WBB: NESCAC

[MVP]

Looks like Babson will finally get to play Williams and Colby in non-conference contests in 2011-2012.
No respect, despite beating Colby, Bowdoin, Brandeis, E Conn, W Conn twice, Suny-Geneseo, Gettysburg, Emmanuel and reaching the Elite 8 last two seasons.

[amh63]

Several events of interest.  The Bowdoin asst. coach has jointed the staff as an asst. coach at the Naval Academy.  She played for the former head coach at Bowdoin when she was a student at Bowdoin.
Amherst has selected its 19th President....it was announced today.  The new president was a star WBB player in high school and top of her HS class in Lynchburg, Va.  About right for a conference college president.  Seems she shot free throws at college BB games during her time as the head of the Un. of Wisconsin-Madison.

[sumfun]

Amh63 - did you watch some of the press conference at Amherst.  She was given a "Champions" T-shirt from women's basketball with 19 on the back for the 19th president.  Sounds like she is a big sports fan which can only be a plus.

[jumpshot]

Take a look at her video interview on the Amherst website regarding athletics in which she promises Amherst will win more contests with Williams than it loses each year for years to come!
Why the obsession at Amherst with attempting to catch up with Williams in many aspects continues is beyond me. Amherst graduates would be better served by advocating building on Amherst's unique attributes and natural strengths.

[amh63]

Sumfun......Have watched/read a great deal about the 19th Amherst President to be since the announcement.  She was a sports fan at Wisconsin-Madison and a favorite of the students.  She was a star BB player in high school and her brothers were football players.  That was why she received the T-shirt and the football jersey with the number 19.  There has been much discussion among my classmates wrt her but on other matters.  Much of the discussion has been on the President versus faculty tug of war that is present in much of higher education.   To date, my classmates are positive about her and am pleased that she is an person with strong administrative skills.....which Present Marx did not have.  I, like many of my contacts, am looking forward to her arrival.  We are not worried about any directional changes to sports at Amherst.   The AD at Amherst appears to be a fan of Biddy.
Jumpshot.....I forgot what side of the Amherst vs. Williams  thing you rest.  In general, it is basically in fun.  After graduation, it continues to be fun.  Activities around the country/world are held among NESCAC  graduates in general and Amherst-Williams fans in particular.  I have attended numerous football events in D.C. that are jointly attended by fans from both sides. Bottom line....the future of Amherst and the direction it goes are not based on or guided by what Williams does.  I do believe it is the same with Williams.

[sumfun]

Totally agree with all that Amh63 said in regards to Amherst/Williams.  It's a fun, age-old rivalry that is shared by each generation.  After hearing about Williams President talk at Amherst the day before he received an honorary degree from Amherst, I'd say the presidents of each Univerisity have a healthy view of the rivalry.  Amherst, Wesleyan, and Williams confer degrees on eachother's presidents, so Biddy will get hers from the other two over the next few years.

AD was part of the search committee so I'm sure she is glad to welcome Biddy and her pro-sports leanings to Amherst. 

Can't speak for Tony Marx's administrative skills, and I don't believe he came up through the academia ranks,  but what an orator.  Did great things for Amherst on the national stage, and sheparded the College through the worst of the recession.  I wish him the best of luck.

[daoustian]

In the meantime...http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2011/07/kean-accused-of-fixing-grades -- the fix is in!

[amh63]

The situation with Kean's WBB program that D3hoops has posted, was brought up by Sumfun on another WBB board several days ago and I posted an item on the topic on the Kean's conference site.  It is a sad day in D3 sports.  However it plays out, I believe the lost to Kean by Amherst in some ways helped the team in its title drive.   If Kean's win in OT is voided, it doesn't really matter.  It should not affect the Amherst players in the upcoming season.

[farmboy]

The lack of judgement in the leadership at Kean is amazing.  Can anybody tell me who was primarily responsible for the decisions leading to this and what is their age?  I haven' t had the time to do the homework.

[kate]

No horse in the race here, but i do have to commend amh63 for a classy response on what seems to be a very sad matter with Kean.   It's definitely the students who suffer.

[bad knees]

Hello All,

I am a new poster, and am excited to find a great place to discuss DIII women's basketball in general, and NESCAC basketball in particular.

I have a question for everyone.  I am sure it has been answered before, but I could not find it.  Here you go: How do the NESCAC women's bball teams recruit girls who fit their unique profile?  Regular AAU tournaments?  Particular camps that are for players with strong academics?  Something else?

I have a son who plays a sport in the NESCACs, so I am familiar generally with how things work. But his sport is not basketball, so I am looking for info to help my younger daughter, who is a bball player and might be a good fit at one of the great NESCAC schools.

Thanks,

Bad Knees

[amh63]

Welcome aboard,,,bad knees!  Not much action on this board since the season is about two and half months away.  Still, in response to your question, it is a bit hard.  I am more familiar with MBB in the conference....where there are rating reports of players, more assistant coaches that scout/recruit for schools, etc.  When it comes to WBB, the recruiting/scouting reports seem fewer and the assistants fewer.  I even asked the question once on this board and not sure if I go an definitive answer.  You may have to ask a past poster of note....named Sumfun....who had a WBB player at Amherst.  Do not know if she will be active this year since her daughter has graduated. 
She could be most helpful.   I know that in MBB, there are summer BB events held at colleges that bring together players that are strong students and where the NESCAC and Ivy coaches can view the players.  I'm sure there are similar events for WBB.  Of course, each school in the conference holds summer "camps" for players.....where the coaches can evaluate/teach the candidates.  I know that Amherst has such a WBB summer camp.   Check out the Amherst website; in particular the WBB site.  Likewise, check out the other conference schools for summer camps, etc.

[sumfun]

With WBB, the coaches do see kids in the east coast, at camps, aau tourneys, but their time and number of coaches (as amh63 said) is limited so your best bet is to contact coaches at schools you are interested in, send athletic resume and dvd of a full game, then come visit.  This is particularly true if you're not in the northeast.  Be PROACTIVE....coaches want to know you are interested.  Most will be honest about their interest in your player and if her strenghts fit their needs.

[bad knees]

Amh and Sumfun,

Thanks very much for the information.  One more set of questions:  How does being a recruited athlete affect the player's likelihood of acceptance to the school?  I know that, in some NESCAC sports, there is a tip system, at least at some schools.  Under this system, the coach is given a certain limited number of "tips" per year - say 2 or 3 - which can be used to gain the admission of a player who is near the prevailing academic standards but otherwise would not be admitted.  In addition, the coach can put any number of players on a list and tell the admissions department, if these players are within the large mass of qualified applicants, please admit them because I see them as players on my team.  And the admissions department generally honors such requests.

Is this anything close to how it works in NESCAC women's bball?

Thanks,

Bad Knees

[amh63]

Bad knees......you are entering a "touchy" area, IMO.  The question of "tips" in a given sport at a given school in the conference is not that straight forward.  When you ask if the "player" is qualified for the upcoming class, that gets more fuzzy and enters the policy of the admission office as directed by the particular school.  Even if one assumes that the academic standards for all the schools within the conference are the same, the needs of the schools with respect to students will vary from school to school in any given year. Staying with sports only (versus need of talented students in the music dept., or the science dept. for example), how many "tips" are allowed may stay the same every year, but how they are distributed among the teams can vary in a given year....given the priorities of the school and coaches.
In any case,  if a player applies to a given school, the player will be directed to apply ED....that is the case for all the conference schools.  Other than that, it is a crap shoot....IMO.  The talents of a player in the class and on the playing field are the only sure thing.  Having three children attend Amherst where I am a graduate was not a "sure" thing.  Amherst limits, percentage wise, the number of "legacy" admits and all must qualify academically.  The school offers an interview of the child of an graduate in the junior year.  The admission office will inform the parent if the child will be academically qualified for the upcoming class.  If not, then advice is given to where to apply.  One child may be admitted in a given year, but it is not assured that the same child would be admitted the next year!  Amherst admitted only 13% of the applicants for the class of 2015.
Good luck!