D3 Championship Belt

[lmitzel]

Oh hey, NCC gets to play for The Belt^TM again on Friday.

[lmitzel]

NCC 81
IWU 74

2021-22 Belt^TM Path
3/12/21: Illinois Wesleyan
12/11/21: Wheaton
12/29/21: Berry
12/30/21: Carthage
1/15/22: Millikin
1/22/22: Augustana
1/26/22: North Central
1/29/22: Wheaton
2/12/22: Illinois Wesleyan
2/25/22: North Central

The Cardinals take on Elmhurst tomorrow at the Shirk Center for the right to carry The Belt^TM into the NCAA Tournament.

[kiko]

I'm just hoping this isn't the actual Most Exalted Bespangled Cincture^TM they are lunching over...

[kiko]

Also, I know North Central has been size-challenged against most opponents this season, but this is a bit ridiculous...

[lmitzel]

Should probably update before tournament time.

Elmhurst 82
NCC 65

2021-22 Belt^TM Path
3/12/21: Illinois Wesleyan
12/11/21: Wheaton
12/29/21: Berry
12/30/21: Carthage
1/15/22: Millikin
1/22/22: Augustana
1/26/22: North Central
1/29/22: Wheaton
2/12/22: Illinois Wesleyan
2/25/22: North Central
2/26/22: Elmhurst

We actually end up circling back to where we were before the world went to crap, as for the second straight NCAA Tournament, the Blue Jays carry The Belt^TM into it.

Here's how every team that took It^TM into the tourney fared.

One and done: '17 Bethel, 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, '09 Transylvania, '08 Chicago
Round of 32: '19 Nebraska Wesleyan, '18 York (PA), '07 Hampden-Sydney
Sweet 16: '20 Elmhurst*, '14 Albertus Magnus, '11 UWSP, '10 Wooster
Elite 8: '16 Alma
Final 4: '13 St. Thomas
Title Game: '15 Augustana
Champion: None

[Gregory Sager]

I'm just hoping this isn't the actual Most Exalted Bespangled Cincture^TM they are lunching over...

What, no firebird as well?

[Gregory Sager]

Should probably update before tournament time.

Elmhurst 82
NCC 65

2021-22 Belt^TM Path
3/12/21: Illinois Wesleyan
12/11/21: Wheaton
12/29/21: Berry
12/30/21: Carthage
1/15/22: Millikin
1/22/22: Augustana
1/26/22: North Central
1/29/22: Wheaton
2/12/22: Illinois Wesleyan
2/25/22: North Central
2/26/22: Elmhurst

We actually end up circling back to where we were before the world went to crap, as for the second straight NCAA Tournament, the Blue Jays carry The Belt^TM into it.

Here's how every team that took It^TM into the tourney fared.

One and done: '17 Bethel, 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, '09 Transylvania, '08 Chicago
Round of 32: '19 Nebraska Wesleyan, '18 York (PA), '07 Hampden-Sydney
Sweet 16: '20 Elmhurst*, '14 Albertus Magnus, '11 UWSP, '10 Wooster
Elite 8: '16 Alma
Final 4: '13 St. Thomas
Title Game: '15 Augustana
Champion: None

The Belt^TM is clearly not happy with you if you have the temerity to attempt to win lesser honors (such as a hunk of Walnut & Bronze, which in The Belt^TM's honor we should probably now start denigrating as Walnut & Bronze & Plexiglass) while you are holding Thee Most Exalted Bespangled Cincture^TM.

[kiko]

What, no firebird as well?

Well, it's been a hot minute, so I assumed Carthage had probably changed their nickname/mascot/school location again... 

[Gregory Sager]

I hear it's down to a runoff between Flamekeepers and Crimson Humans.

[Gregory Sager]

And so Elmhurst joins '13 St. Thomas (MN) and '15 Augustana as only the third team to carry The Belt^TM with them into the Final Four.

[Ralph Turner]

The Belt^TM almost made it back to Texas. The bluebonnets are beginning to bloom. The redbuds are budding. Belton is on the northeast edge of the Hill Country.  It is beautiful this time of year. Shucks!

[Gregory Sager]

The Belt^TM almost made it back to Texas. The bluebonnets are beginning to bloom. The redbuds are budding.

The Belt^TM obviously has allergies. AFAIK, there are no antihistamines that work on supernatural inanimate objects.

[lmitzel]

Finally got around to getting the map fully updated again (I hadn't touched it since North Central lost possession the first time this season).

Fun fact: Case Western Reserve got to host more Belt^TM games in two days this past weekend than it has in the entire rest of the Modern Era combined (one game way back in 2007-08).

The Belt^TM almost made it back to Texas. The bluebonnets are beginning to bloom. The redbuds are budding. Belton is on the northeast edge of the Hill Country.  It is beautiful this time of year. Shucks!

It's been a while. We've actually only had two Belt^TM games in the state of Texas (both at Trinity), plus the brief time It^TM deemed the Cru worthy in the 2013 Tournament, when they brought It^TM but didn't play a game in Belton as the holder.

[Gregory Sager]

I should add that, in light of the question as to whether or not The Belt^TM is allergic to Texas wildflowers, we really ought to get some sort of a long-term medical report regarding Thee Most Exalted Bespangled Cincture^TM from Just Bill.

Do the handlers of The Belt^TM need to clip an epipen amidst the gewgaws and baubles?

[lmitzel]

Well, the last couple years of having a supernatural entity in pretty close proximity (and sometimes in house) has been fun.

Randolph-Macon 75
Elmhurst 45

2021-22 Belt^TM Path
3/12/21: Illinois Wesleyan
12/11/21: Wheaton
12/29/21: Berry
12/30/21: Carthage
1/15/22: Millikin
1/22/22: Augustana
1/26/22: North Central
1/29/22: Wheaton
2/12/22: Illinois Wesleyan
2/25/22: North Central
2/26/22: Elmhurst
3/19/22: Randolph-Macon

One and done: '17 Bethel, 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, '09 Transylvania, '08 Chicago
Round of 32: '19 Nebraska Wesleyan, '18 York (PA), '07 Hampden-Sydney
Sweet 16: '20 Elmhurst*, '14 Albertus Magnus, '11 UWSP, '10 Wooster
Elite 8: '16 Alma
Final 4: '13 St. Thomas
Title Game: '22 Elmhurst, '15 Augustana
Champion: None