NESCAC

[Corazon]

Rumor of the week..Topic-Colby.....Their new president is from Stanford and WANTS a big emphasis on athletics. With a new AD from Harvard and new Dir. of Admissions, they have committed to spending millions to upgrade their athletic facilities. With everyone on board Colby will be sneaking some kids in that have no business matriculating there. More to come later on this but a prime example is the youngest Aoyama brother wanted to follow his 2 older brothers and go to Amherst. His grades / boards did not meet Amherst standards let alone any Nescac school but Colby got him in.

Interesting rumor....Colby wouldn't be the first NESCAC to relax it's standards for a few years to revamp its athletics, and thus reinvigorate the alumni base.  Second rumor of the week has massive roster changes down at Conn.....they lose 7 seniors to graduation and could be up to 7 other players not returning....they better have a large and skilled group of freshman coming in to plug those roster holes.

Also intrigued with CONN. I really thought before last year that they would make a big move and become one of the top 3-4 teams. Obviously didn't work out that way. I thought they worked the recruiting as hard as any NESCAC. Curious how they will bounce back.

[Corazon]

Final post for this evening - intrigued also with Williams. Curious how the group will react to a new coach and whether they will regroup and return to their usual position at the top of the NESCAC. Curious also as to their style of play. Goalkeepers aren't usually known for playing the attractive style Russo played (see Mr. Right's past post on this topic). I personally prefer having Williams as a national power. Just seems like they should be, so my view of the world will seem normal again 😏

Looking forward to seeing everyone's NESCAC ranking in due course.

[FourMoreYears]

Rumor of the week..Topic-Colby.....Their new president is from Stanford and WANTS a big emphasis on athletics. With a new AD from Harvard and new Dir. of Admissions, they have committed to spending millions to upgrade their athletic facilities. With everyone on board Colby will be sneaking some kids in that have no business matriculating there. More to come later on this but a prime example is the youngest Aoyama brother wanted to follow his 2 older brothers and go to Amherst. His grades / boards did not meet Amherst standards let alone any Nescac school but Colby got him in.

Interesting rumor....Colby wouldn't be the first NESCAC to relax it's standards for a few years to revamp its athletics, and thus reinvigorate the alumni base.  Second rumor of the week has massive roster changes down at Conn.....they lose 7 seniors to graduation and could be up to 7 other players not returning....they better have a large and skilled group of freshman coming in to plug those roster holes.

Also intrigued with CONN. I really thought before last year that they would make a big move and become one of the top 3-4 teams. Obviously didn't work out that way. I thought they worked the recruiting as hard as any NESCAC. Curious how they will bounce back.

Rumors out of Conn indicate as many as eight returning players have quit it transferred due to dissatisfaction with the coach.  Will be interesting to see if (a) rumors are true; and if they are (b) how this affects Conn in 2015 and beyond

[Mr.Right]

We all know Conn / Murphy is one of the more hardworking recruiters in the conference and we have said many times how he has upgraded Conn's soccer program since Lessig in his final 10 years was rather lethargic about the whole situation. Interestingly, Lessig would always field teams full of frosh and sophs because upperclassmen would quit on him. I think Murphy is an extremely good coach but I have heard while he works the players hard(a +++) he also can be quite negative (a ----) with players these days who need constant coddling and positive re-enforcement. My guess is he will learn from this and change his style a nudge. He has changed the team to the point where when you see Conn on your schedule you know you are in for a battle and physical war compared to Lessig in the mid 2000's when you could circle a win on your schedule by giving some basic effort and showing up.

[FourMoreYears]

We all know Conn / Murphy is one of the more hardworking recruiters in the conference and we have said many times how he has upgraded Conn's soccer program since Lessig in his final 10 years was rather lethargic about the whole situation. Interestingly, Lessig would always field teams full of frosh and sophs because upperclassmen would quit on him. I think Murphy is an extremely good coach but I have heard while he works the players hard(a +++) he also can be quite negative (a ----) with players these days who need constant coddling and positive re-enforcement. My guess is he will learn from this and change his style a nudge. He has changed the team to the point where when you see Conn on your schedule you know you are in for a battle and physical war compared to Lessig in the mid 2000's when you could circle a win on your schedule by giving some basic effort and showing up.

Agreed. Murphy has done an excellent job with the Conn College program ... players these days do require coddling.  It will be interesting to see if he adapts, or can bring in players suited to his style without adaptation.

[NESCACsoccerguy]

The Correct Soccer Standings for the 2015 NESCAC Soccer season (regular season):

1) Middlebury
2) Williams
3) Amherst
4) Tufts
5) Bates
6) Bowdoin
7) Wesleyan
8) Conn
9) Trinity
10) Colby
11) Hamilton

Middlebury will have Glaser, Conrad and Sydor back. Dominate. Williams has Rashid back and he should be the best player in the league, I expect sophomore Sisco-Tolomeo to blow up this year with Grady gone - Sisco can play, and Danilack will be the second best defender in the league. Amherst return their two best attacking players, Martin and Pascual-Leone, and are bringing in a beast of a center back who will be the best defender in the league as a freshman. I feel Tufts will drop off from everyone else's predictions having lost two dangerous attacking players in Hoppenot and Satnos, plus both center backs. That is tough to replace. Bates returns pretty much everyone, and if the incoming recruiting class is as impactful as the current freshmen were, will finish top half of the table. Sixth seems about right for Bowdoin, they were not great last year but went on a surprise run in the playoffs, and return a majority of their team. Wesleyan and Conn will be average, I think, Wesleyan lose Bratt who was a top five defender in the league last year and neither team have a serious goal scoring threat unless they have recruited one. Colby will drop off, they lose several key players and yes they are bringing in recruits as all posters have mentioned - but every other team in the league is also. Aside from two or three players, the rest of Colby's class are all average NESCAC players, and you have to wonder how they will buy into Seabrook's boot it, pack it in and defend, score from set plays system that was very successful last season. Trinity may be worse than Colby overall but have a goalscorer in Savonen. I expect them to leak goals as they graduate three of their back four, which wasn't good last season, Hamilton will really struggle having lost half their starting team including their best player Jacob Frost and their best defender Buck Reynolds. Not sure they even win a league game, and I see them being bottom of the league by a big margin.

[FourMoreYears]

The Correct Soccer Standings for the 2015 NESCAC Soccer season (regular season):

1) Middlebury
2) Williams
3) Amherst
4) Tufts
5) Bates
6) Bowdoin
7) Wesleyan
8) Conn
9) Trinity
10) Colby
11) Hamilton

... Trinity may be worse than Colby overall but have a goalscorer in Savonen. I expect them to leak goals as they graduate three of their back four, which wasn't good last season, ...

One could certainly argue that Trinity is destined to miss the NESCAC playoffs again this coming fall unless some of their newcomers and/or returning players step it up a notch, and nobody can disagree with the fact they surrendered more goals in league play than any other squad ... it is worth noting that Trinity only graduated two players that had significant playing time last season: Tim Shea (F) and Kyle Johnston (D). Of the 18 players that appeared in 10 or more of the 15 games, the class breakdown was as follows: Seniors 2, Juniors 2, Sophomores 8, Freshman 6. 

[D3soccerwatcher]

The Correct Soccer Standings for the 2015 NESCAC Soccer season (regular season):

1) Middlebury
2) Williams
3) Amherst
4) Tufts
5) Bates
6) Bowdoin
7) Wesleyan
8) Conn
9) Trinity
10) Colby
11) Hamilton

Middlebury will have Glaser, Conrad and Sydor back. Dominate. Williams has Rashid back and he should be the best player in the league, I expect sophomore Sisco-Tolomeo to blow up this year with Grady gone - Sisco can play, and Danilack will be the second best defender in the league. Amherst return their two best attacking players, Martin and Pascual-Leone, and are bringing in a beast of a center back who will be the best defender in the league as a freshman. I feel Tufts will drop off from everyone else's predictions having lost two dangerous attacking players in Hoppenot and Satnos, plus both center backs. That is tough to replace. Bates returns pretty much everyone, and if the incoming recruiting class is as impactful as the current freshmen were, will finish top half of the table. Sixth seems about right for Bowdoin, they were not great last year but went on a surprise run in the playoffs, and return a majority of their team. Wesleyan and Conn will be average, I think, Wesleyan lose Bratt who was a top five defender in the league last year and neither team have a serious goal scoring threat unless they have recruited one. Colby will drop off, they lose several key players and yes they are bringing in recruits as all posters have mentioned - but every other team in the league is also. Aside from two or three players, the rest of Colby's class are all average NESCAC players, and you have to wonder how they will buy into Seabrook's boot it, pack it in and defend, score from set plays system that was very successful last season. Trinity may be worse than Colby overall but have a goalscorer in Savonen. I expect them to leak goals as they graduate three of their back four, which wasn't good last season, Hamilton will really struggle having lost half their starting team including their best player Jacob Frost and their best defender Buck Reynolds. Not sure they even win a league game, and I see them being bottom of the league by a big margin.

Are the NESCAC faithful already relegating Tufts to the status of "one hit wonder"?

[Nutmeg]

Tufts often gets less respect....they were doubted all the way to their national championship last fall...and proved everybody wrong, making an incredible run against many powerhouses....one hit wonder or not, those boys will never forget it and will forever be history makers for Tufts, bringing home the first national championship....all I can say is let the doubters continue to doubt....it just may provide the fuel for another exceptional year in a very tough division....

One thing is for sure, even with the loss of Santos Tufts will have one of the best midfield combination in the conference and country....

[NESCACsoccerguy]

Are the NESCAC faithful already relegating Tufts to the status of "one hit wonder"?

No. I think Tufts will be back to that level, but not this year. They have a very strong recruiting class and a bunch of talented players returning, but I don't think any team can lose their two best attacking players and two center backs and have a championship caliber season.

[All NESCAC]

Are the NESCAC faithful already relegating Tufts to the status of "one hit wonder"?

No. I think Tufts will be back to that level, but not this year. They have a very strong recruiting class and a bunch of talented players returning, but I don't think any team can lose their two best attacking players and two center backs and have a championship caliber season.

So Tufts CB Kramer is not returning for a 5th year as previously suggested?

[Mr.Right]

Nescac rumblings:

1. Top 5 BONEHEADS in Nescac soccer history Cody Savonen--Great player, not as good as his brother at Brandeis but very good. He gets in serious trouble for the 2nd time this year and gets tossed from Trinity. He cost his team a couple games this fall by getting suspended for a drinking fiasco and now this. Maybe he just needs to mature a bit but this puts a serious damper in Trinity's 2015 prospects even if there was not much there to begin with. If they get more than 2 league wins this season I will be shocked. Savonen will need a 2nd chance and a New England school will surely come calling. Brandeis I do not think would be able to touch him but a school with lax admissions standards and known for giving 2nd chances, Wheaton MA, would be my best guess. It would be a win win for both kid and soccer team. Cushing should be able to keep him in line better than Pilger.

2. Wesleyan gets a serious striker off of Superclub Blackrock FC All-Stars. Very skilled and quick he should provide some serious punch up top.

3. Conn also gets a Blackrock player who is solid. Without naming names he is a good player but from what I hear had 2 D's on his transcript. In NESCAC THAT USED TO BE UNTOUCHABLE FOR ANY SCHOOL. Guess Murphy snuck him thru.

4. Word around Williamstown is that Rashid is fully healthy and running. This will no doubt help Williams get back on track.

5. Amherst has a great Jersey kid coming in a 6'4 CB who is very athletic and skilled. Comes from the same area as Mark Sisco at Williams. I am a big believer in recruiting from Jersey as those kids tend to have a bite and edge more so that the New England preps.

[1970s NESCAC Player]

5. Amherst has a great Jersey kid coming in a 6'4 CB who is very athletic and skilled. Comes from the same area as Mark Sisco at Williams. I am a big believer in recruiting from Jersey as those kids tend to have a bite and edge more so that the New England preps.

Agree with you on the Jersey kids . . .

[jknezek]

5. Amherst has a great Jersey kid coming in a 6'4 CB who is very athletic and skilled. Comes from the same area as Mark Sisco at Williams. I am a big believer in recruiting from Jersey as those kids tend to have a bite and edge more so that the New England preps.

Agree with you on the Jersey kids . . .

This goes back 20 years, but as a Jersey kid who played at what was then the regional select level we used to love playing the New England regional schools. We always considered them easy to throw off their game with some early physical play. Especially the offensive types. They just didn't handle being bodied up as well as the mid-atlantic or mid-west state regional teams we matched up with, let alone the other Jersey/New York/Penn regionals. Interesting to see that some people still think that disparity exists.

[Brother Flounder]

Tufts has had a good Jersey connection the last few years.  They even reached as far as Chicago, Arizona and California for some recruits.  The Chicago and California areas are hotbeds for players.