2014 / 2015 Coaching Carousel

[Brother Flounder]

Wheeler would be a strong candidate. He's been working those camps with Tompkins so probably knows the people there. I'd hate to lose him from NESCAC but I believe he would succeed at Yale.

I think Wheeler would be good also...by the way

[Mr.Right]

If Danny Brandt has in fact transferred to Louisville or some other D1 program--information I am not confirming--then it wouldn't really be a big surprise. He wanted to play D1 coming out of DeMatha, where he played for a national championship club. He wasn't entirely happy with the offers extended to him at that point, so he went to Messiah. His sister, who was a POY at Messiah a couple of years ago, had started at a D1 program but didn't like the school, so she transferred to Messiah after her first season. Danny and his sister grew up playing soccer on the field and in the gym at Messiah; his father has full confidence in the men's and women's coaches at Messiah. It was a no-brainer to go to Messiah, if he wasn't happy with the interest from top D1 programs.

Nevertheless, it was known when he arrived on campus that he might be at Messiah for just two years, before transferring to D1. So, if the rumor is true, it can't be a shock to his coaches or teammates. Nor does it say or imply anything about Messiah as a college or a program, except the obvious: that Messiah is D3, not D1.

Since the rumor is specific about the ACC, I should point out that another current Messiah player (not one of the seniors) was recruited by an ACC school and several other D1 programs, but he wanted to play at Messiah instead. I won't be more specific than that, b/c I'm not interested in bringing him or that school into this conversation, which is about Danny Brandt and Louisville--but also allegedly about Messiah, given what Mr Right has been saying. I mention it simply to point out that some players with high D1 options simply choose to play at Messiah, for various reasons. Indeed, the player regarded by some (including me) as the best player ever at Messiah, Kai Kasiguran, turned down an offer from Akron (who were ranked #1 or 2 at the time), which was located right in his backyard, to play at Messiah. The fact that Messiah's accounting major was ranked #1 or #2 in PA, depending on the CPA exam pass rate in a given year (our main competitor for that honor was the Wharton School at Penn, which is a graduate school as well as an undergraduate school), was probably part of that picture.

Men and women choose to play soccer at Messiah for many reasons, with the team itself just one of those reasons. This is also true at many other schools, but esp true for D3 schools. When they say that they strive to be "the best place to play soccer," they don't mean the best place in D3, they mean the best place in college soccer. That's obviously not a claim that can be evaluated objectively against other such claims, but it's certainly something worth striving for--as other places also do in soccer and other sports, with some credibility.

They choose to play at Messiah because of the "christian" thing...If you read the book put out by Frey and Brandt in 2010 they admit that they use this to their advantage. I have no problem with this as they should

Mr.Right,

First, the book you reference was written by Michael Zigarelli in 2011 (it was not "put out by Frey and Brandt...).

Second, Falconer is correct..."Men and women choose to play at Messiah for many reasons...".  While the "Christian thing" as you term it, may play a role, it is not a unique factor by any sense.  Below is a partial list of schools with the "Christian thing"...some with more of it then Messiah and some with less.  If the "Christian thing" is the reason for players to pick a school..they certainly have a vast pool of options to choose from...many at higher level divisions and conferences with scholarship opportunities that Messiah does not offer.  I think Falconer has it right again...Messiah's goal to be the best place to play college soccer, while lofty, is a key factor in players choosing Messiah. And this too, as Falconer also points out, is also not specifically unique to Messiah, as other programs have strived for this with "some credibility".

DIVISION 1 (Scholarships)
Liberty (SoCon)
Houston Baptist (WAC)
Oral Roberts (Southland)
Gardner-Webb University (Big South)
Campbell University (Big South)
Presbyterian University (Big South)
Lipscomb University (Atlantic Sun)

DIVISION 2 (Scholarships)
Carson Newman
Cedarville University
Palm Beach Atlantic
Anderson University
Mars Hill University
Azusa Pacific University
Malone University
Seattle Pacific University
Milligan College
Lee University
Dallas Baptist University
Colorado Christian University
Oklahoma Christian University
Roberts Wesleyan College

NAIA (Scholarships)
John Brown University
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Dordt College
MidAmerica Nazarene
Martin Methodist
Indiana Wesleyan University
Taylor University
Bryan College
Spring Arbor University
Trevecca Nazarene University
Westmont College
Asbury University
Judson University
Biola University
The Masters College


DIVISION 3
Messiah College
Wheaton College (IL)
Houghton College
Gordon College
Geneva College
Eastern Mennonite University
Grove City College
Eastern University (Phila)
Hope College
Calvin College
Berry College
Bethel University
George Fox University
Greenville College
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
The Masters College
Baptist Bible College
Lancaster Bible College
University of Valley Forge

NCCAA
Numerous Christian Colleges in this organization

That is some impressive D1 schools for Messiah to compete with for players.

[Mr.Right]

This is a topic for coaching changes not one of your pom pom Messiah sites. Please start a new thread

[Mr.Right]

Wheeler would be a strong candidate. He's been working those camps with Tompkins so probably knows the people there. I'd hate to lose him from NESCAC but I believe he would succeed at Yale.

Anyone would help Yale. Mr. Right,  i'll pose the question everyone asks you....Where do u think they would have finished in the NESCAC last year??? lol....

Notwithstanding how bad they have been, wouldn't mid a diploma from there, even if they never one a game.....

What happened to the rumor about Shapiro going to Yale?

Shapiro to Yale was not a rumor just a thought / idea of a coach riding his horse to a better gig. Tompkins has driven Yale into a hole that might take 4-5 years to dig out of. He is a man of honor and a classy guy but he could not coach / recruit his way out of a cardboard box. He lasted that long at Yale and most likely bumped upstairs because he is a minority and Yale was most likely toeing the line. Yale, Harvard and Princeton should be competing for the IVY every year just like Williams and Amherst for Nescac. For Yale and even Harvard to not win the past 5-6 years is inexcusable.

[Brother Flounder]

Wheeler would be a strong candidate. He's been working those camps with Tompkins so probably knows the people there. I'd hate to lose him from NESCAC but I believe he would succeed at Yale.

Anyone would help Yale. Mr. Right,  i'll pose the question everyone asks you....Where do u think they would have finished in the NESCAC last year??? lol....

Notwithstanding how bad they have been, wouldn't mid a diploma from there, even if they never one a game.....

What happened to the rumor about Shapiro going to Yale?

Shapiro to Yale was not a rumor just a thought / idea of a coach riding his horse to a better gig. Tompkins has driven Yale into a hole that might take 4-5 years to dig out of. He is a man of honor and a classy guy but he could not coach / recruit his way out of a cardboard box. He lasted that long at Yale and most likely bumped upstairs because he is a minority and Yale was most likely toeing the line. Yale, Harvard and Princeton should be competing for the IVY every year just like Williams and Amherst for Nescac. For Yale and even Harvard to not win the past 5-6 years is inexcusable.

Harvard has gotten better with the recent coaching change...but you are right...They should get excellent recruits every year.....

[D3soccerwatcher]

This is a topic for coaching changes not one of your pom pom Messiah sites. Please start a new thread

Mr.Right,

I should remind you that I was simply responding to a comment that YOU MADE on this thread about why players choose Messiah.  Love how when people question unsubstantiated comments that you make, you simply just try to change the subject.

[Corazon]

A Michigan State assistant gets the Yale job so at least for the time being, no NESCAC coaches will be moving on.

[Brother Flounder]

A Michigan State assistant gets the Yale job so at least for the time being, no NESCAC coaches will be moving on.

Michigan State had a good year so that is not too surprising.......

[Mr.Right]

A Michigan State assistant gets the Yale job so at least for the time being, no NESCAC coaches will be moving on.

I feel for Wheeler as his window is closing fast to get another gig. It is no secret he would love a different challenge and would no question succeed wherever he is.

[Off Pitch]

Larocca named "interim" head coach at Western New England.  He appears to be the designated Spring coach, and the implication is that a different permanent coach will be named later.  Larocca has been an assistant there for 6 years.  He has an "A" license and would seem reasonably well qualified for the permanent job.

[Mr.Right]

He does not want the job as he has another full time job. He is more than qualified to take over and I believe would have been the next coach had it not been for another gig. This allows WNEC some time to make a sound decision and maybe save some $$$. LaRocca was one of their best players ever and the reason they had some great teams in the mid 2000's.

[FootyFan]

York College coach Mark Ludwig has resigned after 16 seasons. 

[Mr.Right]

WNEC has named Devin O'Neil Head Coach to replace Sullivan

http://www.wnegoldenbears.com/news/2015/3/4/MSOC_0304153141.aspx

Interesting choice as O'Neal left Gettysburg to be a D1 assistant at Bradley and then UMASS. He has underachieved everywhere he has been and was a like 3-15-1 at UMASS last year. They gave him a token interview and basically told him they were moving in a different direction. UMASS does not support soccer as he only had 2 scholarships compared to about 7or 8 for other Atlantic 10 schools but his incoming class at UMASS is beyond BAD for a D1 program.

[Mr.Right]

Eastern Nazarene replace one Messiah alum with another

http://athletics.enc.edu/sports/msoc/2014-15/releases/20150304_Thompson_Hire

[Mr.Right]

Emerson College has opened up.