East Region Fan Poll

[Pat Coleman]

Fisher is 4-2 in-region. I know you mentioned it elsewhere about Alfred's nine-game schedule but the lack of a 10th game is not as significant as people keep making it out to be, year after year.

Where it hurts you is it costs you a chance to get a win against someone significant for head-to-head, common opponent or against a regionally ranked opponent. The difference between 7-2 and 8-2 in-region is a non-factor when it comes to regional winning percentage.

[pg04]

WNEC is more than 500 miles from Mount Union, as are most, if not all other NEFC teams.  SUNY-Maritime I believe is in the 500 range and is one of the very few (if not only) schools from the New England conferences that could drive to Mount Union.  Otherwise, a flight would be involved.

Although this was slightly less relevant last year wasn't it? They seem to switch things up and seemed more willing to pitch for SOME flights.

[Frank Rossi]

WNEC is more than 500 miles from Mount Union, as are most, if not all other NEFC teams.  SUNY-Maritime I believe is in the 500 range and is one of the very few (if not only) schools from the New England conferences that could drive to Mount Union.  Otherwise, a flight would be involved.

Although this was slightly less relevant last year wasn't it? They seem to switch things up and seemed more willing to pitch for SOME flights.

They'll only get a maximum of two flights in the first round.  The third round had a guarantee of three flights, and that's where the NCAA didn't force them to avoid that scenario.  That said, I wonder if there wasn't a little concern after the fact once the NCAA paid for so many flights.  There tends to be an on-year/off-year push and pull with Committees as we've seen in basketball at this Division.  My feeling is that what we saw last year will not repeat this year -- yet, I could be wrong.  Again, though, the first round is pretty much set in stone that it's either one or two flights, maximum.

[Pat Coleman]

WNEC is more than 500 miles from Mount Union, as are most, if not all other NEFC teams.  SUNY-Maritime I believe is in the 500 range and is one of the very few (if not only) schools from the New England conferences that could drive to Mount Union.  Otherwise, a flight would be involved.

Although this was slightly less relevant last year wasn't it? They seem to switch things up and seemed more willing to pitch for SOME flights.

They'll only get a maximum of two flights in the first round.  The third round had a guarantee of three flights, and that's where the NCAA didn't force them to avoid that scenario.  That said, I wonder if there wasn't a little concern after the fact once the NCAA paid for so many flights.  There tends to be an on-year/off-year push and pull with Committees as we've seen in basketball at this Division.  My feeling is that what we saw last year will not repeat this year -- yet, I could be wrong.  Again, though, the first round is pretty much set in stone that it's either one or two flights, maximum.

I don't think we're going to pay for more flights in the first round to send Salve Regina to Mount Union. If they spend more, it would be nice if they used it in the South/West.

[lewdogg11]

Here is what I submitted this week:

   Week 9 Poll
1   Hobart (8-0)
2   Widener (8-0)
3   Cortland St. (8-1)
4   Salisbury (6-2)
5   Rowan (6-2)
6   Lycoming (6-2)
7   Delaware Valley (6-2)
8   St. John Fisher (6-2)
9   Utica (6-2)
10   RPI (5-2)


I'm so confused as to how in the he!! Salve is getting more votes in the Top 25 than Delaware Valley and Utica.  They are getting almost as many votes as UWW.  Imagine how that game would go? 

I like to think in terms of head to head competitions and how do you think Salve would fare against Delaware Valley and Utica?  My guess is it wouldn't be within 4-5 TDs. 

[AUKaz00]

Week 9 Fan Poll 

Team	Record	Points	Last Rating	Next Week
1   Hobart( 5 )	8-0	50	2	at St. Lawrence
2   Widener	8-0	44	3	at FDU-Florham
3   Cortland State	7-1	40	4	at William Paterson
4   Salisbury	6-2	35	1	vs. #9 Utica
5   Rowan	6-2	31	5	vs. Kean
6   Lycoming	6-2	23	7	vs. Stevenson
7   Delaware Valley	6-2	16	9	vs. Delaware Valley
8   St. John Fisher	6-2	13.5	8	vs. Buffalo State
9   Utica	6-2	10	NR	at #4 Salisbury
10  RPI	5-2	5	NR	at Springfield

Also Receiving votes:               
Ithaca 2.5
Alfred 2
Lebanon Valley 2
Salve Regina 1
                     
            
Voting Distribution:            

Hobart (1,1,1,1,1)
Widener (2,2,3,2,2)
Cortland State (3,4,2,3,3)
Salisbury (4,3,4,4,5)
Rowan (5,5,5,5,4)
Lycoming(6,6,6,6,8)
Delaware Valley (8,7,8,7,9)
St. John Fisher (7,10,10.5,8,6)
Utica (NR,8,7,9,10)
RPI(NR,NR,NR,10,7)
Ithaca (9,NR,10.5,NR,NR)
Alfred (NR,NR,9,NR,NR)
Lebanon Valley (NR,9,NR,NR,NR)
Salve Regina (10,NR,NR,NR,NR)


Key Matchups:
#9 Utica at #4 Salisbury

[dlippiel]

Here is what I submitted this week:

   Week 9 Poll
1   Hobart (8-0)
2   Widener (8-0)
3   Cortland St. (8-1)
4   Salisbury (6-2)
5   Rowan (6-2)
6   Lycoming (6-2)
7   Delaware Valley (6-2)
8   St. John Fisher (6-2)
9   Utica (6-2)
10   RPI (5-2)


I'm so confused as to how in the he!! Salve is getting more votes in the Top 25 than Delaware Valley and Utica.  They are getting almost as many votes as UWW.  Imagine how that game would go? 

I like to think in terms of head to head competitions and how do you think Salve would fare against Delaware Valley and Utica?  My guess is it wouldn't be within 4-5 TDs.

Honestly Lew, dlip thinks they would be more competitive than 4-5 TD's. However, they would lose to both teams IDHO 8-10 times and would really struggle to contain Benkwitt from Utica. Salve looked good to dlip and well balanced (granted it was game #1 of the season) and has some excellent athletes. Yet after the loss to MIT (ughhhh!) they are not on dlip's radar for a place in the ERFP at this point.

With Buff State squeaking by Wick on Saturday dlip had to drop them to #2 in his poll, DAMN!

[wesleydad]

lew, i would agree with all your points.  your poll looks good to me.  i am going to the rowan/kean game this weekend and then to the del val/widener game next weekend.  want to see how rowan looks since i saw them in week 1 and then want to see if del val is playing as good as i thought they would at the beginning of the season.  if del val has straightened the offense out i think they will beat widener who relied on miracle comebacks against the other top teams in the mac, leb val and lycoming.  i know that lyco beat del val, but that was back in week 2 and i think that del val has changed their o up a little.  the win against leb val looks good to me for del val.  the east is imploding like the south is.  both seem to be eliminating each other so that very few will get a chance to be pool c's.  if utica beats salisbury, the gulls are out.  if kean beats rowan they are both likely out.  i think hobart is reall good, after that i think the east is suspect, but we shall see as it plays out the next 2 weeks.

[Frank Rossi]

Here is what I submitted this week:

   Week 9 Poll
1   Hobart (8-0)
2   Widener (8-0)
3   Cortland St. (8-1)
4   Salisbury (6-2)
5   Rowan (6-2)
6   Lycoming (6-2)
7   Delaware Valley (6-2)
8   St. John Fisher (6-2)
9   Utica (6-2)
10   RPI (5-2)


I'm so confused as to how in the he!! Salve is getting more votes in the Top 25 than Delaware Valley and Utica.  They are getting almost as many votes as UWW.  Imagine how that game would go? 

I like to think in terms of head to head competitions and how do you think Salve would fare against Delaware Valley and Utica?  My guess is it wouldn't be within 4-5 TDs.

No offense, Lew, but have you seen the UWW progression this season?  They lost to a team with one win on the season before Saturday.  The stats were grossly exaggerated toward UWW, but they still had trouble scoring points.  Neither team is in my poll right now in the Top 25, but I wouldn't race off and crown UWW the winner of anything until they can prove some consistency on offense.  I'm not saying Salve could beat them, but let's just consider that Bridgewater State will receive consideration before UWW does for Pool C -- and Bridgewater State may not make it to the NEFC Championship Game.  There is a LOT more parity across the Division right now than what you're assuming -- past the Top 10 is a complete jumble.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm not saying Salve could beat them, but let's just consider that Bridgewater State will receive consideration before UWW does for Pool C -- and Bridgewater State may not make it to the NEFC Championship Game.  There is a LOT more parity across the Division right now than what you're assuming -- past the Top 10 is a complete jumble.

How the NCAA chooses to make its at-large decisions is not at all relevant to the Top 25.

Agreed there is parity beyond the Top 10, which is exactly how a three-loss Whitewater merits Top 25 votes.

[Bombers798891]

I'm not saying Salve could beat them, but let's just consider that Bridgewater State will receive consideration before UWW does for Pool C -- and Bridgewater State may not make it to the NEFC Championship Game.  There is a LOT more parity across the Division right now than what you're assuming -- past the Top 10 is a complete jumble.

How the NCAA chooses to make its at-large decisions is not at all relevant to the Top 25.

Agreed there is parity beyond the Top 10, which is exactly how a three-loss Whitewater merits Top 25 votes.

Hey, in 2006, you had 6-3 and 7-3 teams in the Top 25. It's not unheard of. But, and I'm speaking based on a very cursory glance of some of these ranked three-loss teams, aren't most of these cases where a three-loss team is ranked/receiving votes a result of a team that:

A. Makes a playoff run and/or wins 9+ games (Numerous teams) or

B. Loses to three pretty good teams (Linfield and Union in '06 and Ithaca in '05/'07 come to mind)

Whitewater's going to finish with seven wins, and of its three loses, Buff State is mediocre, (and considering it was a home game, AND Whitewater had two weeks to prepare, that is probably much closer to a bad loss) and Stevens Point just looks bad. Of course, Whitewater's not in the top 25, but they might be by season's end if they win these last two.

So it seems like a team with Whitewater's record/resume getting votes this late in the year in a unique development, which certainly drives home Frank's point that there's just a ton of parity outside the top 10

[pg04]

I agree with those that do not believe UWW should be a top 25 team on anyone's ballot at this point. Prestige is doing a LOT with this. It is similar to an argument I see on another board of Wheaton being ranked ahead of a team they beat and have one more loss than. Wheaton's name recognition in large part has garnered them being ahead of the other school.

While it's a good top 25 poll, there are definitely some big curiosities.

[Pat Coleman]

I agree with those that do not believe UWW should be a top 25 team on anyone's ballot at this point. Prestige is doing a LOT with this. It is similar to an argument I see on another board of Wheaton being ranked ahead of a team they beat and have one more loss than. Wheaton's name recognition in large part has garnered them being ahead of the other school.

While it's a good top 25 poll, there are definitely some big curiosities.

Similar with Alfred being ranked behind St. John Fisher last week.

[Pat Coleman]

I'm not saying Salve could beat them, but let's just consider that Bridgewater State will receive consideration before UWW does for Pool C -- and Bridgewater State may not make it to the NEFC Championship Game.  There is a LOT more parity across the Division right now than what you're assuming -- past the Top 10 is a complete jumble.

How the NCAA chooses to make its at-large decisions is not at all relevant to the Top 25.

Agreed there is parity beyond the Top 10, which is exactly how a three-loss Whitewater merits Top 25 votes.

Hey, in 2006, you had 6-3 and 7-3 teams in the Top 25. It's not unheard of. But, and I'm speaking based on a very cursory glance of some of these ranked three-loss teams, aren't most of these cases where a three-loss team is ranked/receiving votes a result of a team that:

A. Makes a playoff run and/or wins 9+ games (Numerous teams) or

B. Loses to three pretty good teams (Linfield and Union in '06 and Ithaca in '05/'07 come to mind)

Whitewater's going to finish with seven wins, and of its three loses, Buff State is mediocre, (and considering it was a home game, AND Whitewater had two weeks to prepare, that is probably much closer to a bad loss) and Stevens Point just looks bad. Of course, Whitewater's not in the top 25, but they might be by season's end if they win these last two.

So it seems like a team with Whitewater's record/resume getting votes this late in the year in a unique development, which certainly drives home Frank's point that there's just a ton of parity outside the top 10

Agreed. And if UWW hadn't won at Platteville then I doubt we'd be talking about this at all. That's the one bright spot on their resume.

[pg04]

I agree with those that do not believe UWW should be a top 25 team on anyone's ballot at this point. Prestige is doing a LOT with this. It is similar to an argument I see on another board of Wheaton being ranked ahead of a team they beat and have one more loss than. Wheaton's name recognition in large part has garnered them being ahead of the other school.

While it's a good top 25 poll, there are definitely some big curiosities.

Similar with Alfred being ranked behind St. John Fisher last week.

Yep, except the Elmhurst people (at least one of them) is taking it a lot less gracefully...