WBB: Landmark Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Can confirm this was a really difficult ballot. It was hard to balance the data from 2019-20, where Scranton lost a couple of conference games, lost at home in the first round, and then had just one starter back from that team, with last year where Scranton played only four teams.

[ronk]

 They lose no one from last year's 7-1 squad and add, arguably, the most capable player in grad D1 xfer Abby Anderson. We should know how they mesh by New Year's.

[Tim the Enchanter]

Having not voted in any polls myself, I would venture to guess that pre-season polls are never easy as we don't know how returning players will step up in the absence of those who've moved on, and the contributions of freshmen is tough to predict.  And this year, with so many teams not playing many games last year (or at all), I can only imagine how much more difficult it was.

Personally, I don't put a ton of stock in pre-season polls.  (No disrespect to those who do a lot of research to contribute to them!).  If the Royals gel, play up to the level of their talent and rise to the challenge of a demanding OOC schedule, I'm sure that they will find themselves climbing the ladder as season progresses!

[Pat Coleman]

They lose no one from last year's 7-1 squad and add, arguably, the most capable player in grad D1 xfer Abby Anderson. We should know how they mesh by New Year's.

Last year's 7-1 squad played less than 1% of Division III schools, so what does that mean, exactly?

[ronk]

They lose no one from last year's 7-1 squad and add, arguably, the most capable player in grad D1 xfer Abby Anderson. We should know how they mesh by New Year's.

Last year's 7-1 squad played less than 1% of Division III schools, so what does that mean, exactly?

It could mean that they played more schools than Tufts and lost to fewer of them than Wartburg, John Carroll, and Whitman, if that's among your ranking criteria.

[saratoga]

Ronk;
Well stated.
Concise, and to the point.
And, the point is...there is no rhyme or reason behind pre-season polls.
Some placements are just more questionable than others.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Ronk;
Well stated.
Concise, and to the point.
And, the point is...there is no rhyme or reason behind pre-season polls.
Some placements are just more questionable than others.

Funny how we had the same discussion on the men's board as well. It's pretty offensive, honestly, saying there's no rhyme or reason. There's almost always a lot of both. Now, does the preseason poll predict regular season success? You could certainly say that's more random, but voters aren't throwing names on to the ballot willy-nilly.

[saratoga]

Ryan:
Sorry if that offended you or anyone else that actually takes the time to put some thought into polls.
However, history has shown time & again that when not using objective data, these pre-season polls do not come close to any predictive success of any teams season.
It's a visual to kick start the upcoming season.
Heck, by your 3rd. poll when teams have played, there will still be rankings that make no sense to some folks.
It's merely a discussion on this board & when people talk, it shows an interest & when there is an interest people come back...isn't that the ultimate goal?

[Jester1390]

lets have our own pole on the worst teams in the country I already have my number one as this coach has left nothing but disaster and anguish in her wake.  Hillbert you went to the tournament a couple of years ago but you are about to get hit by destruction and it wont have anything to do with the players.  Now some would say i have persona bias against this coach and they are correct I have seen first hand not just the losing and basketball play but the personal expense and mental derision that had nothing to do with basketball the players of a high school team had to take . Want  a good read go to the presentation  university womans basketball page and read what the new coach says about all the work she needs to do just not on the court but off to help bring her players back from the last 2 years.

[gordonmann]

Hey, our women's poll has a really good success rate at picking the final four teams! Much easier on this side of things than on the men's side.

I don't know if Jester is joking (see what I did there?), but I don't want to spotlight misery and strife. That's what facebook is for (zing!).

Seriously, let's not focus on the negative since all of these players, coaches and administrations are people first. Cue up the Youngbloods...

[ronk]

Hey, our women's poll has a really good success rate at picking the final four teams! Much easier on this side of things than on the men's side.

I don't know if Jester is joking (see what I did there?), but I don't want to spotlight misery and strife. That's what facebook is for (zing!).

Seriously, let's not focus on the negative since all of these players, coaches and administrations are people first. Cue up the Youngbloods...

That's why I was hoping the Lady Royals would have come in @ #4 in the preseason poll. 

[gordonmann]

Ha! I picked them in the Final Four in the last tournament, if that's any consolation (It isn't).

[ronk]

 Tweets today that the Lady Royals will be adding a 6-3 post player from the D1 transfer portal(activation time unspecified). She was on my prospect list 3 summers ago but I haven't seen her play since. Best wishes to her for a smooth assimilation into the program.

[Jester1390]

i got a smite about damn time. i was kidding about the poll  all players should be respected but i would disagree on coaches they are in a position of power that can do great damage if unchecked

[Royals81]

Tweets today that the Lady Royals will be adding a 6-3 post player from the D1 transfer portal(activation time unspecified). She was on my prospect list 3 summers ago but I haven't seen her play since. Best wishes to her for a smooth assimilation into the program.

Ronk,
I heard the same over this past weekend.  Addition will most likely take place sometime in December during the semester break.  Minutes will be at a premium  earned on the court during practices and games. The University's academic and athletic traditions are having a synergistic effect on the D1 portal.