New England Soccer Discussion

[ECSUalum]

Eastern Connecticut's schedule is posted and they will have tough teams to compete with:  Courtland St at the Hobart Tournament to kick thing off, Rhode Island College, nescac teams Trinity and Conn College, Babson, and UMass Boston.  ECSU coming off a real down year in 2016.

[Ommadawn]

That's correct -- generally the NCAA sports committees like to keep all of a conference's teams in the same region. Obviously that's not always feasible (UAA) but it is the goal.

Just for kicks, I checked out the NSCAA all-region teams for Division I, and, as you noted, the NSCAA groups conference-mates together.  In so doing, they create some amusing products of the geographically-dispersed superconferences, with Syracuse in the South region with the rest of the ACC schools and Providence in the Great Lakes region with the rest of the Big East schools, for example.

[Mr.Right]

I did not realize Castleton St made a major announcement to join the Little East in all sports except football starting in 2018. Very shrewd move by Castleton's President as the league they are leaving(North Atlantic Conference or NAC) is one of the worst in the country in terms of Men's Soccer. This move will give the Little East 9 teams with a representative from every New England state. It never made sense to me for Castleton to be in a league with predominately Maine schools and eastern New Hampshire and western Vermont schools except that they had one of the bigger enrollments in that league. Now they will have the lowest enrollment in the Little East by a LARGE margin but for sure much more visibility and should give them a chance to compete at a higher level in all sports and possibly give them a wider net in recruiting for all sports as 10-20 years ago Castleton State was really struggling to get kids and basically begging students to enroll. Not sure if they now will decide to build dorms, hire faculty and increase enrollment slowly

[Dog Face]

I did not realize Castleton St made a major announcement to join the Little East in all sports except football starting in 2018. Very shrewd move by Castleton's President as the league they are leaving(North Atlantic Conference or NAC) is one of the worst in the country in terms of Men's Soccer. This move will give the Little East 9 teams with a representative from every New England state. It never made sense to me for Castleton to be in a league with predominately Maine schools and eastern New Hampshire and western Vermont schools except that they had one of the bigger enrollments in that league. Now they will have the lowest enrollment in the Little East by a LARGE margin but for sure much more visibility and should give them a chance to compete at a higher level in all sports and possibly give them a wider net in recruiting for all sports as 10-20 years ago Castleton State was really struggling to get kids and basically begging students to enroll. Not sure if they now will decide to build dorms, hire faculty and increase enrollment slowly

What are your thoughts about the situation at Saint Anslem?  Announced they were moving down to D3, got rejected by NEWMAC, now the whole move to D3 may be off because they can't seem to find a conference.  Meanwhile, they struggle to compete in mens soccer in the NE-10, and I'd imagine the uncertainty is just making matters worse from a recruiting perspective. 

[OldNed]

I did not realize Castleton St made a major announcement to join the Little East in all sports except football starting in 2018. Very shrewd move by Castleton's President as the league they are leaving(North Atlantic Conference or NAC) is one of the worst in the country in terms of Men's Soccer. This move will give the Little East 9 teams with a representative from every New England state. It never made sense to me for Castleton to be in a league with predominately Maine schools and eastern New Hampshire and western Vermont schools except that they had one of the bigger enrollments in that league. Now they will have the lowest enrollment in the Little East by a LARGE margin but for sure much more visibility and should give them a chance to compete at a higher level in all sports and possibly give them a wider net in recruiting for all sports as 10-20 years ago Castleton State was really struggling to get kids and basically begging students to enroll. Not sure if they now will decide to build dorms, hire faculty and increase enrollment slowly

Interesting.  The NAC is actually going to be losing 2 schools then, as Colby-Sawyer is joining the GNAC conference (St. Joe's of Maine, Norwich, Johnson & Wales among others) in 2018. Losing Castleton and Colby-Sawyer makes a very weak conference even weaker top-to-bottom.  Thomas is still a pretty good soccer program, but that's about it for the NAC.

Kudos to Castleton for getting themselves into a much better conference all-around.

[Mr.Right]

I did not realize Castleton St made a major announcement to join the Little East in all sports except football starting in 2018. Very shrewd move by Castleton's President as the league they are leaving(North Atlantic Conference or NAC) is one of the worst in the country in terms of Men's Soccer. This move will give the Little East 9 teams with a representative from every New England state. It never made sense to me for Castleton to be in a league with predominately Maine schools and eastern New Hampshire and western Vermont schools except that they had one of the bigger enrollments in that league. Now they will have the lowest enrollment in the Little East by a LARGE margin but for sure much more visibility and should give them a chance to compete at a higher level in all sports and possibly give them a wider net in recruiting for all sports as 10-20 years ago Castleton State was really struggling to get kids and basically begging students to enroll. Not sure if they now will decide to build dorms, hire faculty and increase enrollment slowly

What are your thoughts about the situation at Saint Anslem?  Announced they were moving down to D3, got rejected by NEWMAC, now the whole move to D3 may be off because they can't seem to find a conference.  Meanwhile, they struggle to compete in mens soccer in the NE-10, and I'd imagine the uncertainty is just making matters worse from a recruiting perspective.

I did not know that NEWMAC rejected St.Anslem but I can see why they did as they really do not fit into NEWMAC's mission and standards IMO. You would think the school would have made sure to get ino a conference before committing to leave D2. I DO believe that St.A's have the right idea by going D3. I would say most of the NE-10 schols should and could move to D3 and be its own conference. There are 4 schools that would really not fit into the D3 landscape like Southern CT State, Pace Univ, Southern NH and Univ of New Haven but the other schools in that conference like St.Anslem's, St.Michael's, Stonehill, AIC, Assumption, etc would be better off in D3 an could keep their own conference. We have talked about this before in other threads but about 20 years ago D2 began to dissolve and quickly. Schools like Keene St, Springfield and others made the right choice to go from D2 to D3. The problem for some of these schools is they would have to raise their admissions standards and decrease enrollment a bit which I am not sure they are willing to do. To me, Stonehill is a classic D3 school with high admissions standards, beautiful campus, good endowment, etc but for whatever reason have stayed in D2. Now Bryant went the other direction and left the league for D1 and have raised there national recognition impressively by doing it but they invested a ton of money to do that. These other schools do not have the money to do that.

[OldNed]

UMass Boston is taking on St. Joseph's of Maine in a scrimmage on Monday, August 21 in Boston. Should be an interesting test for both teams.

[OldNed]

UMass Boston is taking on St. Joseph's of Maine in a scrimmage on Monday, August 21 in Boston. Should be an interesting test for both teams.

I was at the UMass Boston - St. Joe's of Maine scrimmage (full disclosure - my son plays for St. Joe's) and it ended in a 2-2 tie.  UMass Boston scored twice in the early going and those were really the only 2 chances they had in the first half - very efficient.  Their second goal was a beautiful strike from just outside the box and either it took the St. Joe's goalie by surprise or he was screened because it didn't look like he moved at all for the shot.  Most of the first half was played in midfield area and there weren't a lot of shots.  St. Joe's had a good chance on a through ball from a midfielder to a foward, but the UMass goalie came out on it and made a nice save.  The half ended with UMass up 2-0 and for the most part it seemed like both teams mostly played their starters as there was not a lot of subbing. It was difficult to tell with UMass's uniforms because the numbers were so small (I think maybe they were practice jerseys) that this old guy couldn't see the UMass Boston numbers unless the players were close to me.

There was more subbing in the second half and the game opened up quite a bit.  Both teams had a number of chances and St. Joe's got 2 goals in the middle of the second half from one of their incoming freshmen.

I have to say that despite the furor surrounding the behavior of several of the UMass Boston playsers during the tournament last year, I saw nothing like that during the scrimmage. It did not look like Occane Williamson was on the sideline and he didn't play - I'm not so sure about the other guy either.

[OldNed]

I have to say that despite the furor surrounding the behavior of several of the UMass Boston playsers during the tournament last year, I saw nothing like that during the scrimmage. It did not look like Ocane Williamson was on the sideline and he didn't play - I'm not so sure about the other guy either.

I didn't see the UMass Boston 2017 roster yesterday, but it looks like they just put it out and Ocane Williamson is not on the roster this year but Joshua Khang is.

[stillwatching]

I have to say that despite the furor surrounding the behavior of several of the UMass Boston playsers during the tournament last year, I saw nothing like that during the scrimmage. It did not look like Ocane Williamson was on the sideline and he didn't play - I'm not so sure about the other guy either.

I didn't see the UMass Boston 2017 roster yesterday, but it looks like they just put it out and Ocane Williamson is not on the roster this year but Joshua Khang is.

I think Williamson got a 1 year ban, and Khang only got a 1 game ban

[Domino1195]

I have to say that despite the furor surrounding the behavior of several of the UMass Boston playsers during the tournament last year, I saw nothing like that during the scrimmage. It did not look like Ocane Williamson was on the sideline and he didn't play - I'm not so sure about the other guy either.

I didn't see the UMass Boston 2017 roster yesterday, but it looks like they just put it out and Ocane Williamson is not on the roster this year but Joshua Khang is.

I think Williamson got a 1 year ban, and Khang only got a 1 game ban

Won't that make Williamson something like 35 when he returns???

[Off Pitch]

I think Williamson got a 1 year ban, and Khang only got a 1 game ban

The penalties:

A public reprimand, a fine of all travel and per diem and a one-year suspension for Ocane Williamson to be served during the next NCAA tournament appearance in which he would be participating, regardless of the institution he is representing. Williamson demonstrated physical unsportsmanlike behavior toward an opposing player and an official, including contact to the head and excessive actions.

A public reprimand, a fine of all travel and per diem and a one-game suspension for Joshua Khang to be served during the next NCAA tournament appearance in which he would be participating, regardless of the institution he is representing. Khang demonstrated physical unsportsmanlike behavior toward an opposing player, including contact to the head.

[Flying Weasel]

I think Williamson got a 1 year ban, and Khang only got a 1 game ban

The penalties:

A public reprimand, a fine of all travel and per diem and a one-year suspension for Ocane Williamson to be served during the next NCAA tournament appearance in which he would be participating, regardless of the institution he is representing. Williamson demonstrated physical unsportsmanlike behavior toward an opposing player and an official, including contact to the head and excessive actions.

A public reprimand, a fine of all travel and per diem and a one-game suspension for Joshua Khang to be served during the next NCAA tournament appearance in which he would be participating, regardless of the institution he is representing. Khang demonstrated physical unsportsmanlike behavior toward an opposing player, including contact to the head.

As that reads, it has no effect on the regular season and conference championship.

[OldNed]

St. Joseph's of Maine and AIC (Division 2) tied 0-0 yesterday at AIC.

[blooter442]

St. Joseph's of Maine and AIC (Division 2) tied 0-0 yesterday at AIC.

Intrigued to see how the Monks do this season. They stifled Babson in the NCAA first round last year and held their nerve in the shootout, which is tough to do against a team with the tourney know-how like the Beavers (granted Babson can be anemic offensively at times, but they are still a good, experienced side). The next game, they ran into a Brandeis side who was on a tear at the time they played, but I think they competed well in that game, too, and I think they would have given the Judges fits if they had played a few weeks earlier (hadn't caught them at a time when the latter was in a rich vein of form).

As far as personnel, I'm not that familiar with the team, since I live in MA (but grew up in ME) but from what I've seen Mullen is a solid keeper and evidently St. Joseph's has enough at the other end of the field as well. It would be very interesting to see them emerge as a New England contender as Gordon/Endicott/et al have in the last few years.