NAC

[buck1053]

What's the word on the reshuffled NAC this season. Now that teams are practicing and scrimmaging does anyone know who's favored to win the league this season? With Elms gone, is Husson the leader of the pack?

[buck1053]

So, Husson was picked to win the league -- with all 8 first-place votes, but they currently sit at 0-3. I also see there's one team with a winning record right now (2-1 Maine-Farmington -- picked to finish tied for 6th) and another at .500 (1-1 Green Mountain -- picked 4th). Johnson St., Lyndon St. and Thomas are all 1-2 (picked third, eighth and second, respectively), while Maine-Maritime is 1-3 (picked tied for sixth) and the team picked fifth, Caselton, also is winless at 0-4.

Will the league shake out more like the predictions once league play starts, or is the early non-conference stuff more likely to continue?

Anyone? Bueller?

[leelowlang]

Even with the 0-3 start Husson is still the team to beat, in my opinion.  It is wide open after that.  UMF has probably looked like the second best team on paper after that even after losing their top three scorers.  Johnson, Lyndon, and Thomas have looked decent if not dangerous.  Castleton has had a rough start but I have a feeling they will be a solid team in league play.  MMA will also be a tough game for anyone in the league on a given night.  GMC is a bit of a mystery with Hammond and Fisher gone.

[buck1053]

Even with the 0-3 start Husson is still the team to beat, in my opinion.  It is wide open after that.  UMF has probably looked like the second best team on paper after that even after losing their top three scorers.  Johnson, Lyndon, and Thomas have looked decent if not dangerous.  Castleton has had a rough start but I have a feeling they will be a solid team in league play.  MMA will also be a tough game for anyone in the league on a given night.  GMC is a bit of a mystery with Hammond and Fisher gone.

So has Husson just played quality non-league opponents?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Even with the 0-3 start Husson is still the team to beat, in my opinion.  It is wide open after that.  UMF has probably looked like the second best team on paper after that even after losing their top three scorers.  Johnson, Lyndon, and Thomas have looked decent if not dangerous.  Castleton has had a rough start but I have a feeling they will be a solid team in league play.  MMA will also be a tough game for anyone in the league on a given night.  GMC is a bit of a mystery with Hammond and Fisher gone.

So has Husson just played quality non-league opponents?

I think it's more that the NAC is really weak.

[jamiejohn]

I cant see anyone winning this league besides Husson.

Anyone know what happen to the kid howe at CSC last year he was first team all NAC.

[buck1053]

Even with the 0-3 start Husson is still the team to beat, in my opinion.  It is wide open after that.  UMF has probably looked like the second best team on paper after that even after losing their top three scorers.  Johnson, Lyndon, and Thomas have looked decent if not dangerous.  Castleton has had a rough start but I have a feeling they will be a solid team in league play.  MMA will also be a tough game for anyone in the league on a given night.  GMC is a bit of a mystery with Hammond and Fisher gone.

So has Husson just played quality non-league opponents?

I think it's more that the NAC is really weak.

Then it's more that Husson beats up on NAC opponents, while struggling against non-league foes?
Will that be the case with Castleton, which is now 0-5? They only fell by 10 or so points in their first few games, but have just been blown out in their last couple. I know Middlebury is usually tough, and are 5-2 right now, but what about Plymouth State (2-3) who beat Castleton by 50 points?

[leelowlang]

Husson has lost to SUNY-Oneonta & Westbury as well as Gordon.  None are poor losses in my mind.  No question, the team to beat in the NAC.

Not sure about Howe but a huge loss for the Spartans.  They will get better every game out will compete well once league play hits.

The NAC is arguably the weakest D3 conference but have still produced some good teams at the top over the last few years.  The problem is Elms and Lasell were usually those and have joined other conferences.

[leelowlang]

Thomas plays Babson very tough after giving Bates all they wanted.  Perhaps emmerging as the #1 contender to Husson in the NAC.

[d3lifer]

Husson has lost to SUNY-Oneonta & Westbury as well as Gordon.  None are poor losses in my mind.  No question, the team to beat in the NAC.

Not sure about Howe but a huge loss for the Spartans.  They will get better every game out will compete well once league play hits.

The NAC is arguably the weakest D3 conference but have still produced some good teams at the top over the last few years.  The problem is Elms and Lasell were usually those and have joined other conferences.

New to the NAC boards...but sounds like some interesting conversation and new a league always exciting. With regards to losing to three quality teams I would say so far Husson has lost to 1 quality team in Gordon, 1 team in Oneonta that the jury is still out on how competitive they will be in the SUNYAC and an Old Westbury team that I would not put down as a signature win just yet. With that being said Husson is still the team to beat until someone new unseats them they have earned that right with their overall success in the league. Noticed your comment about GMC being the unknown that could be scary for the rest of the league considering the success that GMC had last year with some of the other members in the league. Hammond and Fisher were big losses off that team but have shown a recent solid win against Framingham State which just beat Williams (granted not a typical Williams team) and closing out the Eastern Nazarene tourny with a win over Mitchell. Based on some scores looks like they can put points on the board with the exception of a tough opening loss to Medaille.

Will be an interesting league to watch....

[jamiejohn]

GMC is 4-1 but look at the teams they played they only have 1 real win. beating a good Framingham State team. I wouldnt say beating bard by 2 and eastern naz by 9 are good wins, and paul smith isnt a ncaa school.

[d3lifer]

Well with consideration not seeing that anyone in that case in the NAC has played too many prominent programs...if you would notice my comment was that they have some experience coming in with some of the other schools in the NAC. Not sure anyone said they are going to win a national championship because they beat Bard and Paul Smith's, my point was if you would have read the post was that the unknown could be tough for the league based on the fact that it is a new team along with several new players and that they do have some understanding of the other programs in the league having played several of them in the past.

Husson in my mind is really the only one who has played too many solid teams Gordon, Oswego and Oneonta and if I had to pick one to be standing in the end it would not be Oneonta very surprised to date that they are 5-2 my hats go off to their early success.

[d3lifer]

Oh yeah and forgot to mention jamiejohn the all the wins count, not just the one against framingham state....

[ILive4This]

So the North East Region Posters' Poll is back, if you are interested in participating, which clearly you are, please submit your polls to either my email or my message box here by 9pm mondays (so for this week tonight, sorry for the short notice).

Thanks

[leelowlang]

League play, essentially, gets under way on Tuesday...

Thomas at Husson
Johnson at Castleton
Lyndon at Green Mountain
Farmington at Maritime

UMF picked up a 1st semester win over Thomas...should be interesting to see who plays well on opening night in a wide open NAC.