Liberty League

[Kick-grass]

I was @ that game!
I think I rushed the field as well!

That was a wonderful season, then 2011 the team almost went all the way.

Ohhhh, that famous SLU # 7shirt

Waiting to see who wears it this year...

Isnt that the new Hobart assistant coach? Bednarsky?

[Saint of Old]

Yes.
That is Andrew Bender the new Hobart asst Coach.
Which leads to a perfect transition from our Saint lovefest

Hobart was a very good team last year. I think it was a shame they did not get a bid, but clearly they are a strong team who will no doubt challenge again. I think having Bender helped this team who was already well coached.
The last few years they seem to just have a few unexplainable bad losses, but when they come to play they are a handful for anyone in the league.

The LL is much like the Premiership in that there are always 6 teams competing for 4 spots.

With Ithaca joining this year the struggle to get into one of the 6 spots does not get much easier.
I can easily see: Union/Clarkson/Hobart/Ithaca/ Skidmore/SLU/RPI/RIT getting a top 6 positions, which means 2 teams will be missing out.

It seems Union is due, I know from experience they have a solid alumni and the program will have post season expectations especially now.
Union has to improve their  non-conference however.
SLU has dropped Potsdam in favor of Oneonta.
Although Potsdam is a much improved program, Oneonta is one of the strongest teams in the region.

One thing we will not see now however is a team making dance without making LL post season.
It wont happen so no more asterisk seasons for anyone!

I agree, I cannot wait for the season to begin.
This is a very even league I think and we might end up with 4 teams in the LL playoffs who were not there in 2016.

[Ommadawn]

With Ithaca joining this year the struggle to get into one of the 6 spots does not get much easier.
I can easily see: Union/Clarkson/Hobart/Ithaca/ Skidmore/SLU/RPI/RIT getting a top 6 positions, which means 2 teams will be missing out.

I think that the Vassar Brewers have a good shot at making the LL playoffs as well.

[Mr.Right]

I thought Clarkson was much improved last year and can see a difference in the job the coach is doing as they were very competitive in most LL contests and just missed out on the Play-offs.

With Skidmore graduating some key players I would assume they drop off considerably unless they bring in a couple studs.

[deutschfan]

At this juncture without announcements about the incoming class I look at returners, and especially returning all league players.  SLU's finish last year was an anomaly.  Despite some talented frontrunners the goals dried up in league.  They return almost everyone except Noah Bunton, a second teamer who happened to get first team all-region with mediocre stats and over the LL player of the year, Devon Baughen.  Ridiculous, but getting back to the issue--SLU will be in the hunt.  Vassar returns everyone and their senior class has a number of four year starters.  They are a lock as well.  I agree that Skidmore missed its best chance when the only All American in the LL last year hacked a Vassar player in the box of a tie game with a minute left.  Unless Skidmore reloads they are going to be looking in from the outside.  Coach Taylor has had Clarkson on the rise since taking over and the obvious next step is the playoffs.  I don't understand the notion that Ithaca is going to have an immediate impact.  Historically they have fared very poorly against LL opponents, and indeed, against all their non-conference foes.  I see them as a spoiler with an upward trajectory over the next few years as opposed to RIT which started as a LL finalist and has been on the decline ever since.  Union may make the playoffs but only if the difficult non-conference schedule takes a toll on the other teams due to injury while Union cake walks through its fixtures.  Otherwise, they will not be ready for the caliber of teams they will be playing when the LL games commence. 

[Mr.Right]

Hobart has really come up with a challenging schedule this year. Out of conference games are:

ECONN, Brandeis, Rochester, Cortland, Geneseo, Potsdam and Utica.

Add that to their LL schedule and you are looking at a .585-.590 SOS. Now Hobart had a similar challenging schedule last year but they stumbled hard to open the year and closed with a 3-4-2 record Out of Conference and after a 6-1-1 Conference record they were left out of the NCAA's because of that non-conference record and some really lopsided losses to NCAA teams for instance a 5-0 thrashing by Cortland.

[Mr.Right]

Vassar has a interesting schedule with 3 very challenging games against Wesleyan, Oneonta and at Stevens with 4 cupcakes sprinkled in

[Part_Bart]

Yep: Hobart had injury problems early that led to some poor results, and then a stinker against Cortland. Suspect they could have overcome either, but not both, for NCAA consideration. 2017 beckons and Griffin has stocked his non-conference schedule again. 

Suspect that SLU and Vassar will be contending with Hobart, RPI and possibly Clarkson for top four. Skidmore and Union could be in the mix, too.  Bard, Ithaca and RIT are all able to get wins in conference games.

[Saint of Old]

With Ithaca joining this year the struggle to get into one of the 6 spots does not get much easier.
I can easily see: Union/Clarkson/Hobart/Ithaca/ Skidmore/SLU/RPI/RIT getting a top 6 positions, which means 2 teams will be missing out.

I think that the Vassar Brewers have a good shot at making the LL playoffs as well.

Total oversight on my part.
Vassar not only will be in the mix, but the defending conference champions are definitely one of the favorites to win the league.
The boyz from down south have been doing quite well over the last decade or so and as I said in another thread an up and coming power in the region and possibly nation.

I would go as far as saying every single team in the LL has a chance of making the playoffs which is now expanded to 6 teams.

Bard is perhaps the odd man out, but their coach before his sad and sudden passing, had Bard on the upswing as well, winning conference games and competing week in week out with some great games even when they lost.

What a year this will be in the LL.

[sokermom]

At this juncture without announcements about the incoming class I look at returners, and especially returning all league players.  SLU's finish last year was an anomaly.  Despite some talented frontrunners the goals dried up in league.  They return almost everyone except Noah Bunton, a second teamer who happened to get first team all-region with mediocre stats and over the LL player of the year, Devon Baughen.  Ridiculous, but getting back to the issue--SLU will be in the hunt.  Vassar returns everyone and their senior class has a number of four year starters.  They are a lock as well.  I agree that Skidmore missed its best chance when the only All American in the LL last year hacked a Vassar player in the box of a tie game with a minute left.  Unless Skidmore reloads they are going to be looking in from the outside.  Coach Taylor has had Clarkson on the rise since taking over and the obvious next step is the playoffs.  I don't understand the notion that Ithaca is going to have an immediate impact.  Historically they have fared very poorly against LL opponents, and indeed, against all their non-conference foes.  I see them as a spoiler with an upward trajectory over the next few years as opposed to RIT which started as a LL finalist and has been on the decline ever since.  Union may make the playoffs but only if the difficult non-conference schedule takes a toll on the other teams due to injury while Union cake walks through its fixtures.  Otherwise, they will not be ready for the caliber of teams they will be playing when the LL games commence.

During the recruitment circuit last year, my son watched Clarkson vs. RIT that ended in a tie.  I remember my son saying soccer was bad.  RIT coach played his freshman son in the center and he was not that good.  This year, I think RIT did draw D1 transfer players from a program (Univ. of Albany?) that disbanded. So RIT may be good.

[Mr.Right]

University of Albany did not disband and actually coach Gorman who is legendary Penn State coach Trevor Gorman's son has done a really nice job turning that program around. He got to the 2nd Round of the NCAA's and beat BC 3-0 in the 1st round. This program was an absolute doormat about 7-8 years ago under overmatched Head Coach Johan Arroyo and went 1-15-0 and got fired. He was a former Head Coach at RPI and drove both programs into the ground. Gorman has done very well at Albany and should be in the discussion for Top schools in D1 when they open.

[Dog Face]

It's U Buffalo that dropped soccer

[Flying Weasel]

University of Albany did not disband and actually coach Gorman who is legendary Penn State coach Trevor Gorman's son has done a really nice job turning that program around.

Small correction--got their names mixed: Barry is the father; Trevor the son.

[Mr.Right]

Yes...I meant Barry Gorman

[sokermom]

It's U Buffalo that dropped soccer

Thanks.  I didn't remember...knew it was some NY program.  Anyways, heard that RIT snagged some of those players.