Liberty League

[Saint of Old]

Am just curious, what is it about Clarkson that makes it difficult to retain a coach?  Don't know enough about the school to know.

SC.

Well Coach Willie ran the program from the early 1990s to 2009.
As of the early 2000s the program started to have a bit of a downward stretch, coinciding with the switch from UCAA to Liberty League.

Then there was a change in Coach that is well documented in New York Times/Dateline and HBO Documentary Specials.

Coach Taylor took over in 2014/15 and was doing amazing work, but when his Alma Mater came calling after the retirement of the great 400 game winning coach Chris Waterbury.
This most recent Coach was actually quite talented and from the work he was doing it was always going to be difficult for the Golden Knights to hold on to him.
The best teams in the Liberty League have consistent Coaches.
SLU's Coach Tosh seems like he just got there but is coming up on a decade.
Clinton from RPI is pushing a quarter century.

Young Coach Hood from Vassar started with a bang and was arguably COY candidate. Will be tough to hold on to as well.

I rate the Clarkson program highly, and wish it success.
First thing is getting the right coach to begin that process.

[CU_GKnight]

I think there are a variety of reasons that Clarkson struggles to retain talented coaches or invest meaningfully in their athletics department.  I don't as much think it is the fault of the athletics department itself but the larger university administration. I think the University under funds athletics and then there is little flexibility to cut funding for hockey so there just isn't much left for D3 sports.  I think the fallacy at Clarkson is that hockey it is a "revenue" sport as it draws 2600/gm for men, but on 450/gm for women.  But with season tickets being less than $200 and 18 mens and 18 womens scholarships and much greater travel demands i can guarantee it is not generating positive revenue.

The D3 side went into decline in the early 2000's when they hired an AD whose sole goal was to be a D1 AD.  So he put everything into hockey to show how he could "run a D1 program" and three years later he left for a D1 job and the D3 sports were decimated and going through what we refer to as the Dark Ages.  Willie (understandably) left soon after for SLU and an upgraded position on the skiing side.  Nick did what he could with what there was available.  There has been a little bit of a shift back towards D3 over the past 8-10 years and the new AD comes from the D3 side of the house so I think there will be modest gains.  But without a desire to prioritize the Athletics from the University Admin I don't see us making up any ground (and likely losing ground) to the rest of the LL over the next decade as our trajectory is just at a flatter rate. 

I think the truth is that Clarkson is kind of the outlier when it comes to the Liberty League and comparison to RPI is easy to make, but they are very different schools.  Clarkson has the lowest endowment in the LL at slightly under $200M (RPI is 5x at slightly over $1B) and very much has a blue collar student body that matches their motto of "A workman thats needeth not to be ashamed".  While it is an excellent school academically, it is not an exclusive school as it has an acceptance rate around 75% and the average cost to attend is about 1/3 the sticker price.  Generally it attracts middle class students who graduate and get good jobs and give a little bit of money back each year.  It doesn't have large benefactors or a means of generating an increase in funds.  I think it is a stable university, but it is feeling the challenges of being a private university located in a rural area north of the arctic circle.  Relative to the rest of LL it is certainly not at the same level financially and as a result the overall budget is smaller.  With a smaller pie you get a smaller piece for athletics.  I think the administration could do a lot more for the Athletics program (especially the D3 side) but I don't think they see it as a priority, it is just a necessary evil (expense) of being in the college business.

I think there is an ideal coach for Clarkson out there, but it likely someone who is a little bit older and has a desire to move into the administrative side of athletics and work toward an AD position (similar to the Bob Durocher career arc).  They need to be someone who loves the North Country and the quaintness of life in Potsdam who can work with the limitations of what they have.  Carter was an extremely talented coach and I know truly loved his job (most of the time anyway) and just being a coach.  I think he was driven by things that were bigger then Clarkson and he holds himself and everyone around him to a high standard.  I think it was inevitable that an opportunity to take the next step towards a higher role in the profession would come and I am excited for him that it did.

Personally I would love to see Simple Coach interview him on his way out because I think he is too good a coach and person not to leave that legacy behind for the rest of D3.

[stlawus]

Looks like Vassar's Eric Wnorowski is using his extra year to move up to division I and play at the College of Charleston. CofC soccer has been in the news of late with program alum Troy Lesesne getting appointed interim head coach for the NY Red Bulls.

[Ejay]

Skidmore captain Ethan Kilmnick is taking his 5th year at D1 Sacred Heart.

[Racoon72]

CU_GKnight makes some excellent points regarding Clarkson's soccer program. But I believe the ADs at Clarkson have no interest in mentoring young enthusiastic coaches into becoming successful and long standing coaches, unless (of course) they are part of the hockey program. Coach Lincoln was one win away from having the best win/loss record of any coach who ever wore the green & gold over the past 65 years. He and Coach Taylor resurrected the program from the ashes of the 1990s/early 2000s. Former President Tony Collins was an avid fan of D3 sports and fully understood the benefits of fielding competitive D3 teams. I believe his departure will also (unfortunately) have a negative affect on fund raising from D3 alumni and for future capital improvement projects, other than Cheel Arena.

[stlawus]

Good to see new faces on this board.   Clarkson has a new AD so hopefully things change a bit for the better.  The lacrosse team created a buzz this spring so maybe it will spill over in to the entire department with the change in regime. 

[Racoon72]

The first test for the new AD will be the quality and experience level of the coach she hires to replace Coach Lincoln.  The second test will be whether she can assemble enough maintenance repair money to replace the 15-year old soccer/lacrosse turf on Hantz Field.  Most of the discretionary maintenance money that built up over the past 10 years was used to pay for the overrun costs of the last Cheel Hockey Arena upgrades. From 2018 through 2020 Clarkson had planned on spending $40 million on the upgrades.

[Racoon72]

The Clarkson University Athletic Department announced the hiring of Augusto Lima as the next head coach for the Golden Knights' Men's Soccer program for the 2023-24 season.  Lima replaces coach Carter Lincoln, who accepted a job as an assistant coach for defending Division I National Champion Syracuse University a few weeks ago.

Lima brings Division I and Division III experience to Clarkson, having most recently served as an assistant for Northeastern University in 2022, where he served as recruiting coordinator and goalkeeping coach. Prior to his time with the Huskies, Lima spent a season at University of Rochester as the team's top assistant for the 2021 campaign when the Yellowjackets reached the NCAA Tournament, and he also two seasons as recruiting coordinator and assistant coach for Bucknell University for two seasons (fall 2019, spring 2021).

Lima spent six years in Selinsgrove, PA, as he was a four-year member of the Susquehanna University Men's Soccer team and then spent two more years as assistant coach. The team's starting goalkeeper in his junior and senior season with the River Hawks, Lima started 27 games and posted a 1.20 goals against average in nearly 2500 career minutes, making 102 saves and collecting 11 wins and nine shutouts.

A 2016 graduate of Susquehanna University with a degree in Business Administration, Lima has a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma and a United Soccer Coaches Federation D License. A native of Campinas, Brazil, Lima is fluent in English and Portuguese, and is also highly proficient in Spanish.

I wish the team much success under this new leadership!

[Kuiper]

The Clarkson University Athletic Department announced the hiring of Augusto Lima as the next head coach for the Golden Knights' Men's Soccer program for the 2023-24 season.  Lima replaces coach Carter Lincoln, who accepted a job as an assistant coach for defending Division I National Champion Syracuse University a few weeks ago.

Lima brings Division I and Division III experience to Clarkson, having most recently served as an assistant for Northeastern University in 2022, where he served as recruiting coordinator and goalkeeping coach. Prior to his time with the Huskies, Lima spent a season at University of Rochester as the team's top assistant for the 2021 campaign when the Yellowjackets reached the NCAA Tournament, and he also two seasons as recruiting coordinator and assistant coach for Bucknell University for two seasons (fall 2019, spring 2021).

Lima spent six years in Selinsgrove, PA, as he was a four-year member of the Susquehanna University Men's Soccer team and then spent two more years as assistant coach. The team's starting goalkeeper in his junior and senior season with the River Hawks, Lima started 27 games and posted a 1.20 goals against average in nearly 2500 career minutes, making 102 saves and collecting 11 wins and nine shutouts.

A 2016 graduate of Susquehanna University with a degree in Business Administration, Lima has a United Soccer Coaches Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma and a United Soccer Coaches Federation D License. A native of Campinas, Brazil, Lima is fluent in English and Portuguese, and is also highly proficient in Spanish.

I wish the team much success under this new leadership!

Given all the challenges faced by the soccer team based on the earlier posts in this thread, plus the late timing for the search, that is a fantastic hire for Clarkson Men's Soccer.  Lima was a really strong and ambitious recruiter, most recently at Northeastern and Rochester.

[stlawus]

Couple schedules have been posted.  One that stands out so far is Union's.  Total opposite non-conference slate compared to the Guinn years.   The Garnet have Oneonta, Western New England, Williams, New Paltz and UMass Boston on the non-con docket 

[brewer_faithful]

A great surprise to see so much off-season activity on these boards! Not much I can add to the Clarkson discussion although there seems to be endless Liberty League coaching connections. They need to advertise it as a lifelong job, like SLU, Vassar, RPI, Hobart, etc. and pick the right candidate. Look for someone who wants to work their for life, not just a coach who is looking at the school as a stepping stone.

As stlawus already pointed out, I was a bit early in my post-season prediction as Vassar will not be returning all of its seniors. I've heard through the school that Wnorowski and Lane will be leaving the program while the rest of their seniors, including Fauth, will stay for 2023 season. Apparently Wnorowski has already drawn interest in the US professional soccer world from his play at Vassar and during summer in USL2, supposedly taking the opportunity at CofC to gain more exposure.

In 2022 the Brewers had a top 10 SOS out of all teams in the final regional rankings. Based on a sneak preview I was given, their schedule is only getting more difficult. Sounds like there will be a wider spread of competition including more NESCAC, NJAC, SUNYAC, etc. Gonna be a quite the test for Hood in his second season, just hoping he can improve from last season!

[stlawus]

Fauth returning provides a big boost obviously, on top of what was already returning.  The league didn't do preseason predictions last year but at this point I'd be confident in saying SLU and Vassar would be picked 1st and 2nd in either order.  SLU loses some great players including Sibanda, but there's still a lot returning.  Several key players missed extended parts of the season last year due to injury as well.  2 first years were thrown into the back line last season and noticeably improved throughout the whole campaign, I think if the Saints have success this season it will be due to the back line resuming the program's old ways.  Hard to tell obviously until we see things in person, only 3 months away!

Seems to me that Vassar is finally starting to mold into the same program profile as the NESCACs/Centennials in that the school reputation is finally selling itself to the upper tier group of players.  Not that Vassar was ever a bad program, but being similar to the aforementioned schools they never really seemed to consistently attract the type of players that ended up there on a yearly basis.  Now they are truly a national program and it can only continue to improve the quality of the league.

Of course, this is all academic, who knows what program is lying in the weeds waiting to pounce on the upcoming season.   

[stlawus]

Almost summer so we're all off doing our usual summer activities but given it's a Monday afternoon with not much going on I figure I'll stoke some discussion.

SLU's incoming class now up to 9.  On paper there are 6 lost to graduation, but an additional 3 players on the roster does not necessarily mean that the roster size this upcoming season will be identical to last.  I do wonder if the roster gets trimmed down, it happens most seasons.   

Saint has mentioned that Tosh has found his sea legs, which I can't really disagree with.  This year's incoming class has the usual pedigree the program has come to expect.  3 players in particular I think will make an immediate impact.  I sometimes think back to what Saint of Old said last year in that the league had a chance to bury the Saints at the end of 2021 but Tosh and the squad flipped the script and started something going forward.  Reminds me of the mid to late 2000s Durocher teams, who did not have spectacular success in terms of win % but nonetheless made league and NCAA tournament runs as a result of teams not burying them when they had the chances.  That in turn reinvigorated recruiting and elevated the Saints in the last 5 years of Durocher's tenure.

I've rambled too much on the Saints, so I'll mention the rest of the league.  Vassar has brought in a good class as well, as Hood is maintaining the Andy Jennings connections by bringing in a very wide ranging national class.  They'll be picked 1st or 2nd, as they have Fauth for a final year who was the engine to the Brewer midfield last season.  Wnorowski leaving might hurt, but added experience on the back line could alleviate his absence.

I'm curious about RIT.  It appears they're bringing back around half of last year's senior class for a 5th year so their experience could pay dividends.  They made a late run last season and with Dickersbach returning (don't quote me, I'm not 100% positive) they could make some noise.

RPI is the wild card.  They're always good, and last year was an anomaly.  They lose impact players, but there is a chance Gaudiano comes back next season.  He wasn't mentioned in any graduation posts so one would assume he'll be playing next year.  Clinton is one of the better coaches in the league, and they always bring in a good class. 

[kevdog]

Almost summer so we're all off doing our usual summer activities but given it's a Monday afternoon with not much going on I figure I'll stoke some discussion.

SLU's incoming class now up to 9.  On paper there are 6 lost to graduation, but an additional 3 players on the roster does not necessarily mean that the roster size this upcoming season will be identical to last.  I do wonder if the roster gets trimmed down, it happens most seasons.   

Saint has mentioned that Tosh has found his sea legs, which I can't really disagree with.  This year's incoming class has the usual pedigree the program has come to expect.  3 players in particular I think will make an immediate impact.  I sometimes think back to what Saint of Old said last year in that the league had a chance to bury the Saints at the end of 2021 but Tosh and the squad flipped the script and started something going forward.  Reminds me of the mid to late 2000s Durocher teams, who did not have spectacular success in terms of win % but nonetheless made league and NCAA tournament runs as a result of teams not burying them when they had the chances.  That in turn reinvigorated recruiting and elevated the Saints in the last 5 years of Durocher's tenure.

I've rambled too much on the Saints, so I'll mention the rest of the league.  Vassar has brought in a good class as well, as Hood is maintaining the Andy Jennings connections by bringing in a very wide ranging national class.  They'll be picked 1st or 2nd, as they have Fauth for a final year who was the engine to the Brewer midfield last season.  Wnorowski leaving might hurt, but added experience on the back line could alleviate his absence.

I'm curious about RIT.  It appears they're bringing back around half of last year's senior class for a 5th year so their experience could pay dividends.  They made a late run last season and with Dickersbach returning (don't quote me, I'm not 100% positive) they could make some noise.

RPI is the wild card.  They're always good, and last year was an anomaly.  They lose impact players, but there is a chance Gaudiano comes back next season.  He wasn't mentioned in any graduation posts so one would assume he'll be playing next year.  Clinton is one of the better coaches in the league, and they always bring in a good class.

Do you know how the other 4 recruits that coming in to SLU. I know that you posted some of the recruits in earlier posts. Also wondering who are the 3 recruits that you think are going to make an immediate impact. I was wondering where the Northwood School AA Thebe Moseburgh(spelling) and Amityville AA Roberth Perez went to college. I read about them but couldn't find where they decided.

[stlawus]

Almost summer so we're all off doing our usual summer activities but given it's a Monday afternoon with not much going on I figure I'll stoke some discussion.

SLU's incoming class now up to 9.  On paper there are 6 lost to graduation, but an additional 3 players on the roster does not necessarily mean that the roster size this upcoming season will be identical to last.  I do wonder if the roster gets trimmed down, it happens most seasons.   

Saint has mentioned that Tosh has found his sea legs, which I can't really disagree with.  This year's incoming class has the usual pedigree the program has come to expect.  3 players in particular I think will make an immediate impact.  I sometimes think back to what Saint of Old said last year in that the league had a chance to bury the Saints at the end of 2021 but Tosh and the squad flipped the script and started something going forward.  Reminds me of the mid to late 2000s Durocher teams, who did not have spectacular success in terms of win % but nonetheless made league and NCAA tournament runs as a result of teams not burying them when they had the chances.  That in turn reinvigorated recruiting and elevated the Saints in the last 5 years of Durocher's tenure.

I've rambled too much on the Saints, so I'll mention the rest of the league.  Vassar has brought in a good class as well, as Hood is maintaining the Andy Jennings connections by bringing in a very wide ranging national class.  They'll be picked 1st or 2nd, as they have Fauth for a final year who was the engine to the Brewer midfield last season.  Wnorowski leaving might hurt, but added experience on the back line could alleviate his absence.

I'm curious about RIT.  It appears they're bringing back around half of last year's senior class for a 5th year so their experience could pay dividends.  They made a late run last season and with Dickersbach returning (don't quote me, I'm not 100% positive) they could make some noise.

RPI is the wild card.  They're always good, and last year was an anomaly.  They lose impact players, but there is a chance Gaudiano comes back next season.  He wasn't mentioned in any graduation posts so one would assume he'll be playing next year.  Clinton is one of the better coaches in the league, and they always bring in a good class.

Do you know how the other 4 recruits that coming in to SLU. I know that you posted some of the recruits in earlier posts. Also wondering who are the 3 recruits that you think are going to make an immediate impact. I was wondering where the Northwood School AA Thebe Moseburgh(spelling) and Amityville AA Roberth Perez went to college. I read about them but couldn't find where they decided.

Looks like Hobart got a recruiting coup as the Northwood student newspaper says that Mosehathebe is headed to Geneva next year.   Perez on the other hand is headed to NC State.  Mosehathebe likely starts as a first year given his pedigree, but even if he doesn't he'll probably be giving the rest of the league headaches the next 4 years.

The added recruits to the list from my first post are 2 GKs, Parker Sinclair from Westminster CT (first team all NEPSAC) and a local product Evan Widrick from South Jeff NY.     The other 2 are midfielder Dennis Argueta from Bedford NY (NY Soccer Club) and CB/LB Baker Diaz from Brooklyn (FC Copa).    I think there's a pretty good chance MacGillivray, Petrone and Brown make an impact this upcoming season.  For all I know they could not get a single minute next season and I end up looking like an idiot, but they were top targets and committed fairly early in the process and all play positions where SLU needs to replace in the starting lineup or for immediate depth.  Most of the incoming class played for MLS Next and ECNL clubs, which is the case for a lot of schools but historically been the type of talent SLU is supposed to attract.