MBB: NESCAC

[Pat Coleman]

First game used to be the Friday before Thanksgiving, then Nov. 15, then Nov. 13-14 if the 15th was on a Sunday, and now we're at Nov. 8.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Yeah the timing has changed over the last ten or so years. Pat nails down the changes, though Nov. 8 start is new for this season.

In the last few years, it was Nov. 15 unless that was on a Saturday or Sunday, then it could start on the Friday before Nov. 15. Now it is Nov. 8, but with the same rule: if Nov. 8 is a Saturday or Sunday, the teams can start the Friday prior (i.e. Nov. 6 or 7).

Per the NESCAC (remember, the CAC is an actual conference in the Mid-Atlantic ) ... they still are not allowed to start practices until Nov. 1 and they are not allowed to start games until the Friday prior to Thanksgiving. That has stood no matter what rule changes have been made in Division III ... and remains still.

I happened, without seeing this post, make some calls into the NESCAC today about all of this. There may be an interesting story to come.

[jayhawk]

New recruit for Middlebury 6'5" inch forward Jackson Pitcher  - I think goes to school at Deerfield

https://twitter.com/dschlakman?lang=en

[D3HforLyfe]

"Hutcherson is obviously awesome! In fact, all in all, he is probably the most talented player we have ever had at Wesleyan."
(D3HforLyfe)

Even better than Winky Davenport?

(Some guys on this board are really old!)

Hahaha, amazing! Wink is a LEGEND -- Herb Kenny gave me some stories after a game once that would certainly signify W.D. being the actual Wes GOAT.

[P'bearfan]

Logged onto the Bowdoin website hoping to see the new roster.  Unfortunately it's not up yet but the schedule is.  The Polar Bears will open their season against Albertus Magnus on Nov 16th.  Looking forward to the star of the season.

[nescac1]

A New England program to really watch for is St. Joseph's (CT), which has loaded up in a massive way in its first year as a program.  Jim Calhoun (!) is the head coach, and former Conn College coach Glenn Miller (who lead the Camels to the D3 final four before moving on to Division 1) is a super-over-qualified associate head coach and I assume the heir apparent.  That's just a ridiculous staff, and their first recruiting class was flat-out crazy:

https://www.ctpost.com/sports/jeffjacobs/article/Jeff-Jacobs-Jim-Calhoun-s-Saint-Joseph-team-12920787.php

Pretty wild that a program entirely new to D3 can beat out the likes of Wesleyan for recruits!  Since that article, Calhoun has added a potential star transfer in Mike Sagay, who was a scholarship player at Boston College, saw a bit of playing time as a frosh, and if the St. Joseph's roster is to be believed has since grown an inch or two while adding 20 pounds.  Clearly, guys are eager to play for Calhoun and I have a feeling they will continue loading up over the next few years. 

In that article Calhoun notes that he is avoiding scheduling NESCAC teams in his first season (clearly the guy has done his homework), but I have a feeling that won't last long, and he'll soon be playing at least Wesleyan, Conn College and certainly Trinity with regularity.  I imagine St. Joseph's may soon put GNAC on the national map, with Albertus and Johnson and Wales going from dominating a very weak league to solid 2nd/3rd place sort of programs, and they will almost instantly be (if not this year than I'd bet by next year) one of the top powers in New England D3 hoops.  Certainly, one more recruiting year like this one, and they will be able to compete with anybody. 

They play at Brandeis - another program with an intriguing story line this year - in an exhibition on Saturday, it will be interesting to hear the result.  St. Joe's has a very soft schedule in their inaugural year and even with such a young team, they may well post eye-popping win numbers with so many star players in the recruiting classs. 

[middhoops]

Great article, nescac1.
This new team is going to get a ton of attention.
And maybe scrutiny.

[Old Guy]

Couldn't the new Calhoun team just make a whole schedule playing other schools named St. Joe's?

[P'bearfan]

https://bowdoinorient.com/2018/11/02/hausman-16-battles-clippers-in-preseason/

Here's a nice article of former Bowdoin standout Lucas Hausman.  Good luck to him in Israel this season!

[amh63]

Based on the cited story.....Calhoun's return to coaching...., I have a basic question of WHY?
Seems to me with his consulting "jobs". it may not be money.  Is it his ego?

[toad22]

Based on the cited story.....Calhoun's return to coaching...., I have a basic question of WHY?
Seems to me with his consulting "jobs". it may not be money.  Is it his ego?

He loves to coach.

[Old Guy]

Based on the cited story.....Calhoun's return to coaching...., I have a basic question of WHY?
Seems to me with his consulting "jobs". it may not be money.  Is it his ego?

He loves to coach.

Yes, it is his ego — and yes, he loves to coach.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Find out on Thursday night ... we may or may not have him on Hoopsville.

[AmherstRules]

Find out on Thursday night ... we may or may not have him on Hoopsville.

See if you can get him talking salty.  It's in there.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Find out on Thursday night ... we may or may not have him on Hoopsville.

See if you can get him talking salty.  It's in there.

Talking salty? That means a lot of different things. LOL