate feet wet on the JV squad.

[David Collinge]

Isn't Clermont transitioning to D-3?

Not according to Patrick Abegg's list of provisional members.

[smedindy]

Hmmm...I thought I remembered hearing that they were applying or something when they came to the Pete Thorn last year.

Ben Burkett is a great kid and a hard worker. He is one of those guys that will be a successful 6'5 center because of his effort, strength, and positioning.

[smedindy]

A-HA:

http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/governance/division_III/membership/2006/April_minutes.htm

I looked on the NCAA site and they are an Exploratory member:

http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/governance/division_III/membership_information/Current_EPR.pdf

[seinfeld]

Dex Battista is at Grand Valley State in Michigan, and I believe his playing days are over.

If anyone runs into the Wooster coaches, tell them to bring back Late Night Madness this year. This is always an enjoyable event that helps get fans, and especially students, into the spirit of basketball. They didn't have it last year, and I haven't seen anything about it for this year.

[wooscotsfan]

Titan Q posted this summary of Street & Smith's preseason D3 review in CCIW chat:

Sporting News/Street & Smith's 2007-08 Division III preseason top 10:

1. Wash U.
2. UW-Stevens Point
3. Brockport St
4. Amherst
5. Augustana
6. Brandeis
7. Virginia Wesleyan
8. Guilford
9. Rochester
10. Williams

"Possible Breakthroughs":

Alvernia, Aurora, Averett, Calvin, Capital, Defiance, Elmhurst, Hampden-Sydney, Heidelberg, Hope, Keene St, Lewis & Clark, Loras, Mississippi College, Plattsburgh St,  Puget Sound, Rhode Island Coll, Rowan, Stevens Institute, Ursinus, Wheaton, Whitworth, William Paterson, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater, Wittenberg, Wooster, Worcester Poly, York

Preseason All-American Team...

1st Team

James Cooper, Wooster
Andrew Olson, Amherst
Troy Ruths, Wash U
Ben Strong, Guilford
Larry Welton, Aurora

2nd Team

Sherod Harris, Brockport St
Chad McGowan, York (Pa)
Kent Raymond, Wheaton
Nick Shattuck, Ursinus
Anthony Williams, Plattsburgh St


Obviously, Witt and Woo were listed in the "Possible Breakthroughs" group.  It is interesting that Capital and Heidelberg were picked for this group from the OAC.

Congratulations to James Cooper on being picked by S&S as preseason All-American 1st Team! 

[David Collinge]

Wabash's Andrew Zimmer was also tabbed by that publication in their "Honorable Mention" section, along with Nate Stahl (Capital) and Brandon Todd (Muskingum) from the OAC.  Congratulations to these student-athletes as well.

http://www.d3sports.com/post/index.php?topic=4440.msg773668#msg773668

[smedindy]

Glad to see someone noticed Zimmer. And congrats to Cooper. Now hurry up and graduate, will ya?