MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

All SLIAC Men's schedules are now posted, so it's time for me to do my annual "Rate the Schedules"....    simply based on how attractive I find the schedule.... 

There is a major change in SLIAC schedules this year due to the addition of a 10th team, Iowa Wesleyan....   All teams now play 18 league games, leaving room for only 7 non conference games, rather than the 9 they have been playing...   Unfortunately in most cases, teams seemed to have eliminated glamor games, keeping the middle of the road and lesser games on the schedule... in my mind, the overall competition level has dropped from what we are used to seeing.

I am however, excited about the first weekend of the season, when I can likely see 5 conference teams and Wash U over 3 days... Westminster and Greenville play up at Elmhurst vs Millikin and Elmhurst on Friday, Webster and MacMurray play Rust and St Joes' Calumet on Saturday/Sunday, and Fontbonne and Wash U host Hendrix and Rhodes on Saturday/Sunday... Should be fun!!!

Ok so here are my ratings, worst to best of non conference schedules...   any records are last season's... impressions are based on historical strength of teams

10... Iowa Wesleyan...   Yes the new entry comes in dead last..... Iowa Wesleyan joins the SLIAC from the USCAA, and will hopefully over time convert their non conference schedule to playing solid D3 teams ..from the Iowa Conference, the CCIW, NACC, or MWC..  this season though... ouch.. Manhattan Christian, Faith Baptist Bible, Illinois Institute of Technolgy twice (IIT program only restarted last year), a weak Cornell (Iowa) (7-18)    along with getting served up as fodder to D1 teams  Nebraska Omaha and South Dakota... 

9... Principia..  When you've lost 50 + in a row, it might be smart to play as weak of a non conference schedule as possible.. and Prin is gearing towards that.   The highlight of the schedule is playing Millikin, whom many feel may be on the rise in the best D3 conference in the country, the CCIW.  But beyond that, ouch.. Illinois College (9-14), Loras (8-17), Knox (1-22), NAIA William Woods, and home and away with St Louis Pharma...   Can Prin take advantage and break the streak?

8.... Greenville...  At this point in time, Greenville only has 6 non conference games listed on their schedule... not sure if a game 7 will appear later or not.  They start the season off strongly with the trip up to Elmhurst to play Elmhurst and Millikin, but after that, Lincoln Christian, Dominican (10-17), Loras ( 8-17), and St. Louis Pharma leaves little to be excited about....

7... Eureka...   Eureka also shows only 6 non conference games on their schedule... at least 5 of them are D3 games, though none against teams that figure to be strong. They do play CCIW member North Park  (6-19, last in the CCIW), along with Monmouth (7-16), Central (10-14), Rockford (8-18), and Loras (7-18), along with Lincoln Christian.  Eureka was very strong last year, but loses EVERYONE to graduation... maybe this schedule makes sense, this year. 

6... MacMurray..  This schedule is disappointing to me, as Mac returns more talent than anybody in the league... I would have hoped for a step up..   Yes, 2 CCIW opponents with Millikin and Augustana, and a trip to D2 Central Missouri, but the Tourney at Webster has a relatively weak Rust (10-14) and non D3 St Joe's Calumet, and Mac also plays 1 win Knox, and non D3 St Louis Christian.   I understand the Webster tourney, but scheduling could have been better.

5... Webster... Webster usually has the toughest non confernce schedule in the SLIAC, but not this year, not close.  Three solid games with Wash U, Elmhurst and D2 Missouri S&T, but a decided down turn after that, with the weak tourney playing Rust and St Joe's Calumet, and Dominican and Monmouth... I'm used to much better versus the Gorlocks.

4....Westminster...The Jays open with the tourney up in Elmhurst playing CCIW foes Millikin and Elmhurst... a great opportunity to raise the SLIAC's status... also on the schedule are Milwaukee engineering (17-9), Edgewood (7-18) and Simpson (7-19)...  then a tournament up in Iowa with Illinois Tech, NAIA Mt Mercy and Coe (15-11)... hopefully Westmin will get Coe and Mount Mercy

3.... Fontbonne... The Griffs finish just a tick ahead of Westminster, as they play ALL d3 teams, 3 with winning records, 4 with losing.  Coming in with winning records are Wash U, Milwaukee Engineering (17-9), and Rhodes (16-10), and I also think a lot of scheduling Elmhust out of the CCIW.  The Griffs also play Hendrix (8-18), Edgewood (7-18) and Concordia-Chicago (4-21).  This is a nice mix of games for a young and upcoming team.

(note, my 'rating' system actually had Fontbonne and Westminster tied....)

2...  Blackburn...  Not sure that when you're coming off a 2-23 season it's too wise too play the 2nd best non-conference schedule in the league, but if it helps the Beavers get better, great.  Blackburn plays 7 D3 teams, 5 of them with solid winning records, and no cupcakes... It may be well beyond a realistic challenge....  They start off in a tourney up at Wheaton, where they open with Wheaton (21-7) then get either UW River Falls (20-8) or Wittenburg (17-10).  Then they go to Hanover  (18-9)....  Nice way to start the season.....   Along with that they have CCIW member Millikin, top notch Illinois Wesleyan (23-6), Illinois College (9-14) and Rockford (8-18)...  a great schedule, but I'd rather see Mac or Webster or Westmin playing it... poor BC likely will be getting crushed....

1... Spalding...  The best team in the SLIAC loses a lot of talent, but they are still playing UP.  Only one tem on the schedule had a losing record last year, Anderson, and they weren't too bad at 11-14..   Otherwise WOW.. A tourney in Birmingham with Birmignham Southern (20-8), Emory (20-7) and Colorado College (16-11); at Hanover (18-9); a tourney at Wooster with Wooster (24-6), Wheaton (21-7), and Baldwin Wallace (19-6), and a game with Transylvania (20-8)....    What's the over/under for wins in those 7 games....   GREAT schedule.

So I'd group these schedules like this

Excellent... Blackburn and Spalding

anything else... everyone else

[Gregory Sager]

Yep, y_jack's right that there is no "clock" in D3. But eligibility in D3 is as much a matter of enrollment as it is of participation. While you only get to play/practice the standard four-year maximum (med reds excepted, of course), you also have only five school years (divided into ten semesters or fifteen trimesters, depending upon the school in question) of full-time enrollment within which to play/practice for those four years. Because there's no "clock", it doesn't matter when you're enrolled for those five school years. They don't have to be consecutive, as the case of the 45-year-old Guilford kicker illustrates. But you are limited by the number of semesters/trimesters in which you're enrolled as a full-time student at an institution of higher learning.

[Gregory Sager]

10... Iowa Wesleyan...   Yes the new entry comes in dead last..... Iowa Wesleyan joins the SLIAC from the USCAA, and will hopefully over time convert their non conference schedule to playing solid D3 teams ..from the Iowa Conference, the CCIW, NACC, or MWC..  this season though... ouch.. Manhattan Christian, Faith Baptist Bible, Illinois Institute of Technolgy twice (IIT program only restarted last year), a weak Cornell (Iowa) (7-18)    along with getting served up as fodder to D1 teams  Nebraska Omaha and South Dakota... 

To be fair to the Tigers, they had left the NAIA and the Midwest Collegiate Conference the year before, which made them orphans for a year as they prepared to transition to the NCAA and D3. (Hence, the USCAA membership; the USCAA is sort of an orphanage for schools without a home in the NAIA or NCAA, because it doesn't ask questions as to how long you plan on staying.) Due to that transition period, IWC's schedule was even more of an eclectic melange last year than it'll be this year.

If the Tigers were transitioning straight from the NAIA and the Midwest Collegiate Conference to NCAA D3 and the SLIAC, I'm sure that the sked would look more respectable, because it would more likely have some tried-and-true NAIA opponents on it. I have to say, though, that their coach deserves kudos for getting two D1 opponents on the schedule. Cannon fodder or not, those are good games for IWC to have for three reasons: 1) recruiting; 2) guaranteed gate means more income for the program; and 3) tougher non-conference competition usually means better conference performance.

Incidentally, here's the two Meet In The Middle games that've been talked about in this room ever since IWC joined the league:

Dec. 7: Iowa Wesleyan vs. Spalding @ Fontbonne (St. Louis. MO)
Feb. 6: Spalding vs. Iowa Wesleyan @ MacMurray (Jacksonville, IL)

For uniform and scoreboard purposes, Spalding will be the home team for the first game, Iowa Wesleyan will be the home team for the second.

[Joevegas]

Oh boy.  Fontbonne just scheduled St Louis University on oct 31. 

[hopefan]

Oh boy.  Fontbonne just scheduled St Louis University on oct 31.

VERY COOL....  will be a great experience.....  Chaifitz here we come....

[hopefan]

ok SLIAC hoops fans... as we 'patiently' await the start of Basketball, I might note an entertaining opportunity for Saturday Afternoon.... 'SLIAC' (alright- UMAC) football...

UNDEFEATED Greenville at UNDEFEATED Eureka....   

if it weren't quite so far away from St Louis...........

[ecreddevils]

ok SLIAC hoops fans... as we 'patiently' await the start of Basketball, I might note an entertaining opportunity for Saturday Afternoon.... 'SLIAC' (alright- UMAC) football...

UNDEFEATED Greenville at UNDEFEATED Eureka....   

if it weren't quite so far away from St Louis...........

This could well be the game of the year in the UMAC.  Immovable Object, EC's defense vs. the Unstoppable Force, GC's Brendan Chambers.  I think EC gets it done at home, 30-28. Oh, there is a basektball connection too, lest you think this post is in the wrong forum, Dustin Fritsch and Niko Rivera are both making contributions on the gridiron.

An interesting football-related article from yesterday:

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/a-real-catch-freshman-baugh-makes-immediate-impact-at-eureka/article_294009b2-1f45-11e3-9c03-001a4bcf887a.html

[hopefan]

ok SLIAC hoops fans... as we 'patiently' await the start of Basketball, I might note an entertaining opportunity for Saturday Afternoon.... 'SLIAC' (alright- UMAC) football...

UNDEFEATED Greenville at UNDEFEATED Eureka....   

if it weren't quite so far away from St Louis...........

This could well be the game of the year in the UMAC.  Immovable Object, EC's defense vs. the Unstoppable Force, GC's Brendan Chambers.  I think EC gets it done at home, 30-28. Oh, there is a basektball connection too, lest you think this post is in the wrong forum, Dustin Fritsch and Niko Rivera are both making contributions on the gridiron.

An interesting football-related article from yesterday:

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/a-real-catch-freshman-baugh-makes-immediate-impact-at-eureka/article_294009b2-1f45-11e3-9c03-001a4bcf887a.html

ecdev   +1   Great article on the Tennessee kid... and completely surprising news on Rivera and Fritsch....   just like Kindred!!!  Except that jordan played hoops after the Football season....  I'm assuming Fritsch and Rivera used up Hoops eligibility...    Tell us more.. what position are they playing.. did they play in HS?

[ecreddevils]

ok SLIAC hoops fans... as we 'patiently' await the start of Basketball, I might note an entertaining opportunity for Saturday Afternoon.... 'SLIAC' (alright- UMAC) football...

UNDEFEATED Greenville at UNDEFEATED Eureka....   

if it weren't quite so far away from St Louis...........

This could well be the game of the year in the UMAC.  Immovable Object, EC's defense vs. the Unstoppable Force, GC's Brendan Chambers.  I think EC gets it done at home, 30-28. Oh, there is a basektball connection too, lest you think this post is in the wrong forum, Dustin Fritsch and Niko Rivera are both making contributions on the gridiron.

An interesting football-related article from yesterday:

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/a-real-catch-freshman-baugh-makes-immediate-impact-at-eureka/article_294009b2-1f45-11e3-9c03-001a4bcf887a.html

ecdev   +1   Great article on the Tennessee kid... and completely surprising news on Rivera and Fritsch....   just like Kindred!!!  Except that jordan played hoops after the Football season....  I'm assuming Fritsch and Rivera used up Hoops eligibility...    Tell us more.. what position are they playing.. did they play in HS?

Hopefan, yes both are out of eligibility for basketball.  They both played high school football at Sterling (IL) HS.  Niko Rivera was the QB (all-state honorable mention) and Fritsch was (I think all-conference) WR, so they do have football experience.  However, Rivera has added a good bit of muscle and is actually playing S on the defensive side of the ball.

Kindred, interestingly, had never played a down of organized football in his life before last season.

[ecreddevils]

Re-posting this from the football board, since the UMAC has been long dead.  There is some SLIAC interest as three schools are in the conference:

EC off to its best start in years.  Should have beaten Greenville at home!

Current standings:

Greenville    4-0    5-0
St. Scholastica    4-0    4-1
Eureka    3-1    4-1
Northwestern (Minn.)    3-1    3-2
Martin Luther    2-2    2-3
Westminster (Mo.)    2-2    2-3
Iowa Wesleyan    1-3    1-4
Minnesota-Morris    1-3    1-4
Crown    0-4    0-5
MacMurray    0-4    0-5

Good race shaping up for the top spot.  EC gets St. Scholastica at home, if we can win there we're right in the thick of it.  Northwestern has St. S and G-Ville the next two weeks. They can really shake things up by winning one or both of those games.

[y_jack_lok]

Re-posting this from the football board, since the UMAC has been long dead.  There is some SLIAC interest as three schools are in the conference:

EC off to its best start in years.  Should have beaten Greenville at home!

Current standings:

Greenville    4-0    5-0
St. Scholastica    4-0    4-1
Eureka    3-1    4-1
Northwestern (Minn.)    3-1    3-2
Martin Luther    2-2    2-3
Westminster (Mo.)    2-2    2-3
Iowa Wesleyan    1-3    1-4
Minnesota-Morris    1-3    1-4
Crown    0-4    0-5
MacMurray    0-4    0-5

Good race shaping up for the top spot.  EC gets St. Scholastica at home, if we can win there we're right in the thick of it.  Northwestern has St. S and G-Ville the next two weeks. They can really shake things up by winning one or both of those games.

Not sure I understood correctly your reference to three schools in the conference, but the five bolded schools are SLIAC members in all other sports I believe.

[Denny McKinney]

A week from tomorrow another year kicks off. I'd like to wish all SLIAC teams good luck. I've got a hometown St. Clair Bulldog at Webster to follow. My good friends at Greenville to root for. Plus, It's the 25 th Anniversary of Basketball at Fontbonne. One of Pop's former players watched and open gym at FU. He was very very impressed with the kid from Turkey. Looking forward to see how Kody Ettinger does. You know I got a soft spot for those small town kids out I-44. Hope to see my friend Yjak at my annual game in the Gorlok Dome. I'll be following another season of my Little Brothers team down in Sullivan. Did I ever give Dino props on being the first college play with over 400 3's in a career? Anyway good luck all.

[hopefan]

Re-posting this from the football board, since the UMAC has been long dead.  There is some SLIAC interest as three schools are in the conference:

EC off to its best start in years.  Should have beaten Greenville at home!

Current standings:

Greenville    4-0    5-0
St. Scholastica    4-0    4-1
Eureka    3-1    4-1
Northwestern (Minn.)    3-1    3-2
Martin Luther    2-2    2-3
Westminster (Mo.)    2-2    2-3
Iowa Wesleyan    1-3    1-4
Minnesota-Morris    1-3    1-4
Crown    0-4    0-5
MacMurray    0-4    0-5

Good race shaping up for the top spot.  EC gets St. Scholastica at home, if we can win there we're right in the thick of it.  Northwestern has St. S and G-Ville the next two weeks. They can really shake things up by winning one or both of those games.

Not sure I understood correctly your reference to three schools in the conference, but the five bolded schools are SLIAC members in all other sports I believe.

When I noticed the Greenville - Crown game was close in the 4th Q last Saturday,I went to it on the internet...Crown was driving for FG position and a win, but a sack and a holding penalty killed them in the last minute...would have been a huge upset.....Greenville won 21-20

[ecreddevils]

Re-posting this from the football board, since the UMAC has been long dead.  There is some SLIAC interest as three schools are in the conference:

EC off to its best start in years.  Should have beaten Greenville at home!

Current standings:

Greenville    4-0    5-0
St. Scholastica    4-0    4-1
Eureka    3-1    4-1
Northwestern (Minn.)    3-1    3-2
Martin Luther    2-2    2-3
Westminster (Mo.)    2-2    2-3
Iowa Wesleyan    1-3    1-4
Minnesota-Morris    1-3    1-4
Crown    0-4    0-5
MacMurray    0-4    0-5

Good race shaping up for the top spot.  EC gets St. Scholastica at home, if we can win there we're right in the thick of it.  Northwestern has St. S and G-Ville the next two weeks. They can really shake things up by winning one or both of those games.

Not sure I understood correctly your reference to three schools in the conference, but the five bolded schools are SLIAC members in all other sports I believe.

I could try counting.  Didn't even think about Westminster or IW for some reason.  Yeah, Hope, that Crown upset would have given us a really good chance.  Greenville has a good team but it shows they could be vulnerable. 

[hopefan]

Personally, I don't mind at all seeing anything related to other SLIAC sports come across this site, especially during the Basketball off season...  while I don't venture too often to D3football.com and never to the other D3 sites, I'm always intersested in how SLIAC schools are making out in Football, Soccer, Baseball, Softball et al....  Thanks to ECred for putting the football in the spotlight... Question, are Fritsch and Riviera contributing to the success of the Gridiron Red Devils?