WBB: NESCAC

[senatorfrost]

 I am assuming they are all paid something for their efforts. I realize it's probably not all that much. Still I bet all coaches would like to have that many helpers around for practices/coaching.
It's a luxury=semi pro

[amh63]

Nice article on D3hoops.com site about the Amherst team in general and the 1st year pt. guard in particular.  She is from Cortland NY which is near my daughter in Ithaca.  Being such, I read about her in the Cortland Standard (local newspaper).  She was one of the stars and leader on her high school team.  Wonder how the Amherst coach found her since NESCAC coaches are limited in their recruiting. Maybe from his Hamilton coaching days.  Must remind myself to ask him.
   Since the discussion has been on the Wash. U program, has anyone else notice the large number of players on the team?  They list 21 players!  Maybe that is one reason for the number of assist. coaches.  Wonder how many are on their traveling squad.  During NCAA play, there is a limit of 15 players to dress for games.  At least that is what the limit was for men's BB and soccer.  The Wash. U program reminds me of the Nebraska football program when the coach would have over 100 players and "store linemen" for future years (linemen take longer to develop).  It was also a way to prevent rival programs from getting good players.

[Pat Coleman]

I believe UAA limits traveling squad as well -- obviously there's a significant cost factor there.

[amh63]

Even in the UAA, the size of the WBB squad is unique, I think.  I have not checked all the UAA WBB teams however. Must do since I opened my mouth. Wash. U is a wealthy school! I do not think cost is a concern. I have a classmate who was born/raised in St. Louis and is a Wash. U business/law school graduate and is pressured to make donations.

[amh63]

I am back.  After a scan of UAA web sites, the WBB teams size range from 14-16.  Wash. U has the largest at 21 and surprising, the U. of Chicago has 20!  I checked Emory, U.of Rochester, CMU and U. of Chicago.  I believe NYUU and Brandeis teams did not approach 20.  Have I missed any?

[sumfun]

I don't know if Wash U does this, but some schools in the midwest actually play a JV schedule.  Once again, a good way to mothball players and keep them away from the competition.  Wash U looks deep, but in close games they don't seem to go much beyond (with substantial minutes) the 8th or 9th player.  I think they match up well against Amherst, but they have to be troubled by how easily Amherst shut down UAA competition, particularly McEntee from NYU and point guard from Brandeis.

[BBstudent]

Possibly more important then how many players are on the team is the size of the school. Washington has approximately 6000 undergraduate students while most NESCAC schools are in the 2000 range. Amherst is 1600 +/- which would seem to be a huge liability in terms of the size of the pool you can draw from.

[Pat Coleman]

Not necessarily -- this isn't high school where you have open tryouts and hang up signs around campus to bring people in. People play basketball at Division III schools because they were recruited to come there. The number of true walk-ons -- ones who would come to the team via the method you describe -- is very low, in my experience. You're not drawing from the student body -- you're putting people in the student body.

[mark_reichert]

I believe UAA limits traveling squad as well -- obviously there's a significant cost factor there.

Yes, and I think it is the NCAA roster limit of 15.  It's only regular season home games where the extra six suit up.  Granted, they were allowed to sit in their normal spots in the first two tournament games hosted by WashU, but they were in some black warmup/training suits.

[mark_reichert]

I don't know if Wash U does this, but some schools in the midwest actually play a JV schedule.  Once again, a good way to mothball players and keep them away from the competition.  Wash U looks deep, but in close games they don't seem to go much beyond (with substantial minutes) the 8th or 9th player.  I think they match up well against Amherst, but they have to be troubled by how easily Amherst shut down UAA competition, particularly McEntee from NYU and point guard from Brandeis.

The WashU women have played JV games from time to time, but it is a very spotty schedule.

[senatorfrost]

  Being a larger school can help a very good school. That is, places like Wash U and Chicago can take in more tips than a smaller school because they have more regular students to balance things out. With US News hanging over all heads, no one wants to drop even a little as far as SAT scores go because a moderate drop can result in dropping a couple places in the ratings.
   Of course places like Bates, Bowdoin, and Middlebury don't think SAT's are necessary so they don't have to worry about scores. I would wager that many of the athletes at places that don't ask for SAT scores don't submit them. Don't ask=don't tell.
   

[amh63]

I forgot about Case Western Reserve in the UAA.  The WBB team is the smallest with 13 members.  However, last year's squad had only 11.  Over the last 4 years the highest number of players was 14.  I guess that Wash. U's great MBB team is following in the footsteps of the WBB program.  Wash. U. men's team has a rooster with 20 players!  Both teams are going to the final 4 for the second time in three years.  Interesting trend here .   Enough said on this topic.  I am going to get into deep waters here.

[walzy31]

I am admittedly not the most detail following fan of women's hoop...even in the NESCAC.

Question: If Amherst wins it all and brings home another title for the NESCAC, how many NESCAC rings would that be for the 2000's decade and does any other conference have more? I know Bowdoin and Bates used to do their thing and that Bowdoin one one or two titles.

[mark_reichert]

Possibly more important then how many players are on the team is the size of the school. Washington has approximately 6000 undergraduate students while most NESCAC schools are in the 2000 range. Amherst is 1600 +/- which would seem to be a huge liability in terms of the size of the pool you can draw from.

Pat's right and besides if that were true, NYU would dominate the UAA since its enrollment exceeds the next three largest schools combined, and is less than doubled by all other seven student bodies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Athletic_Association

Mind you, a lot of those enrollment amounts are graduate students.  At least I know that to be true of WashU.

[frank uible]

There goes WashU again - running all over Amherst, the putative best of NESCAC. I suppose the principle applies to academics also.