BB: MIAC: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[wiacguy]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

[biggio34]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

That is a hard question to try to answer right now.  Talking about midwest teams only and based on the results thus far I would say there are six or seven teams in the Midwest region who have a legit shot.  St Thomas has to be the front runner because of their depth on the mound, but it seems after the Tommie's there are no other teams that are playing consistently well.  That doesn't mean they aren't capable of catching fire and winning a regional though.  Make it in and see what happens.

[cubs]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

If I was tro make a wager right now and I had to take St. Thomas or the field of Midwest Region teams, right now I would take St. Thomas.  The trio of Maher, Gapinski, and Thomas are going to be tough to beat.  UST's 2.33 team ERA is IMPRESSIVE!!!!

[BigPoppa]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

If I was tro make a wager right now and I had to take St. Thomas or the field of Midwest Region teams, right now I would take St. Thomas.  The trio of Maher, Gapinski, and Thomas are going to be tough to beat.  UST's 2.33 team ERA is IMPRESSIVE!!!!

Especially when you consider who they have played!

[cubs]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

If I was tro make a wager right now and I had to take St. Thomas or the field of Midwest Region teams, right now I would take St. Thomas.  The trio of Maher, Gapinski, and Thomas are going to be tough to beat.  UST's 2.33 team ERA is IMPRESSIVE!!!!

Especially when you consider who they have played!

One thing that I found interesting is that UST is 5-3 against the WIAC, while throwing their #1 and #2 most games.  Does that mean the WIAC isn't quite as "down" as some (including myself) may think when you compare them to the MIAC?

[BigPoppa]

I don't think anyone (at least an educated reader) is considering that the MIAC is a stronger conference than the WIAC. The MIAC has one solid team (UST) while the WIAC had 3-4 teams that could make a run (UWW, UWSP, UWO, and LAX).

[forheavendial4999]

So is St. Thomas the best team in this region? Or will UWSP or another WIAC team beat them when it counts in Whitewater in May?

If I was tro make a wager right now and I had to take St. Thomas or the field of Midwest Region teams, right now I would take St. Thomas.  The trio of Maher, Gapinski, and Thomas are going to be tough to beat.  UST's 2.33 team ERA is IMPRESSIVE!!!!

Especially when you consider who they have played!

One thing that I found interesting is that UST is 5-3 against the WIAC, while throwing their #1 and #2 most games.  Does that mean the WIAC isn't quite as "down" as some (including myself) may think when you compare them to the MIAC?

Great point. I think WIAC could still get 2 teams, esp since UW-Lax and UWSP have already played and split. The league seems a little stronger top to bottom than usual, though might not have the one outstanding club. Even Superior's actually not bad.

[welsh27]

I would agree and say that typically when conferences are "down" it revolves around the fact that there is not a clear creme of the crop. I am a MIAC fan at heart, but the WIAC is a stronger conference come national tournament time. Lax's Scray has beaten St Thomas, but also been beaten by Mac. I think the WIAC top teams are more posed for a national tournament run then the top 4 of the MIAC because of depth on the hill, with the exception of St Thomas. They have guys who threw 30 innings last year who have thrown less than 10 this year. They will be dangerous in a weekend tourney. Though who knows maybe they got hot too early?

[badgerwarhawk]

Overall the MIAC is 20-17 vs. the WIAC

MIAC:
St Thomas...5-3
Macalester...4-4
St Johns......2-2
Augsburg.....2-0
Bethel..........1-1
Gustavous...0-2
Concordia....0-0
Carleton.......0-0
St Olaf..........2-1
Hamiline........2-3
St Marys.......2-1

WIAC:
LaCrosse....2-2
WHITEWATER.....2-2
Stevens Point...4-2
Stout......3-3
Oshkosh....3-6
Superior.....3-5
Platteville....0-0

[biggio34]

I would agree and say that typically when conferences are "down" it revolves around the fact that there is not a clear creme of the crop.

I think this is exactly it.  The WIAC is not really "down", it's just a more balanced conference than it typically has been.  We see more losses and split series than we are used to seeing, but that is not really an indication that the conference is down.  The top teams have the ability to beat anyone in the country.

Also, I wouldn't sleep on the other conference winners who make it into the Midwest regional.  Aurora is having an impressive year and their innings are well spread throughout what appears to be a deep staff.  They were very competitive last year at the regional and appear to have most of their top guys back.  (Who can tell us more about them??)  I don't think this regional comes down to just a battle of the WIAC vs the MIAC.

[BigPoppa]

I would agree and say that typically when conferences are "down" it revolves around the fact that there is not a clear creme of the crop.

I think this is exactly it.  The WIAC is not really "down", it's just a more balanced conference than it typically has been.  We see more losses and split series than we are used to seeing, but that is not really an indication that the conference is down.  The top teams have the ability to beat anyone in the country.

Also, I wouldn't sleep on the other conference winners who make it into the Midwest regional.  Aurora is having an impressive year and their innings are well spread throughout what appears to be a deep staff.  They were very competitive last year at the regional and appear to have most of their top guys back.  (Who can tell us more about them??)  I don't think this regional comes down to just a battle of the WIAC vs the MIAC.

I think the MWC winner moves to the Midwest regional... most likely closer than the Central regional in Tennessee. Possibly the IIAC winner as well.

[MIACLUV]

So what I'm reading is this, NOBODY from the midwest is going to get a C-bid? I find that to be a stretch. The NCAA putting the Central Regional in Millington, TN was a huge blunder on their part. Especially since the IIAC favorite (Central) is 570 miles away. Even to think that they could jockey the conference winners around say from the NAC to that site doesn't work. Aurora is 516 miles and Conc-Chi is 528 miles. So the NCAA put themselves in this mess. However is what most of you are saying is true the Regional should go something like this:

#1 seed: St. Thomas (MIAC Winner)
#2 seed: Aurora (NAC Winner)
#3 seed: Stevens Point (WIAC Winner)
#4 seed: St. Scholastica (UMAC Winner)
#5 seed: Central College (IIAC Winner)
#6 seed: MWC Winner (Flip a coin they are all bad)

When its all said and done there will be a 2nd WIAC in the mix. The SOS's of the top 4 teams in the conference will get a 2nd one in. SOS is the biggest hangup that the commitee lives and dies by. There will be a 2nd WIAC, a strong contender (Conc-Chi) out of the NAC, not likely a 2nd MIAC, No chance of a C-bid out of UMAC, MWC, IIAC.

[tommiegun]

I don't think this regional comes down to just a battle of the WIAC vs the MIAC.

This regional almost always comes down to WIAC v. WIAC or MIAC v. WIAC; I'd be shocked if that wasn't the case this year. 

I also wouldn't necessarily peg UST as the regional favorite based on the tourney location.  Unless things have changed in the last couple years, Prucha is a cracker box and the WIAC teams are all built to mash taters - something that does not bode well for a team based on pitching and defense.

[MIACLUV]

As far as WIAC vs MIAC goes the Tommies are the clear cut MIAC favorite. I think Any of the Top 4 WIAC's have a chance. I wouldn't discount St. Scholastica or Aurora either though. St. Scholastica should have swept the Tommies in the first series of the year and swept LAX. also Aurora has an entire regional team back from last year.

[MIACLUV]

I don't think this regional comes down to just a battle of the WIAC vs the MIAC.

This regional almost always comes down to WIAC v. WIAC or MIAC v. WIAC; I'd be shocked if that wasn't the case this year. 

Here's the data to your theory going back a little:
2011: Whitewater over St. Scholastica (WIAC vs UMAC)
2010: Whitewater over Point (WIAC vs WIAC)
2009: Tommies over St. Olaf (MIAC vs MIAC)
2008: Whitewater over St. Scholastica (WIAC vs UMAC)
2007: Point over Oshkosh (WIAC vs WIAC)
2006: Point over Ripon (WIAC over MWC)
2005: Whitwater over Point (WIAC vs WIAC)
2004: Whitewater over Tommies (WIAC vs MIAC) --BOO
2003: Oshkosh over Whitewater (WIAC vs WIAC)
2002: Lakeland over Ripon (LMC vs MWC)
2001: Tommies over Ripon (MIAC vs MWC)

You were only 50% right about what it normally comes down to. But in my book 50% of the time it works everytime!