WBB: NESCAC

[usmhoops1]

Hope was very good.  The hard thing about the polls is there is such limited crossover that it is hard to know who really are the top teams.
I was at the games in Springfield and thought that Hope was the best team.  It would have taken an outstanding game from USM to pull it off and that did not happen.  There were possessions in the first half when the Huskies were in the lead that they did not open up that lead.
All in all a fabulous atmosphere.  I will be in attendance next year regardless of who is there.  D3 womens hoops at its best!!

[tothehole]

There are 25 voters on each panel -- three from each of the NCAA's eight regions with myself as the 25th voter. The voters are coaches, Sports Information Directors and media members.

We do not reveal individual voters' names because we do not want them subject to lobbying and backlash from coaches and fans of teams. This is something we have experienced in voting for other polls.

I guess they( the voters) go some it right. Number 1,2,3.... That was it #4 Did they get to the final 4 they lost and went up.
Maybe Amherst should be @#1 with that logic. It doesnt end there  Mr C., just tell the folks how many teams that lost inthe opening round of 64 got to the top 25 , second round  of 32 are in the top 25 and 16 and so on and so on. Rochester in the sweet 16 ranked 19 Williams who beat Messiah unbeaten at home for 2 years 17 Messiah 16.
I can go on and on it comes down to this the SIDS and Media s---s who voted for the loosers to get higher ranking forget that the season is for seeding and the tourney is for the gold. The voters in one breath rank Hope 1 but disrespect virtually all the other teams. Now the ladies at Messiah should get points for their sportmanship which should be lauded but they got beaten on their home court?  Most of this final poll is the same s---t that we see in D1 where the Dukes Tenn Uconns get ranking based on rep and $. Hey did anybody tell the voters that Hardin-Simmons was fourth? The SIDS and media can feed us this s--t but we and the players dont have to take it any more. Coach Parcells often says you" are what your record is " and these ladies and coaches should be lauded for their body of work in the touney.   

[feces monkey]

The NESCAC board requires a modicum of intelligence -- or at least something other than an incomprehensible stream of consciousness -- to be taken seriously. I suggest you visit one of the Southern or Midwest boards to air this type of drivel. They are used to it.

While we here in the NESCAC enjoy a good rant, cogency is mandated. In addition, the bleeped out swear words are a bit much. While they may be useful to the other regions and conferences, and perhaps received with some applause, they are substandard here.

USMhoops, I'm not sure if your attachment to USM has expired this season, but I'd be curious to get your take on the State of the Huskies for next year. Logic would say that Bowdoin would be the third best team in the NESCAC next year with what Bates and Williams has returning. It's hard to believe that USM would be threatened in the LEC, but are they a semifinals team again next year? The first team to end Bowdoin's home streak would seem to be USM. Thoughts?

[Pat Coleman]

Hardin-Simmons finished fourth in the tournament, sure, but what did they do in the regular season? Are we to throw that out entirely? Doubt it.

[tothehole]

So if H-S finished first you vote them what 3rd? because of their season? The season is the tourney for those who make it.

[Pat Coleman]

No, of course if Hardin-Simmons beats all comers then they win the title. But they didn't beat all comers, they didn't play the national champ, and they didn't beat any of the teams in Springfield.

Remember, this isn't Division I. Not all roads to the Final Four are created equal. Hardin-Simmons proved it was better than McMurry, Howard Payne, Randolph-Macon and Pacific Lutheran. I think you'll find that HSU is ranked ahead of all of those teams, accordingly.

[tothehole]

Right, this isnt d1 football either you're not taking the top 2 teams for the national title based on season records. Maybe you should, if season records mean so much.The teams have to earn it on the floor and very often at someones elses home court.  The regular season spiff is your seeding, the final ranking is for you perfomance in the tourney and your preseason poll is for all the reps. Williams 17 beat Messiah 16th HS lost in the final 4 Bowdoin in the eilte 8 HS 7 Bowdoin 4th previously ranked 5th went up with a loss mmmmmmmmmmmm so expain that. Bottom line is that you believe that the only school that gets respect in the tourney is the winner and the rest is left to ranglings of the sids egos. Players and coaches be damned.

[Pat Coleman]

Hey, I agree with you on Williams/Messiah. That wasn't the way I voted and I was disappointed with that result, though remember they came from 14 spots apart to meet at that point.

Bowdoin went up with a loss? Pardon me but I believe they won three games in the tournament as well, including two against Top 15 teams. Then they lost to then-No. 1, now-No. 2 Southern Maine.

At least, I think that's what you're complaining about. Your posts are really hard to get through with the optional punctuation. Let me know if that's not what you're griping about.

[Pat Coleman]

Bottom line is that you believe that the only school that gets respect in the tourney is the winner and the rest is left to ranglings of the sids egos. Players and coaches be damned.

Don't try to tell me what I believe, thanks. You have no idea. Everyone's tournament performance counts for something. But I laid out my points already and if you don't like them, I'm sorry. That's the way it's always been.

BTW, SIDs make up just less than one-third of the panel. I don't know if their egos are involved but I would be very surprised if they were.

[usmhoops1]

Feces Monkey:

I will continue to follow the huskies. 

On to next year.  I know of 3 freshman that plan on attending.  1 outstanding pt guard and 2 combo/off guards, small forwards.  All very good athletes.  All 3 from Maine.  1 took her freshman  year off from playing hoops and just studied.  She missed it tremendously and should be a help next year.  Either Welch  or Samuelson will need to improve as a presence in the post, which both are capable of.   Never know who else might show up or transfer but the 3 that will be there will help. 

They will miss all 3 seniors.  Both Myles and Frost will be hard to replace.  Donna Cowing will be very difficult to replace as well.  She made so many plays that the boxscore  never shows. Whether they are at the level they were this year remains to be seen.  I am sure they will be very competitive.
ONLY 7 MONTHS till practice starts again!!!

[feces monkey]

USMhoops1,

In rereading my previous post, I fear I may have been too obtuse. My comment about your attachment to USM was not meant to imply you were a bandwagoner, but rather you may have had a daughter/relation/friend on the team who may be graduating, thus diminishing your interest. Unimportant, either way.

As an opposing fan, watching USM is truly frustrating because of their consistent success, even when it seems assured they will drop off with players graduating. This is a testament not only to Fifield, but also to the state of Maine, which continues to stock the program. You look at the in-state talent that has gone through the "Big Three" (USM, Bowdoin, Bates) the last 5-10 years, I'd put them up against any DIII state. Not bad for a such a small population. Fifield's been doing it for 20 years, so you've gotta assume 20+ wins and a home seed in the playoffs. I think the state is up for grabs next year, with UMF and MMA returning some key players and the natural improvement of Colby.

I must say, I find it humorous that when a raving lunatic comes on this board barely able to string a couple of sentences together, the administrator chimes in four of the last seven posts. When I try to have a logical conversation about topics worthy of discussion....(crickets chirping)....silence. "Karmic"  justice, I suppose. Or it just doesn't pay to have a rational dicussion. Oh, well. I'll get over it.

[goubears89]

Any word on recruits for NESCAC for next year? And what about Southern Maine or elsewhere in the Northeast Region? What have folks heard?

[goubears89]

Hey where are the preseason pronostications? Rookies to watch? Returning gems? Mysterious transfers to Lewiston? Brilliant strategy in Brunswick? Not living in New England anymore and missing my NESCAC women's hoops talk!!

[nescac hoops]

                                                       

                                                       
rumor is that things are not looking good up in lewiston for bates - meg coffin suffered a season ending knee injury in soccer and one of their starting guards that transfered in last year has left the school (perhaps to transfer elsewhere???). with this news, my preseason nods go to bowdoin and williams.

[whoarewebobcats]

if meg has a "season-ending" injury, why would they use a roster spot on her?

if it is that serious though, some of these new girls better be ready to step in right away for bates to be able to do anything...