NESCAC

[Flying Weasel]

I am sure that Bowdoin would prefer to be playing this weekend for the NESCAC championship at home, but they still are in an enviable position.   The decision on last Saturday did not involve a loss. They are a lock to make the NCAA tournament and host.  Other NESCAC teams that make it will likely have to travel because of the number of non wins they have.  Perhaps Williams, if they pickup two outright wins on the way to the NESCAC championship, would have a chance to host, but it is unlikely any other team will host.  Bowdoin also gets to rest up, heal up and avoid any other players being subjected to injury.  They should be primed to enter the NCAAs.

As I'm sure many on here know/remember, losing in the NESCAC quarterfinals or being eliminated on PKs has been part of the journey to a National Championship or runner-up finish for Tufts and Amherst numerous times over the past 8 years.

2021:  Amherst  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Finalist (lost final on PKs)
2018:  Tufts  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2016:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2015:  Amherst  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2014:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions

Bowdoin is right where they want to be!!!!

[Christan Shirk]

Am I correct that there will not be any NCAA regional rankings this week and the next we'll hear from the NCAA will be when they post the bids

The NCAA will release their third weekly regional rankings tomorrow (Wed., Nov. 2). 

Next week they do their fourth and final regional rankings and at-large tournament selections.  Here's the timeline:

• Conference championships are completed by 6:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, November 6.
• The NCAA compiles the data corresponding to the at-large selection criteria (win-loss-tie percentage against Division III opponents, results versus ranked Division III teams, Division III Strength-of-schedule) and provides it to Regional Advisory Committees.
• The Regional Advisory Committees do their fourth regional rankings in the same manner as the previous three weeks. The results versus ranked Division III teams (RvR) criteria is based on who was ranked in the third regional rankings that were released on Wednesday, November 2.
• The national committee makes adjustments to the regional rankings as they see fit but does not publish them until after they have announced the tournament field (including the at-large berth selections).
• An updated RvR is developed based on opponents who were ranked in either the third or the just completed fourth regional rankings. This is the RvR that the national committee will use when comparing teams across regions on a national basis.
• The highest ranked Pool B candidate from each region, if any, is placed "on the board", the teams discussed, and one team is selected.
• Pool C teams (teams who were not awarded their conference's automatic berth and unselected Pool B teams) in the final regional rankings are identified.
• The highest ranked Pool C candidate from each region is placed "on the board", the ten teams discussed, and one team is selected. The next highest ranked Pool C candidate from the selected team's region is added to the board and the process repeats until all Pool C at-large berths have been awarded.

This information and more can be found on D3soccer.com following either of these links:
AQ's, Pool B and Pool C? What does it all mean?
2022 NCAA Tournament - About

[Yankeesoccerdad]

I am sure that Bowdoin would prefer to be playing this weekend for the NESCAC championship at home, but they still are in an enviable position.   The decision on last Saturday did not involve a loss. They are a lock to make the NCAA tournament and host.  Other NESCAC teams that make it will likely have to travel because of the number of non wins they have.  Perhaps Williams, if they pickup two outright wins on the way to the NESCAC championship, would have a chance to host, but it is unlikely any other team will host.  Bowdoin also gets to rest up, heal up and avoid any other players being subjected to injury.  They should be primed to enter the NCAAs.

As I'm sure many on here know/remember, losing in the NESCAC quarterfinals or being eliminated on PKs has been part of the journey to a National Championship or runner-up finish for Tufts and Amherst numerous times over the past 8 years.

2021:  Amherst  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Finalist (lost final on PKs)
2018:  Tufts  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2016:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2015:  Amherst  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2014:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions

Bowdoin is right where they want to be!!!!

Appreciate your optimism, Flying Weasel!  Last weekend was a tough loss, but Bowdoin battled back to tie after being down 1-0 and showed a lot of resiliency.  I recall last year hearing that Conn's #1 was a PK specialist and he showed it Saturday.

It was pointed out to me that teams on the bubble who didn't advance Saturday should root for Amherst to win the NESCAC, because they already locked up a bid and having someone else (e.g., Conn) get the AQ lessens the chances of the bubble teams getting bids.  Presumably that doesn't apply to Bowdoin, but I guess some of the "Amhaters" will be forced to cheer for Amherst this weekend.

[paclassic89]

Middlebury probably has a bid locked up as well so you can root for them 

[EnmoreCat]

May need some professional help if we start getting Ammirers in here...

[camosfan]

I am sure that Bowdoin would prefer to be playing this weekend for the NESCAC championship at home, but they still are in an enviable position.   The decision on last Saturday did not involve a loss. They are a lock to make the NCAA tournament and host.  Other NESCAC teams that make it will likely have to travel because of the number of non wins they have.  Perhaps Williams, if they pickup two outright wins on the way to the NESCAC championship, would have a chance to host, but it is unlikely any other team will host.  Bowdoin also gets to rest up, heal up and avoid any other players being subjected to injury.  They should be primed to enter the NCAAs.

As I'm sure many on here know/remember, losing in the NESCAC quarterfinals or being eliminated on PKs has been part of the journey to a National Championship or runner-up finish for Tufts and Amherst numerous times over the past 8 years.

2021:  Amherst  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Finalist (lost final on PKs)
2018:  Tufts  -  elim. on PK's in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2016:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2015:  Amherst  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions
2014:  Tufts  -  def. in NESCAC quarterfinals --> National Champions

Bowdoin is right where they want to be!!!!

I come to think that, the week's rest you get from not playing in the semi/finals of NESCAC is a great boost.

[College Soccer Observer]

I don't disagree with the idea that teams benefit from not playing two more taxing matches before the playoffs, but Conn was in the NESCAC final in 2021 and won the NCAAs.  Tufts won the NESCAC final in 2019 and won the NCAAs.  Chicago made the final 4 last year and they do not have a tournament.  UAA plays regular season games the weekend that most other conferences have their finals. 

[coach analytics]

Why doesn't the NESCAC conference get more teams in the NCAA tournament?

I think it is certainly well known regarding the NESCAC dominance of the recent NCAA tournament. Three straight National Championships with Tufts in 2018 and 2019 and Conn College in 2021.  However, peeling back the onion and you will see even more dominance.

Since 2018, the NESCAC record in the NCAA tournament is an astounding 37-8-6.  However if you dig even deeper, if you exclude the six games that the NESCAC teams played each other (2018 Tufts Amherst Sweet 16 game, the 2019 Regional Final game between Conn and Tufts, the 2021 Regional Final between Tufts and Conn, the 2021 Regional Final between Amherst and Middlebury and the 2021 National Championship between Amherst and Conn) the record in the last three years against non conference foes is 32-3-4 and all 3 of those losses were in 2018.  In the past two years, a NESCAC team has not lost a single game to a non conference foe. In 2019 Middlebury tied Renssalaer but did not advance on PKs.

However during this period of time, was the NESCAC adequately rewarded with NCAA bids?

If you look at two other "power" conferences which frequently get multiple bids, I would argue that they have not been adequately rewarded.  During these three years, the NESCAC has had a total of 14 bids or a three year average of 4.67 bids per year.  In a conference of 11 teams this represents 42% of its conference.

The Centennial conference, during that same span, had a total of 12 bids for a 3 year average of 4.0 or 40% of their 10 team conference.  For that great level of invites, the Centennial Conference produced a 8-10-5 record and lost all four of its head-to-head games against the NESCAC teams.

The UAA conference during this three-year span was awarded 11 bids for a 3 year average of 3.67.  In an 8 team conference, this represents 46% of their conference.  During this span they went a respectable 15-10-4, thanks to Chicago's impressive record of 8-3 and 7-7-4 record for the others. During this time, the UAA lost both of its head to head matches with NESCAC teams.

I am not sure I can come up with a good explanation for the success of the Centennial conference in attaining bids.  In 2021, when they received 5 bids (50% of their conference) they had a fair amount of parity in the top 5 so a fair amount of opportunity for regional wins as the teams swapped beating each other.

I do think that the UAA has a distinct advantage over the other power conferences in that they are spread across several regions allowing them the opportunity to get more regional teams ranked and improve their chances of "regional wins".  Their 8 teams are spread across 5 different regions giving them a much better opportunity for most, if not all, of their normal conference games to achieve regional wins.

[nescac1]

Rankings are out, Amherst, Midd, Bowdoin, Tufts, Williams, Hamilton, Western Conn (coming in hot with a 19-0-1 record!).  Tough break for Williams being ranked behind Tufts.  So, Amherst, Midd and Bowdoin are surely in, and I have to think at least Amherst and Midd have hosting duties locked up.  I think Williams is surely in with another win.  If they lose, they have to hope Conn loses in the title game, or they are probably on the outside looking in.  Tufts I think is probably in too no matter what happens, because it does seem like NESCAC should be a five-bid league this year.  Hamilton and Wesleyan are seemingly out. 

[Hopkins92]

I don't have the time to go back and look, but I would say the CC should get no more than 4 bids each year. I talked about it last year... A good case that none of Hopkins, Gettysburg or Swat deserved their bids in 2021.

[PaulNewman]

Maybe not supposed to ask this, but.... this seems like an odd time of year for Mr.Right to exit the stage.  He had not been as active as usual this season, but still....this is his time of the year.

Also missing blooter442 and Ommadawn.

[Hopkins92]

Maybe not supposed to ask this, but.... this seems like an odd time of year for Mr.Right to exit the stage.  He had not been as active as usual this season, but still....this is his time of the year.

Also missing blooter442 and Ommadawn.

I was trying to hunt down one of my posts and kind of went down memory lane today... And, yes, there a few folks I haven't seen around much including D4_Pace which is one of my all time favorite handles on here. I think D4 said he's been super busy lately.

[OldNed]

Maybe not supposed to ask this, but.... this seems like an odd time of year for Mr.Right to exit the stage.  He had not been as active as usual this season, but still....this is his time of the year.

Also missing blooter442 and Ommadawn.

I was trying to hunt down one of my posts and kind of went down memory lane today... And, yes, there a few folks I haven't seen around much including D4_Pace which is one of my all time favorite handles on here. I think D4 said he's been super busy lately.

I know I've seem some posts from Mr. Right, but definitely not as many as in years past. I think one of blooter's posts in the last 4-5 months said something about being busy with a new job, or something like that. 

[PaulNewman]

Maybe not supposed to ask this, but.... this seems like an odd time of year for Mr.Right to exit the stage.  He had not been as active as usual this season, but still....this is his time of the year.

Also missing blooter442 and Ommadawn.

I was trying to hunt down one of my posts and kind of went down memory lane today... And, yes, there a few folks I haven't seen around much including D4_Pace which is one of my all time favorite handles on here. I think D4 said he's been super busy lately.

I know I've seem some posts from Mr. Right, but definitely not as many as in years past. I think one of blooter's posts in the last 4-5 months said something about being busy with a new job, or something like that.

His account is no longer active...or at least it wasn't as of yesterday.  Hence, Guest under his name and no hyperlink.

D4 is in last year of med school and I'm sure also super-busy for residency interview season.

[Shooter McGavin]

Does anybody have thoughts on Hamilton?

8-4-4 record
.593 SOS
3-4-1 RvR

But they are winless (0-5-2) in their last 7 games with 5 losses and 2 ties. Doesn't scream at-large bid to me. Wouldn't be shocked for the NESCAC to get another bid but IMO this team is not deserving of an at-large.

Thoughts from those who have watched this region more closely? 

On another note, is there any chance that Conn College actually jumps in and takes Hamilton's spot? Would they have a crack at an at-large?

7-5-4
.602 SOS
2-3-4 RvR with Williams up next

Still not feeling it unless they beat Williams and even then it might be difficult for them. Time will tell!