WBB: Middle Atlantic Conference board archive

[RoyalGator]

Hello Everyone!!!!

I am getting excited only two weeks until the start of the season.  As for my predictions, here it goes:

1.  Scranton
2.  Desales
3.  Kings
4.  Drew
5.  Del Val
6.  FDU-FLorham
7.  Lycoming
8.  Wilkes

They have a so-so schedule, except there are some pitfalls with a potential matchup with Rochester in the 2nd game of the season, W. Conn ST. in the tournament in Orlando (I can actually see this game) and Desales in Freedom Conference play.  A rematch with Catholic should be fun I do not expect us to loose to them this year.  I am just hoping I can make the 1300 mile trip north to Springfield and see them win.

[RoyalGator]

Wow   ,

U of S joining the Landmark Conference, I did not expect this.  I just want to see now what Kings and Wilkes does, will they come also?

[kate]

Scranton, you will be missed - i sincerely did not know that FDU was leaving as well.  The exodous should end here.  It's good that Manhattanville and Arcadia are coming in as Lycoming is going to the Commonwealth.

[saratoga]

RoyalGator...Trust me, Kings or Wilkes will NOT be involved with this conference. Kate, FDU is not in...it's the "other" Madison school, Drew. I'll certainly miss the trips to Doylestown...perhaps the Lady Royals & Lady Aggies will still keep a open date to play at least once a year. I bet Coach Laura is ready to help Coach Mike pack his bags asap!!!

[kate]

Last night in my dismay at seeing that Scranton was leaving, i misread & thought the list included FDU.  This is ELECTION DAY, & i woke up this morning still thinking about Scranton leaving the league - good grief!  It would be interesting to know what Coach Hogan does think about the MAC changes, and also, i can't imagine Coach Fred being too upset either .  Somehow, i just feel that it dilutes interest when teams switch leagues - Pat will have to spend the summer updating the affiliation changes - Drew & Scranton - there's always time to change back.

[kate]

Someday, i hope someone can explain what is truly behind these moves from one league to another.  Obviously, cost isn't a factor, or even, possibly safety.  On a miserable winter night, Scranton schleping to D. C. for a game & CUA going up to Scranton - same difference.  All for the chance to play Moravian or God love em, Drew!  Royal, Saratoga,  all other posters this is really bothering me.  Thoughts, please - one more observation, it's different if we were in Iowa or Kansas where teams are probably 100 miles from each other, but we're here on the east coast where we're practically tripping over D-3 colleges everywhere!  Surely we could do better than to scatter these players to the winds.

[Pat Coleman]

Catholic and Scranton already play in basketball and have done so for years.

[kate]

Pat, i know that, heck, CUA beat em last year, but it's different when it's a LEAGUE obligation for two times/season.  Someday, i'll sit and figure distance for teams other than those two.  Obviously, travel time & money are not in question.   i'd sincerely like other posters to chime in - the players themselves probably have no or little imput.

[Pat Coleman]

Well, in all honesty, I think we're seeing a second split in the MAC like we did when the Centennial schools split off, and it's driven by the same thing, academics.

Accurate or not, these schools see themselves as a cut above the other schools in their league academically and would prefer to align themselves with the proverbial "like-minded institutions."

You'll note nobody decided to split from the Centennial to join this league.

I really try to avoid the academic argument. Someone else can run the numbers.

[Warren Thompson]

I really try to avoid the academic argument.

Pat: Avoiding the "academic argument" is the sane approach. At the same time, one has to wonder what is going on with these MAC defections. Do the venues skipping to [allegedly] greener pastures know something the rest of us don't?

I''m fully mystified ....

[ronk]

     As a Scranton grad, I'm mystified, also. They gain no new recruiting areas since they play at CU every other year and they lose their most fertile area-suburban Philly without the Del Val game.
     As a Md resident, I had hoped they would have played a Baltimore school(Hopkins, McDaniel, or an exhibition with fellow Jesuit Loyola) in that off year with CU, if they wanted to recruit there.
     At least, I'll get to see them locally twice/yr instead of once/2yr.
     It's sounding like the reason is not athletics or recruiting athletes or students. 

[salesman]

I know I am a kibbitser here but just bear with me, please.

There are these great rivalries that we all like to watch:

   Phillies v Mets
   Eagles v Giants
   Sixers v Celtics

For the MAC: DeSales v Scranton rivalry will be missed once the purps bolt to the "cerebral" group. DelVal won't be as challenging but I'll look forward to it (No offense, Kate).

[kate]

This isn't the proper forum for this i know, but what's up with the MAC not having wrestling as of this year?   Now i'm really starting to get worried, though i'm still declaring "Mighty MAC."  While i'm on here, GO AGGIES, too!!!

[LA RAMS]

Congrats to both Taryn Mellody and Allison Matt for being on the list of Preseason All-Americans; both well-deserved.

WHY is Scranton leaving the MAC???

[kate]

Just out of curiosity, what happened to Warrior's post yesterday?  He or she seemed to have knowledge of the DVC team, & i wish they'd stick around.   Scranton posters are rather quiet after the announcement.  C. J., are you out there?