MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[John Gleich]

OK, I'm back, I know you were all waiting with bated breath...

In the 1999-2000 season, Point played at Northern Kentucky at a tournament against DII competition.  In the first game, they beat St. Michael's college from VT, and in the second game, they played host N Kentucky and lost just 64-60 against the #6 ranked Norse.  This NKU team made the DII NCAA tournament this season, and this, of course, was the season that Point was stunned in the Elite 8 by a Sherm Carstensen 30 footer when UWEC took second in the nation.
Story for NKU game
Game preview about NKU

I also have first hand knowlege of a DII team... I played at Michigan Tech during the 00-01 season, and though the team had just an 18-10 record that season, they did win their division in the GLIAC, and you could tell the team was going to be special.  They upset a couple of ranked teams but they were really young.  The next two years, this team was ranked #1 in DII and compiled a 36-6 record over those two seasons (01-02, 02-03).  Now, the two following seasons after that were Point's championship seasons, and I can attest that these teams were every bit as good as the MTU teams.  The two Nat Champ teams had size, athleticism, and shooters to match up with even the best DII teams and with the majority of DI teams as well. 

Now, people might cite last year's UWSP loss to Northern Michigan as reasoning that DIII teams can't compete with DII... but UWSP didn't fit the common profile for most upper echelon DIII teams.  They were a team of shooters who did some things tremendously well... they took care of the ball better than any other team in the country and they did the little things that put them in the position to win each and every game.  The three games they lost were games where they shot poorly, but they were also games where the teams took advantage of Point's lack of a true inside presence.

Now some of the arguments for moving the WIAC to DII (which I DON'T want to reopen, mind you...) come down to the fact that there are not the same number of DII options in WI as in surrounding states, thus the DIII teams are able to get better quality players who slip through the cracks a bit.  It's for this reason, as well as the fact that the WIAC has some of the best coaches around, regardless of level, that I would put most teams in the WIAC up against the other divisions.  Heck, look at Superior... they beat Bemidji State last year, who's DII themselves!

[chmarx]

Well, its not going to happen, whatever WE think.

[John Gleich]

Hey, I'm not saying I think the WIAC should be DII... I'm just saying that the WIAC, but also much of DIII is on the same level (at the very least) as DII and even DI.  I guess I'm just preaching to the choir mostly though... because we're all close to DIII and know this!

[BoBo]

Heck, look at Superior... they beat Bemidji State last year, who's DII themselves!

Hey, I'm not saying I think the WIAC should be DII... I'm just saying that the WIAC, but also much of DIII is on the same level (at the very least) as DII and even DI.  I guess I'm just preaching to the choir mostly though... because we're all close to DIII and know this!

PointSpecial,

Not many teams in D2 or for that matter D1 or D3, either, appeared to be on the same level with Bemidji last year.  Afterall, with only 5 wins all year (2 against a three win Minn-Crookston team by a total of 5 points), most teams in the basketball playing world would have cleaned house against the Beavers last year.  If you're going to use them as your example, then sure, most D3 teams would be at or above the D2 level.  But, Bemidji was a very bad team last year and, I believe, not a fair representation of D2 as a whole.

Bemidji 2006-2007 season results http://info.bemidjistate.edu/sports/sports/mhoops/schedule/index.html
Minn-Crookston 2006-2007 season resultshttp://www.crk.umn.edu/people/athletics/Basketball/Stats/2006/teamcume.htm

Cut Superior a little slack.  They didn't have many wins last year either, but give credit for a road win against a higher division team, regardless who it was against.

[Ralph Turner]

...
Mr. Downtown is hardly new to the message board! lol.  So, R.T., are you saying that the NESCAC should move to D2 as well? 

  So, I found out. 

I reviewed the NACUBO endowments and there are 5 UAA's and 3 NESCAC's that are up around the D-1 privates like the Ivies, Stanford, Northwestern, Duke, USC, Vandy, (JHU), (Cal Tech), (Grinnell), (Pomona), Wellesley, Richmond, (Yeshiva), (Swarthmore), Southern Methodist, Wake Forest, and Texas Christian.  Those are the top 62 and have at least $1B in endowment. 

[bulk19]

UWEC announces its recruits. Information gleaned from the school website:

Amadou Fofana - C, 6-7, 250, Fr., Appleton, WI/West:
As a senior co-captain, he averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and was named first team All-Fox Valley Association.

Rashan Goodwin - G/F, 6-2, 185, Jr., Minneapolis, MN/Holy Angels/Lake Region State, ND:
A junior college transfer from Lake Region State College of North Dakota, led team in three-point fg percentage (40%), and was named team's best defensive player.

Michael Mudgett - F, 6-5, 215, Fr., Gilman, WI:
Was ranked among the top 50 seniors in Wisconsin at the beginning of the 2006-07 season by the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook, averaged 8.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Led the North squad with 18 points and 6 boards for the Division North All-Stars at the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-Star Game.

Garrett Ottney - F, 6-5, 190, Fr., Glenwood City, WI:
Averaged 12.9 points per game and was named second team All-Dunn-St. Croix Conference honors last year. Ranked among the top 70 seniors in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook and was named as an alternate for the Division 3 North All-Star team (WBCA). Brother of Dan...

Augie Saiz - G/F, 6-5, 185, Fr., Baraboo, WI/Wisconsin Dells:
Team captain and MVP, and first team all-conference pick, led the South Central Conference in scoring, at 15.4 ppg, with a team best 5.2 boards per game. Played for the Division 2 North All-Stars, where he scored 18 points.

Ryan Shea - G, 6-3, 180, Fr., Duluth, MN/East:
Team captain and MVP, he averaged 20.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. First team All-Area honors and honorable mention All-State. Competed in the Minnesota State All-Star Game.

[buf]

Bulk beat me to the punch.

In the local paper, it sounds like Gibbons is high on Goodwin (defensive skills) and Shea (who turned down some D2 offers).  Fofana looks like he could be a load down in the post.

Back to back pretty big (as far as number of players) recruiting classes for UWEC.  Perhaps Gibbons is starting to feel some pressure??

[Greek Tragedy]

Whitewater's schedule has been released.

Whitewater

Previously released schedules

Superior

La Crosse

Platteville

River Falls

Stout

Eau Claire, Oshkosh and Stevens Point have yet to submit schedules.

[titan2000]

Oshkosh schedule on hold as Michigan DNR is considering an early deer hunt period in the UP so they are considering an extra Finlandia game if that happens.

[frankiet]

UWRF starting point guard Ryan Thompson has transferred for his senior season to Jamestown College in ND.

http://www.jc.edu/athletics/newRoster.php?sportId=256


Erik Olson, another guard for UWRF has transferred to Linfield College in OR.
Tim Pearson, UWRF forward is rumored to have left the team as well.

[Drake Palmer]

UWRF starting point guard Ryan Thompson has transferred for his senior season to Jamestown College in ND.

http://www.jc.edu/athletics/newRoster.php?sportId=256


Erik Olson, another guard for UWRF has transferred to Linfield College in OR.
Tim Pearson, UWRF forward is rumored to have left the team as well.

Hey Frankiet - I'm a MIAC poster from next door & frequent lurker on your board.  Any idea why Ryan Thompson is transferring in his senior year to Jamestown College in ND?  That's wilderness country out there! 

With Koonkaew's emergence last year as the starting PG, I can understand the reason for Thompson's transfer, but Jamestown is a long five hundred miles away from his hometown of Viroqua.  Especially when you consider all the other NAIA, NCAA schools in Iowa, WI, & MN that are much closer than Jamestown. 

And, what's up with the all potential UWRF transfers then?

[frankiet]

I don't think Ryan Thompson transferring had anything to do with Koonkaew emerging as a starter. In UWRF's offense, Thompson and Koonkaew played side by side with no problems. Thompson became a better scoring threat last season and Koonkaew's tenacious driving ability complimented each other.

As to Thompson transferring, not sure the reasons why. I've heard he has an option of coaching at Jamestown after playing next season, plus a full-ride his senior season.

That is now 5 potential impact seniors UWRF has lost in the last two seasons. Hoeg, Zylstra, Pearson, Thompson, and Olson.

[Greek Tragedy]

Wow, huge losses in River Falls.  Not getting along with Jeff Berkoff or something?  Thompson's a stud, but a full ride is hard to pass up, plus the potential of coaching the following season. 

I would have to agree that transferring because of Koonkaew's emergence would be ridiculous.  It's too bad because I thought River Falls was an up-and-coming team that had their moments last year.

[Drake Palmer]

Wow, huge losses in River Falls.  Not getting along with Jeff Berkoff or something?  Thompson's a stud, but a full ride is hard to pass up, plus the potential of coaching the following season. 

I would have to agree that transferring because of Koonkaew's emergence would be ridiculous.   It's too bad because I thought River Falls was an up-and-coming team that had their moments last year.

Old School - Sheesh, tough crowd over here.  In hindsight I should have re-worded my post to have it read as more of a speculative question than a statement.  My fault. I have or had no idea if Thompson's transfer was a result of another player - Koonkaew, possible differences with a new head coach, or as the latest speculation goes – because he's receiving a full-ride scholarship.

Admittedly, I don't follow the WIAC as closely as you guys, but after watching UWRF play in the Bethel tourney in St. Paul last season, I saw an upperclassman's minutes at the point being taken over by a Freshman PG.  When I checked later on in the season I saw that this same FY PG earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors – & now the junior guard is transferring?  Although I very well could be wrong, I thought my idea could be one of several logical inferences an outsider might make.

Also, look again at the Jamestown link – 19 new recruits for basketball??  I would seriously doubt Thompson is getting a full ride scholarship in his senior year.  It's my understanding that NAIA Div. 2 schools receive the equivalent of 6 fulltime scholarships that they divvy up among a varsity roster of 12-14 players.   Some schools like Jamestown may also give partial scholarships to players on their JV roster, which is what I'm guessing they're doing with the other 18 recruits.    I'm guessing turnover can be a bit of a problem at your local NAIA school.   

[Greek Tragedy]

DP,

Didn't want you to think I was jumping on you or anything there.  Sorry if you thought that.  I was just disagreeing! lol.