BB: UAA: University Athletic Association

[cubs]

Wash U names former Stevens Point Head Coach Pat Bloom as its new Head Baseball coach.... 

http://bearsports.wustl.edu/sports/bsb/2014-15/releases/20150616a9bl7n

[izzy stradlin]

I know a lot of well-connected Wash U/Stl people and "word on the street" is that it had nothing to do with wins and losses, and everything to do with a new overqualified, young hot-shot AD with a huge ego looking to make his mark on an already very successful athletic program and department. Getting rid of Duncan, who had clearly already taken the program to national prominence – #3 seed in the Regionals this year, and a school record 34 wins with his first recruited class of seniors – and bringing in his own guy, was the only way for the new AD to be able to take credit for the success Wash U baseball is about to enjoy, for the sake of improving his own resume.

Duncan recruited as well and as hard as any D3 coach out there, without the benefit of any full-time assistants, and got the most out of his teams. This year was the first with a roster full of his recruits he's leaving behind a loaded roster for the new coach to enjoy. Duncan's record speaks for itself and by all accounts, he was super well-liked by players, alumni, and everyone in the department...just not enough to overcome a new AD who wants it to be about himself.

Many people in the WashU community including players, parents, administration and alums are really not happy about the situation.

[reddragon00]

izzy...Heard the same thing.  Also hear that most in WashU community were excited to have new AD but now see the writing on the wall.  Steve had done a very good job and have WashU right there for a NC run.  But, you bring in a "Non-Academic" AD (Came from UW-LaCrosse, not an academic power) with a huge ego, who thinks it is easy to do what Steve did is not a good thing.  Clearly, the new hire can coach but much different kid at UW-SP than at Wash U.  Only time will tell.  Hope Duncan gets another shot!

[y_jack_lok]

^^^^^ The above two posts are fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

[infielddad]

Interesting  new development on the Wash U AD.....he appears to have  left:

"Sources have confirmed several media reports -- first reported by Loren Tate of The News-Gazette -- that the university will announce Washington University (St. Louis) athletics director Josh Whitman as the program's 19th director of athletics in the next few days.

Whitman, 37, is a former Illinois football player who also graduated from the UI College of Law. Whitman has served as Wash U's AD for about two years."

[Bishopleftiesdad]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/14789030/university-illinois-hires-washington-athletic-director-josh-whitman

[DagarmanSpartan]

I read that this is the last UAA Spring Break Conference tourney, and that the conference is moving to "round robin" play next season.

Should I assume that every baseball playing school will now play a "traditional" conference double-header?

That said, CWRU opened with a win over Brandeis.

GO SPARTANS!!!!

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Would that bring Chicago back into the fold?

[ADL70]

If Chicago is in and Rochester departs LL that gets AQ.
Maybe S/S DHs? Making up rainouts could be a problem.
I'll see what I can find out from CWRU's SID once the tournament is over. He's currently doing play-by-play for three games a day.

Meanwhile Spartans beat Emory 4-3.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Case beat Rochester today.

3-0 start!!!!

[DagarmanSpartan]

A little regression today with a loss to NYU.

Let's hope that we bounce back tomorrow against Washington U.-St. Louis.

ADL70,

By chance did you find out anything about next year's conference schedule?

[Ralph Turner]

If Chicago is in and Rochester departs LL that gets AQ.
Maybe S/S DHs? Making up rainouts could be a problem.
I'll see what I can find out from CWRU's SID once the tournament is over. He's currently doing play-by-play for three games a day.

Why not the whole season in one week in FL?

Single round robin with tie-breaker finish.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

If Chicago is in and Rochester departs LL that gets AQ.
Maybe S/S DHs? Making up rainouts could be a problem.
I'll see what I can find out from CWRU's SID once the tournament is over. He's currently doing play-by-play for three games a day.

Why not the whole season in one week in FL?

Single round robin with tie-breaker finish.

That would rule Chicago out. They do not compete in the UAA because their spring break does not coinside with the other UAA schools. If the conference does not have a shot at an auto bid I cannot see Rochester leaving the Liberty league.
I had concerns that the former AD at Wash U might have pulled the Bears out, for another conference, like football. But he moved on.

[ADL70]

Just when it looked like Wash was in the driver's seat. Rochester shut them out 2-0.
CWRU plays Emory at 5 ET. Shields should get the start with 5 days rest. Englander threw Gross vs Brandeis on three days rest which means Emory doesn't get a second look at Gross.

Spartans are down a starter as Krentz hasn't pitched since the opener. Must not be available for some reason.

[DagarmanSpartan]

I e-mailed the CWRU AD.  As it turns out, the round-robin format will involve five teams (I presume CWRU, Wash-U, Brandeis, Emory, and NYU) playing a regular season round robin of four games played between Fridays and Sundays.

Chicago will play only CWRU and Wash U. under this format.

Rochester will not participate.

There will be no AQ.

Not exactly an ideal situation, but not necessarily too much worse than the current one.

Anyway, good to see CWRU come out of this, the last UAA Spring Break Tourney, with a second place finish, a winning record, and a win over Top Five Emory.

This new arrangement would, in theory, give CWRU twenty conference games per year, far more than under the current format.  At that point, it'll be easy to fill out the rest of the season schedule with local Division III opponents like Oberlin, Kenyon, Heidelberg, Wooster, John Carroll, and Baldwin-Wallace.