BB: Regionals (New England) Harwich '08, '11, ECSU '09, '10

[Ralph Turner]

NAC: Castleton State - Don't see any reason why the #1 seed and last year's qualifier shouldn't get it again this year.

I don't think there is an AQ for the NAC this year.  Last year they dropped below the 7 teams needed and I think they got one year to get back to 7 teams.  They did not, so no AQ this year.  I think they are combining forces with the NEAC next year to get the AQ back.  But I am pretty sure even though Husson won the NAC tourney they will not be in Mansfield this year.

This is the last year they have an AQ. Both conferences were going to lose their AQ next year. Now they will play separate division schedules. The divisions will hold a championship touney and the winners will meet in a 2out of 3 tourney to determine the AQ which will be the NEAC spot.

http://www.nacathletics.com/news/NEAC_partnership

Good job Stump!  You beat me to that one!  +1!

[Paul Heering]

My mistake, sorry about that one.

With that info and the MASCAC tourney going final it looks like we have five New England Teams in...

Suffolk--GNAC AQ
Babson--NEWMAC AQ
WNEC--TCCC AQ
Westfield--MASCAC AQ
Husson--NAC AQ

I think

[KSCfan]

The NE regional is shapping up to be very strong, espically if the teams that were talked about before get in as well.  I really dont know who will get shipped out.  I think that it might be westfield, or a castleton which will likely help the likes of Cortland as those teams are not of the quality as say a trinity or what not.  If you see an upset in the LEC tournament by the likes of KSC or UMB then you could very well see them get shipped out, as well as the likes of Curry and Wheaton on the outside looking in.  IF you are Curry then you need to have your USM,Trinity, and Eastern hats on!!!

[wordsmith]

My mistake, sorry about that one.

With that info and the MASCAC tourney going final it looks like we have five New England Teams in...

Suffolk--GNAC AQ
Babson--NEWMAC AQ
WNEC--TCCC AQ
Westfield--MASCAC AQ
Husson--NAC AQ

I think

Please bear (or perhaps, Golden Bear) with me, I am Gump-Like on certain things:

This much we know about the NE Regional 8 spots are available.

These teams are in (numbers are for count not seeding)

1) Suffolk--GNAC AQ
2) Babson--NEWMAC AQ
3) WNEC--TCCC AQ
4) Westfield--MASCAC AQ
5) Husson--NAC AQ
6) Williams - NESCAC AQ
7) LEC rep (champ or otherwise -assumption here)
8 - ??

This is my question and I know there has been a lot of discussion here--> is there another AQ I am missing?

Sorry
Forrest Gump

[ECSUalum]

My mistake, sorry about that one.

With that info and the MASCAC tourney going final it looks like we have five New England Teams in...

Suffolk--GNAC AQ
Babson--NEWMAC AQ
WNEC--TCCC AQ
Westfield--MASCAC AQ
Husson--NAC AQ

I think

Please bear (or perhaps, Golden Bear) with me, I am Gump-Like on certain things:

This much we know about the NE Regional 8 spots are available.

These teams are in (numbers are for count not seeding)

1) Suffolk--GNAC AQ
2) Babson--NEWMAC AQ
3) WNEC--TCCC AQ
4) Westfield--MASCAC AQ
5) Husson--NAC AQ
6) Williams - NESCAC AQ
7) LEC rep (champ or otherwise -assumption here)
8 - ??

This is my question and I know there has been a lot of discussion here--> is there another AQ I am missing?

Sorry
Forrest Gump

Word,

Has Williams qualified? I thought the NESCAC Tourney starts this weekend???

May 3, 2009
Williams Hosts Baseball Championship Beginning Friday
HADLEY, Mass. – After securing the top seed in the West Division with an 8-5 win over rival Amherst on Sunday, Williams College will host the 2009 NESCAC Baseball Championship from May 8-10 in Williamstown, Mass. The Ephs, who already have two conference crowns to their credit, will face Tufts on Friday afternoon, while defending NESCAC and NCAA champion Trinity will take on rival Wesleyan. The double-elimination tournament continues on Saturday, May 9 and concludes on Sunday, May 10 at 10:00 a.m.

[wordsmith]

Thanks, See this is why I need you guys. I read they beat Amherst, did not read further to understand the road continues for the NESCAC.,

So revised then we have this look, and my question remains ---> Is there another AQ looming out there I have missed?

1) Suffolk--GNAC AQ
2) Babson--NEWMAC AQ
3) WNEC--TCCC AQ
4) Westfield--MASCAC AQ
5) Husson--NAC AQ
6) NESCAC AQ
7) LEC rep (champ or otherwise -assumption here)
8 - ??

7 & 8, and possibly a shipment to NY comes down to  - Trinity, if they don't AQ, USM/ESC/KSC, Wheaton, Curry, WPI...looks like a strong ECAC this year.

Word

[TheGNAC]

Thanks, See this is why I need you guys. I read they beat Amherst, did not read further to understand the road continues for the NESCAC.,

So revised then we have this look, and my question remains ---> Is there another AQ looming out there I have missed?

1) Suffolk--GNAC AQ
2) Babson--NEWMAC AQ
3) WNEC--TCCC AQ
4) Westfield--MASCAC AQ
5) Husson--NAC AQ
6) NESCAC AQ
7) LEC rep (champ or otherwise -assumption here)
8 - ??

7 & 8, and possibly a shipment to NY comes down to  - Trinity, if they don't AQ, USM/ESC/KSC, Wheaton, Curry, WPI...looks like a strong ECAC this year.

Word

Word,

this is how I see things breaking down.

LEC: Southern Maine defeats ECSU in the LEC final, earning the AQ. ECSU receives an at-large bid.

NESCAC: Trinity rolls through the tourney, AQ.

--------------

1. Southern Maine
2. Eastern Connecticut
3. Suffolk
4. WNEC
5. Curry
6. Westfield State
7. Babson
8. Husson

----------

Notice I haven't listed Trinity, as I feel they will be "forced" to make the 90 minute trek to Farmingdale, NY as the New York regional's #1 seed. Cortland State, the #1 ranked team in New York, is IMO a #4 seed in New England. The committee should ship one of USM/ECSU/Trinity out, and the Bantams make the most sense.

Also, you'll notice Wheaton isn't in the NE Regional. I simply feel they have played their way out of the regionals down the stretch. I feel the Pool C bids look like this:

1. LEC runner-up
2. Curry
3. Wheaton

Curry's record > Wheaton's, and they also won the head-to-head matchup 5-0.

Just my $.02.

[RSSmith]

Thanks, See this is why I need you guys. I read they beat Amherst, did not read further to understand the road continues for the NESCAC.,

So revised then we have this look, and my question remains ---> Is there another AQ looming out there I have missed?

1) Suffolk--GNAC AQ
2) Babson--NEWMAC AQ
3) WNEC--TCCC AQ
4) Westfield--MASCAC AQ
5) Husson--NAC AQ
6) NESCAC AQ
7) LEC rep (champ or otherwise -assumption here)
8 - ??

7 & 8, and possibly a shipment to NY comes down to  - Trinity, if they don't AQ, USM/ESC/KSC, Wheaton, Curry, WPI...looks like a strong ECAC this year.

Word

Word,

this is how I see things breaking down.

LEC: Southern Maine defeats ECSU in the LEC final, earning the AQ. ECSU receives an at-large bid.

NESCAC: Trinity rolls through the tourney, AQ.

--------------

1. Southern Maine
2. Eastern Connecticut
3. Suffolk
4. WNEC
5. Curry
6. Westfield State
7. Babson
8. Husson

----------

Notice I haven't listed Trinity, as I feel they will be "forced" to make the 90 minute trek to Farmingdale, NY as the New York regional's #1 seed. Cortland State, the #1 ranked team in New York, is IMO a #4 seed in New England. The committee should ship one of USM/ECSU/Trinity out, and the Bantams make the most sense.

Also, you'll notice Wheaton isn't in the NE Regional. I simply feel they have played their way out of the regionals down the stretch. I feel the Pool C bids look like this:

1. LEC runner-up
2. Curry
3. Wheaton

Curry's record > Wheaton's, and they also won the head-to-head matchup 5-0.

Just my $.02.

Your take matches mine perfectly.  I would only add that I don't see Wheaton (or WPI) for that matter making a compelling enough case to expand the New York Regional to accomodate them.  I think Wheaton will be one of the very best teams on the sidelines this year.

[Knuckles97]

I know that the NCAA tournament is ultimate goal for all of these New England powerhouses, but would these teams accept an ECAC bid if they do not get an at large NCAA bid?  I know that some program decline ECAC's because it is "beneath" them, which I can understand to a point if your team has won national championships or close to it in the past.  I guess I am wondering if 2009 could be the best ECAC tournament in years?

[ECSUalum]

Knuckles

I do not ever remember ECSU playing in an ECAC baseball tournament.

I think your comments are accurate for the most part for the NE nationally ranked teams

[Paul Heering]

I actually don't understand why more teams don't want to play in the ECAC tournament.  I think it is a good chance to get a few more wins in before the NCAA tournament field is chosen.  The field this year is as follows...

1.  WPI
2.  Worcester State
3.  Castleton State
4.  Wentworth
5.  Castleton State
6.  Plymouth State

So much for it being the best field ever.

The tournament starts this week and finishes this weekend, which is why you don't get too many LEC and NESCAC teams in the tourney, as it conflicts with the conference tournament.

If you got the best teams that aren't playing in a conference tournament this weekend or already received an AQ in this tournament it may look like this

1.  Curry
2.  Wheaton
3.  WPI
4.  Worcester
5.  St. Joe's Maine
6.  Roger Williams

The winner of this tournament would be almost guaranteed to add two more in region quality wins to their resume (it is a single elimination tournament)

I know teams have played in both before (Brandies and Suffolk come to mind) but I am guessing it is frowned upon to play in this tournament if you already have an AQ to the NCAA (probably more kosher to let other teams play)

[rbgosfan]

You also run into the problem of this being finals week at some schools and they usually do not want games during finals week. If WNEC had lost to Curry Sunday, I doubt they could have played in the  ECAC because of finals.

[d3spectator]

Hey guys, I've been reading the boards the past couple of months and enjoyed the analysis and breakdowns of everything, pretty cool that D3 gets this attention considering the emphasis on academics rather than athletics like D1 and wanted to say thanks to the guys who keep this going and maintained. Thanks.

That being said I have been following the regional breakdowns and the automatic qualifiers and what not and the potential at large teams and was wondering why Wheaton is seemingly written to be out by most?  Granted you guys probably know a lot more of the regional teams and how the committee decides and what not but I was doing a little research and this is what I came up with and believe me, criticism is welcome.

I believe that Trinity runs through their conference unimpeded and qualifies and one of the two, ECSU or USM, will win the LEC with the other getting an at large bid.  Then it seems as if it comes down to Curry and Wheaton for the second bid and it seems a lot of people are writing Curry in without looking at some other things the committee may look at:

• Win-loss percentage against regional opponents.
• Strength-of-schedule (only contests versus regional competition).
- Opponents' Average Winning Percentage (OWP).
- Opponents' Opponents' Average Winning Percentage (OOWP).
• See Appendix B for explanation of OWP and OOWP calculations.
• In-region head-to-head competition.
• In-region results versus common regional opponents.
• In-region results versus regionally ranked teams.
• Ranked opponents are defined as those teams ranked at the time of the rankings/
selection process only.

(Got that from a previous post)

Curry is 37-7 (30-6 in region) and Wheaton is 30-12 (27-11 in region)

1.) Curry played Wheaton whom they beat 5-0 and they played Babson whom they beat 10-3, they played Johnson and Wales who they beat 13-3, and all of their other wins come within conference excluding their spring break trip, but comparing Wheaton's spring break with Curry's isn't even a question on whos was tougher and Wheaton seemingly dominated their spring break trip. I don't recognize some of the teams from Curry's spring break and I don't know if their top D3 programs or other divisions, I do know however, Hopkins, TCNJ, St. Cloud State, WNEC are all very good D3 and one very good D2 team. Basically my point here is that if Wheaton and Curry switch conferences and they play each other's schedule meaning majority in conference games for Wheaton in the CCC what would Wheaton's in-region/overall record look like compared to that of Curry's?

2.) The teams that Curry did schedule out of conference, Wheaton, Johnson and Wales, Babson, Rhode Island College, Bridgewater State.  Curry beat Wheaton, Johnson and Wales, and Babson, but lost to Rhode Island College, and Bridgewater State.  Wheaton this year has beaten Rhode Island College (2) and Bridgewater State (1).

3.) Within Curry's conference Wheaton has defeated Western New England College (2), Endicott (1) with Curry losing to Western New England and Endicott.  Curry beat Babson who defeated Wheaton so I would say Wheaton beating WNEC and Curry beating Babson evens that out.

4.) Finally, Wheaton's losses come from the likes of Econn, USM, Suffolk, Curry, and Umass Dartmouth (who also beat Econn, even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?) Curry can't say what "good" losses they have, because they really didn't play any of out of conference regionally/nationally ranked teams besides Wheaton at the time.  And I looked at the box score and it seems as if, and correct me if I'm wrong, Curry had thrown their ace while Wheaton threw their 3 or 4 guy, by stats.  I know this makes no difference in assessing an at large-bid but some people have talked about the "human element," that could be a consideration of that element.

- I guess what I'm trying to put forth here is if these two teams flip flop schedules and Wheaton played Curry's schedule in Curry's conference and vice versa, I think people would be singing a different tune.  I do have a little bias towards teams that schedule difficult teams, put together a 30 win season, and get placed below a team that did not really challenge themselves, for lack of a better phrase.  But do not misinterupt me, I think Curry had a phenomenal year and is deserving if they get an at large, but I do believe both teams would have a gripe if one or the other is left out for an at large, just because Wheaton's schedule was just that much tougher. Just thought I would place my .02$ in, as GNAC would say.  Please feel free to correct me, I'm just getting started with this whole D3 thing. Have a good day fellas.

[d3spectator]

I just got done looking at the d3baseball.com top 25 poll and it looks like, for the present poll, Wheaton has played 7 teams ranked and/or receiving votes for the top 25 NATIONALLY while Curry has played 2, one of them being Wheaton and the other being WNEC.  Just an after thought after seeing the top 25. Thanks for listening.  Comment if I'm way off here.

Spec

[ecfaninri]

nebaseball44..... I think you're right about the depth of the NE teams. USM, Trinity, and EConn have been raanked #1 or in the top ten throughout the season. They each have had strong seasons and each deserve a #1 ranking. As far as the depth of pitching, I think that there are a lot of teams that have 3 starters for tourney play, but only a few have pitching depth of 3-4 quality starters, not 5-6, once you get into to double elimination and the losers bracket.  (Unless you ask JCon about the 7-8 young as they have at UMB)