Liberty League

[deutschfan]

Almost.  With 5 returning all league players including 3 first teamers SLU has an edge over the rest of the league.  Can they keep up the the Hobart horde approach to soccer is the question.  With wave after wave of fresh legs Hobart was able to outlast many a team last year. 

[Saint of Old]

Hobart is by far the team to beat this season.
I should be noted that this team went undefeated in league play all the way through the playoffs which they won.

It is also my belief that they gave Messiah all they could handle last year.

Looking for a really good season overall in the league as Skidmore and RPI will look to bounce back and RIT and Vassar will get better as well.

My sources tell me that SLU has a solid recruiting class coming in, including the team's first Brazilian (if memory serves me right).

[deutschfan]

Hobart's freshmen are now posted.  With 28 coming back not much room so a small class.  At least one with DA experience.  It seems that Hobart and Ithaca have the strongest recruiting classes of the schools that have identified their recruits. Don't know about Skidmore and RPI bouncing back.  Skidmore loses one of the top scorers in the league and RPI had difficulty scoring all last season.  I agree RIT improves but Vassar has some big holes in the midfield to fill.   

[d3d3d3]

Clarkson, Vassar and Bard rosters are up. Clarkson has eight freshmen, Vassar added 10, and Bard has 11.

[stlawus]

SLU's roster is up as well.  Tosh went international this year. 

[deutschfan]

Looks like Tosh is going to move to the Hobart horde approach to soccer given a 16 member first year class.  If you can't beat them....  I don't know how you convince 16 players, including many internationals, to come to a program with 9 returning starters including 5 all league players and a total roster size in the mid-30's.  Kudos on what must have been an excellent recruiting pitch.  Last year it appeared that physical size mattered, this year roster size.  There is also an emphasis on multi-sport players.  Historically some of the most impactful LL players have played multiple sports in HS.  This wouldn't be true for USSDA recruits but they are few and far between in this year's LL recruiting classes.

[Falconer]

Looks like Tosh is going to move to the Hobart horde approach to soccer given a 16 member first year class.  If you can't beat them....  I don't know how you convince 16 players, including many internationals, to come to a program with 9 returning starters including 5 all league players and a total roster size in the mid-30's.  Kudos on what must have been an excellent recruiting pitch.  Last year it appeared that physical size mattered, this year roster size.  There is also an emphasis on multi-sport players.  Historically some of the most impactful LL players have played multiple sports in HS.  This wouldn't be true for USSDA recruits but they are few and far between in this year's LL recruiting classes.

Same story (without foreign players) is true for Lycoming and (with foreign players) NPU. Their rosters are just huge, with tons of freshmen. It certainly seems to work for them, but it's hard for me to comprehend at the basic human level. Why would a guy want to stay with a program where he just doesn't get to play--I mean, not at all? Do most of those guys get meaningful minutes? How many of them (say) get to play in the latter part of the first half, with their team up just one goal? 

[Ejay]

The SLU roster of internationals is really only 2.  The rest, while "from" abroad, attended US high schools.  Not as hard a sale if they're already here and want to stay here. 

[TyWebb]

Last year it appeared that physical size mattered, this year roster size.

I second your comment on roster sizes. I was perusing some rosters of teams where I know some of the incoming players. I was surprised to see the large size of their freshmen class: Keene St - 24, Babson -15, F&M - 14, Dickinson - 12, Gordon - 12 just to name a few. I'd be curious to hear from those who have followed D3 soccer more than me if roster sizes are expanding in general or this is just particular teams restocking from attrition?

[d3d3d3]

Ithaca: 33 on roster, 15 freshmen

[Ejay]

Back in my day, we carried high 20's, but not all traveled and a few didn't even dress at home. But they were "on the team".  Our HS teams today are no different - varsity carrying 25, JV 27, Freshman 28.  As a coach, I don't know how you manage a training session with those numbers.

[Saint of Old]

I guess there is no more time to wait before making league predictions.

Now we have  a 6 team LL Playoff field, I see it playing out like this.

#6- RPI- I picked them to make it last year and they did not, I just cannot see this program missing out on the playoffs in back to back years.

#5- Ithaca- Getting back two big pieces on offense who missed basically all last season should help, also they have a year to become adjusted to what is required in this tough league.

#4-  Vassar- Could be a tough year for the Brewers, but thier pedigree and recent form over the past few seasons means they wont drop any further than this.


#3- SLU- Cannot recall the Saints ever having this big a recruiting class, this should help them to bounce back after a seriously dissapointing , by their standards, season last year. Also have perhaps the best player in the league back for his senior year.

#2- RIT- This team seems to be hitting new heights. Had a bad start last season yet lmost turned it around at the end.


#1- Hobart- I feel like it has to be unanamous after such an incredible performance last year, but teams will be gunning for them this year.


Apologies to Skidmore, as I had RPI edge them by a hair.


Bard, Clarkson and Union will compete, but I just dont think they will have enough to make top 6.

Would love for one or two of them to prove me wrong, then the season would really be crazy.

[BillWill]

Last year it appeared that physical size mattered, this year roster size.

I second your comment on roster sizes. I was perusing some rosters of teams where I know some of the incoming players. I was surprised to see the large size of their freshmen class: Keene St - 24, Babson -15, F&M - 14, Dickinson - 12, Gordon - 12 just to name a few. I'd be curious to hear from those who have followed D3 soccer more than me if roster sizes are expanding in general or this is just particular teams restocking from attrition?

As a reference, F&M had 12 freshman on roster last year. Four never played and did not return. They currently list only six sophomores on current roster. 50% attrition.

[soccerfan111]

Looks like Tosh is going to move to the Hobart horde approach to soccer given a 16 member first year class.  If you can't beat them....  I don't know how you convince 16 players, including many internationals, to come to a program with 9 returning starters including 5 all league players and a total roster size in the mid-30's.  Kudos on what must have been an excellent recruiting pitch.  Last year it appeared that physical size mattered, this year roster size.  There is also an emphasis on multi-sport players.  Historically some of the most impactful LL players have played multiple sports in HS.  This wouldn't be true for USSDA recruits but they are few and far between in this year's LL recruiting classes.

An outside perspective makes me think that Toshack was either influenced by admissions (bring all of these kids in) or wasn't as active recruiting and decided to bring all of them in. Doing the latter, he can then trim down through kids quitting or cutting after the season.

From 2017's roster, there were 6 student-athletes that didn't return from the previous season (that could have). This is not all on Toshack but he needs to get guys that are going to stay 4 years. At the division 3 level (magnified at SLU b/c of location/academics/conference), it is important to get recruits that are a good fit for the program and will stay.

2016 to 2017- 14 out of 26 ; 12 did not return (1st year with Toshack's recruits having a chance to return)
2015 to 2016- 19 out of 23 ; 4 did not return (Toshack's first coaching year)
2014 to 2015- 21 out of 24 ; 3 did not return
2013 to 2014 - 22 out of 23; 1 did not return
2012 to 2013 - 16 out of 22 ; 6 did not return (3 of the 6 were rising SRs)
2011- to 2013 - 19 out of 24 ; 5 did not return

I'm rooting for them to turn it around this year. The trend isn't going the right way and need a big year to get the ship heading the right direction.

[deutschfan]

RPI brings in a class of 12 with 4 freshman goalies that are 6'4 190 clones of each other.  With a returning junior starting captain goalie I just don't get it.  Maybe one of these 4 will get significant minutes over the next couple of years.