How Does Tufts championship rank historically?

[Nutmeg]

Given the teams they beat and some on their home fields....it has to be pretty high up there...

[Brother Flounder]

I will also say that given the teams they beat and where they beat them that they have to be considered one of the 10 best champions. No super super stars but fantastic balance.  You never knew where the scoring would come from.......

[Ryan Harmanis]

Depends on your point of view. 

Quality of championship run?  Very high.  Beat No. 1, No. 3, No. 9, No. 15, and No. 18. Ended by taking out Messiah/OWU/Wheaton (Ill.), which is incredible.

Body of work, regular season included?  Not so much.  Two losses, six total blemishes, lost in conference quarterfinals.  Probably not very high.  To put in perspective, the last 5 champions (Messiah x4 and OWU) never had more than two blemishes, and no team since 1998 (OWU) has had six.

Without question, a phenomenal run but I wouldn't call them one of the best teams of the last decade, let alone in history.

[Brother Flounder]

Depends on your point of view. 

Quality of championship run?  Very high.  Beat No. 1, No. 3, No. 9, No. 15, and No. 18. Ended by taking out Messiah/OWU/Wheaton (Ill.), which is incredible.

Body of work, regular season included?  Not so much.  Two losses, six total blemishes, lost in conference quarterfinals.  Probably not very high.  To put in perspective, the last 5 champions (Messiah x4 and OWU) never had more than two blemishes, and no team since 1998 (OWU) has had six.

Without question, a phenomenal run but I wouldn't call them one of the best teams of the last decade, let alone in history.

Yes but you can mix apples and oranges. Some conferences are easier than others, i.e. Messiah. Look at Tufts SOS this year compared to Messiahs and then you have a different perspective. I am not saying Messiah is not a juggernaut but there are different factors.....

[Nutmeg]

Depends on your point of view. 

Quality of championship run?  Very high.  Beat No. 1, No. 3, No. 9, No. 15, and No. 18. Ended by taking out Messiah/OWU/Wheaton (Ill.), which is incredible.

Body of work, regular season included?  Not so much.  Two losses, six total blemishes, lost in conference quarterfinals.  Probably not very high.  To put in perspective, the last 5 champions (Messiah x4 and OWU) never had more than two blemishes, and no team since 1998 (OWU) has had six.

Without question, a phenomenal run but I wouldn't call them one of the best teams of the last decade, let alone in history.

I agree with being one of THE best tourney runs in history. I see some of Brother Flounders points and they have some merit but I also agree with some of your analysis.

[lastguyoffthebench]

'99 SLU              22-0-0 (60 game unbeaten streak)
'03 Trinity           24-0-0 (43 game consecutive WIN streak)
'97 Wheaton       24-0-1 (39 game consecutive WIN streak)
'05 Messiah         24-0-0 (46 games without a loss extended to 2006, also won title in 2006 3-0 over Wheaton).
'13 Camden         24-0-2 (38 game unbeaten streak).   Oh wait. Nevermind.
'12 Messiah         23-0-2 (81 GF / 9 GA /  SOS #6)
'04 Messiah         23-2-0 (0 GF during the NCAA tourney run)
'95 Williams        17-0-2
'01 Stockton       25-1-1 (most wins in NCAA season)
'11 OWU             23-2-0
'88 UC SanDiego 23-0-2
'75 Babson         17-0-2   


Dare I say I'd put the Middlebury run over Tufts?    just kidding.   

Lynchburg had the impressive run in 2010 only to fall a few minutes short:  Transy, Emory, Trinity, OWU, Bowdoin, Messiah. 

As far as seasons go Tufts was quality, but nothing to super special as they didn't win the NESCAC title.  To win the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP the way they did this year was truly something special.   Given the expanded field since mid 2000s, road games, quality of opponents... I would put the run itself as a sure top 5.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Depends on your point of view. 

Quality of championship run?  Very high.  Beat No. 1, No. 3, No. 9, No. 15, and No. 18. Ended by taking out Messiah/OWU/Wheaton (Ill.), which is incredible.

Body of work, regular season included?  Not so much.  Two losses, six total blemishes, lost in conference quarterfinals.  Probably not very high.  To put in perspective, the last 5 champions (Messiah x4 and OWU) never had more than two blemishes, and no team since 1998 (OWU) has had six.

Without question, a phenomenal run but I wouldn't call them one of the best teams of the last decade, let alone in history.

Yes but you can mix apples and oranges. Some conferences are easier than others, i.e. Messiah. Look at Tufts SOS this year compared to Messiahs and then you have a different perspective. I am not saying Messiah is not a juggernaut but there are different factors.....

Yes, some are easier than others... but with the NESCAC consistently getting 2-4 teams in the dance it is a testament to the strength of the conference.  We KNOW they can compete with everyone.  Tufts plays in the NESCAC but went out and scheduled MA Boston, Suffolk, MIT, and Plymouth St.  Messiah plays in the MACC but went and scheduled Catholic, Dickinson, Montclair St, York (down year).  Although Messiah plays in a weaker conference, they are ALWAYS playing strong programs.

Heading into the tourney, Tufts was 1-1-2 vs teams in the field  (MA Boston 8-0, Amherst 1-1, Brandeis 0-2, Bowdoin 2-2). 
Heading into the tourney, Messiah was 4-0 vs teams in the field (Neumann 2-0, Catholic 4-0, Dickinson 4-2, MSU 3-1).

Putting together the longest win streak of the season couldn't have come at a better time! 

[Mr.Right]

Messiah has not ALWAYS played strong programs. I believe McCarty is much more willing to take chances with scheduling than Brandt ever was.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Where you rank the '95 Williams team? 

[Mr.Right]

Honestly the 95 Williams team had a ton of heart and a legit striker Brad Murray who I believe still holds a ton of NCAA records but I would take the 98 thru 06 sides over the 95 Williams side. I realize we are only ranking championship winners but those Williams teams had so much flair with the Jamaicans.

I think the 99 SLU side was maybe the best.

93 UC SanDiego was a legit D1 team

Messiah 02 and 13 were top 3.

[oldonionbag]

Was this the first time a D3 soccer champion has been mentioned on ESPN?

Was watching Pardon the Interruption and Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon ended the show saying "Congratulations to Coach Josh Shapiro and Tufts University Mens's Soccer for winning the national championship!"

Anyone know if these guys know each other? Pretty sure neither went to Tufts, nevermind a NESCAC. I know Shapiro was the assistant coach at Gtown before coming to Tufts, and DC is where Kornheiser lives/is from. Maybe they knew each other that way? Anyway, still cool!

[Brother Flounder]

Was this the first time a D3 soccer champion has been mentioned on ESPN?

Was watching Pardon the Interruption and Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon ended the show saying "Congratulations to Coach Josh Shapiro and Tufts University Mens's Soccer for winning the national championship!"

Anyone know if these guys know each other? Pretty sure neither went to Tufts, nevermind a NESCAC. I know Shapiro was the assistant coach at Gtown before coming to Tufts, and DC is where Kornheiser lives/is from. Maybe they knew each other that way? Anyway, still cool!

Awesome!  Too bad one of the ESPN channels didn't show the game.....

[Nutmeg]

Was this the first time a D3 soccer champion has been mentioned on ESPN?

Was watching Pardon the Interruption and Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon ended the show saying "Congratulations to Coach Josh Shapiro and Tufts University Mens's Soccer for winning the national championship!"

Anyone know if these guys know each other? Pretty sure neither went to Tufts, nevermind a NESCAC. I know Shapiro was the assistant coach at Gtown before coming to Tufts, and DC is where Kornheiser lives/is from. Maybe they knew each other that way? Anyway, still cool!

Awesome!  Too bad one of the ESPN channels didn't show the game.....

That'll be the day......😁

[Mr.Right]

I thought NCAA.com did a fine job broadcasting the game. Different camera angles, no issues with the stream, broadcaster with knowledge and well prepared with names and numbers, and instant replay. The women's coach addition was random but not a problem for me in fact he proved that he does not have that much knowledge of the game taking place in front of him. I was not overly impressed with his analysis.

[Nutmeg]

I thought NCAA.com did a fine job broadcasting the game. Different camera angles, no issues with the stream, broadcaster with knowledge and well prepared with names and numbers, and instant replay. The women's coach addition was random but not a problem for me in fact he proved that he does not have that much knowledge of the game taking place in front of him. I was not overly impressed with his analysis.

He would have been okay for 5 minutes but I was bothered by having him distract from the game and talk all about Wheaton for the whole second half.  It wasn't really fair to the other team or viewers for that matter. The feed and announcer were good...