NESCAC

[camosfan]

The Williams coach did an excellent job this in his first year.

[northman]

For the sake of accuracy, this was technically the Williams coach's second year.  He served as interim head coach last year.

[Yankeesoccerdad]

NESCAC announced its conference awards today:

Before the chorus of quibbles starts, let's pause to celebrate one of the rarest phenomena in college sport: postseason awards that acknowledge great defensive play. Shout out to the voters for giving the conference player of the year award to a deserving center back. Reid is a beast. NESCAC does that more than most conferences (Tufts' Coleman was the last one, and that was only five years ago). But it goes deeper than that. Sure, they do the usual silly thing by putting forward four forwards on the first team, but then they almost make up for it by giving two of the first-time middie slots to 6s! Amazing. Margaronis and Juantorena are great, and like most CDMs, they seldom get the love they deserve. I'm also happy to see acknowledgment of one defender (Ghosh) and another former defender (Felitto) whose seasons were cut short by devastating injuries.

The sophomores above are a super group. If I'd been given a ballot, I'd have Clark-Eden on the first team; dude was impeccable every time I watched. You could put together a team with the Amherst and Hamilton sophomores that could win multiple NCAA championships. I wish we could have seen Hamilton's sophs unleashed in the NCAA tournament, where they'd be less hamstrung than they are by the style of play in NESCAC.

Congrats to all and good luck in the tournament.

Great comments Viking, all around.  As a Bowdoin parent I am proud and thrilled that the team did so well.  I have watched Reid up close for three years and as someone said on the boards weeks ago, he is the guy coaches game plan around.  Really smart, always in position, fast and strong in the air.  I attribute the award going to a defender to the value of defense in the conference and the voting being done by coaches.

Hamilton and Amherst both have very strong sophomore classes.  Hamilton has three sophomore players on the list plus Luke Ehrenfreund, who didn't make the list but was very good.  Amherst is said to be in a transition year and yet still had five players named, three of whom are sophomores.  Speaking of defense, Shahmirzadi, always a ferocious defender, took the role of Bryce Johnson on throw-ins and seems able to hit the box from anywhere on the offensive side of the field.

Agunloye of Bates, also a sophomore, is very strong and fast, hard to knock off the ball.  Cebeddu of Wesleyan has amazing ball skills--best in the conference, i think.

The Bates coach took over shortly before the season started and did a great job.  In October, they tied Hamilton, Wesleyan and Tufts and defeated Colby on the last day of the season, when they were playing a spoiler role.

Lots of seniors on the list so there will be many opportunities for recognition opening up next year.

Good luck to everyone in the tournament!

[northman]

Per an earlier comment I made, Yankeesoccerdad, the wild card will be how many of those "seniors" come back for a fifth year of eligibility next year...

[coach analytics]

I am not a fan at all of giving two players all conference who barely played in half their conference games - Fellito -4.5 and Ghous 5.5. Although I do like both players a lot.

Sort of reminds me last year when they give POY to Augie Djerdrain who missed 30% of the season when you had players like Giamatti and Aroh (more points as a CDM). Giamatti had a down year but still was by far the best player in the league.

as they say in the NFL, the most important ability is availability.

also surprised a Wesleyan defender made the team when they gave up a lot of conference goals in a season of stingy defenses.

Most of the other selections seem right on.

[camosfan]

I am not a fan at all of giving two players all conference who barely played in half their conference games - Fellito -4.5 and Ghous 5.5. Although I do like both players a lot.

Sort of reminds me last year when they give POY to Augie Djerdrain who missed 30% of the season when you had players like Giamatti and Aroh (more points as a CDM). Giamatti had a down year but still was by far the best player in the league.

as they say in the NFL, the most important ability is availability.

also surprised a Wesleyan defender made the team when they gave up a lot of conference goals in a season of stingy defenses.

Most of the other selections seem right on.

What you make of Conn having the deepest bench, had two all-conference players and not making the playoffs deservingly?

[Yankeesoccerdad]

Per an earlier comment I made, Yankeesoccerdad, the wild card will be how many of those "seniors" come back for a fifth year of eligibility next year...

Yes, fair point.  Schools have been inconsistent in how they tag players, with some adjusting for students who took a covid gap year or semester and others not.

[d4_Pace]

The reality with the all conference selections is that once you make the teams as an underclassman you're going to make it again the following years. Half of these players are basically pencilled in to these teams before the year begins. Conn having the "deepest bench," two all conference players, and not making the tourney means the season is ultimately a failure. The same would have been true for Tufts or Amherst if they failed to make the tourney.

[Bucket]

The reality with the all conference selections is that once you make the teams as an underclassman you're going to make it again the following years.

Not necessarily. Exhibit A: Ryan Grady.

Anyone else surprised by his omission?

[PaulNewman]

The reality with the all conference selections is that once you make the teams as an underclassman you're going to make it again the following years.

Not necessarily. Exhibit A: Ryan Grady.

Anyone else surprised by his omission?

No Lauta from Tufts either.  Weren't Grady and Lauta considered #1 and #2 in NESCAC before the season?

[Bucket]

The reality with the all conference selections is that once you make the teams as an underclassman you're going to make it again the following years.

Not necessarily. Exhibit A: Ryan Grady.

Anyone else surprised by his omission?

No Lauta from Tufts either.  Weren't Grady and Lauta considered #1 and #2 in NESCAC before the season?

Yes.

And last year Grady was not only first team all NESCAC but also First Team All American and National Goalkeeper of the Year as a sophomore.

His statistics were better last year, and I'm not saying he deserved first team All NESCAC this season (though he'd be my choice if I was starting a team and had my choice of NESCAC keepers). Just pointing out that accolades from previous seasons don't always translate to future inclusion as the prior poster suggested.

[PaulNewman]

The reality with the all conference selections is that once you make the teams as an underclassman you're going to make it again the following years.

Not necessarily. Exhibit A: Ryan Grady.

Anyone else surprised by his omission?

No Lauta from Tufts either.  Weren't Grady and Lauta considered #1 and #2 in NESCAC before the season?

Yes.

And last year Grady was not only first team all NESCAC but also First Team All American and National Goalkeeper of the Year as a sophomore.

His statistics were better last year, and I'm not saying he deserved first team All NESCAC this season (though he'd be my choice if I was starting a team and had my choice of NESCAC keepers). Just pointing out that accolades from previous seasons don't always translate to future inclusion as the prior poster suggested.

Yes, most of us are very aware of his credentials/accolades.

[PaulNewman]

The anxiety of the tourney approaching leads to out of left field questions like these...

If a team has to fly to play at Amherst, where do they fly into?  Hartford, Logan, Albany?

And same for Bowdoin?  Logan or Portland?

[Bucket]

The anxiety of the tourney approaching leads to out of left field questions like these...

If a team has to fly to play at Amherst, where do they fly into?  Hartford, Logan, Albany?

And same for Bowdoin?  Logan or Portland?

Definitely Portland for Bowdoin. And probably Hartford (over Albany) for Amherst.

[Dustin_Patrón]

Definitely Hartford... Bradley Int'l (Hartford) is actually 20 mins north of Hartford in Windsor Locks and thus, 20 minutes closer to Amherst.. Probably a 45 minute drive up rt 91 to get to Amherst.