2015 D3 Season: NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

[D3soccerwatcher]

What I don't like about the NESCAC schedules is that the home football games are often played at the same time as the home soccer games....

I've read a lot about NESCAC football games interfering with soccer games.  So I just randomly picked a top NESCAC soccer school that I know (Amherst) to see how this really plays out. 

Here's what I found from the 2014 season:

Amherst soccer played 21 games
3 of Amherst's home soccer games were on the same day as a home Amherst football game
None of these football games were scheduled at the same starting time as the soccer games
There was at least an hour-and-an-half to two-hour offset in starting time for those three "overlapping" games

With only three home soccer games potentially impacted by football and with the offset times, I can't imagine that 3 semi-conflicting football games are having much of an impact on a 21 game soccer season

Worst example to pick, as Amherst even plays night football games on their new field.  The point was brought up not to demonstrate how simultaneous football and soccer scheduling impacts a particular team's home soccer attendance.  It is a league wide practice for the traveling NESCAC college to bring all of their fall teams to the hosting college.  So there will be 4 simultaneous or nearly simultaneous athletic contests taking place at any given NESCAC school on a fall weekend.  It detracts from men's soccer attendance in general.

Yes....

In 2014 Tufts football played 4 home games.  On only one of those dates did the Tufts soccer team also play the same team at home and the starting times on that one date where offset by an hour.  On two of the home football dates Tufts soccer played away.  On the other date, Tufts football played Bates at home and Tufts soccer played Amherst at home, with game times offset by an hour-and-an-half.

I've looked at the two top soccer teams in NESCAC (Tufts and Amherst) and I cannot find the direct connection with football.

You mention overlapping like it may not matter.... I think it does. I would be surprised if people plan to attend 2 consecutive events...it would be the exception rather than the norm....

I understand what you are saying.  As I recall the dates where Tufts football and soccer have overlap, the football game started first.  So even if you wanted to watch the football game, you could still at least catch the second half of the soccer game if you wanted to.  Maybe some people wouldn't want to do that.  Still at the end of the day, it is only two dates on a 20+ game soccer schedule.

[D3soccerwatcher]

Article on the Top Ten colleges for soccer in the country...

http://www.collegemagazine.com/top-10-colleges-for-soccer

Congrats to Messiah, coming in #2 in the country, and the only D3 college to appear on the list.

Congrats!  I am surprised the infamous tortilla throwing Gauchos aren't on that list, or Wheaton for that matter....

I don't know what the criteria were for this list, but definitely agree there could be more D3 representation for sure.

[Midwest Soccer]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

[Nutmeg]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

I believe Tufts and Harvard have an informal scrimmage in Spring and in early summer and the scrimmages are very close...don't know if they played yet...

[Flying Weasel]

Jack Thompson (former D3 player, Messiah College) played his first professional game and scored his first professional goal for the USL PRO Charlotte Independence last week.  It was also the first team goal for the newly formed franchise.

http://www.charlotteindependence.com/charlotte-left-to-rue-first-half-errors/

Jack's goal in the game highlights: https://youtu.be/eEXiqbaOEn0?t=28s

[D3soccerwatcher]

D3 Geneva College goalkeeper goes pro in the newly formed ASL.

http://www.geneva.edu/news/2015/03/evergreen-diplomat-bryan-butler.html

I didn't know much about the ASL, but just spent some time on their website. Looks like it could provide a next step for many D3 players.  Interesting.

[NEPAFAN]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

Scranton plays Bucknell in Late April, not sure what Messiah is doing.

[Mr.Right]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

I believe Tufts and Harvard have an informal scrimmage in Spring and in early summer and the scrimmages are very close...don't know if they played yet...

If this is the case between Tufts and Harvard that would totally be illegal per Nescac rules. Even without coaches, teams cannot get together on an informal basis and play in the spring. Either your facts are wrong or they are breaking Nescac rules.

[Brother Flounder]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

I believe Tufts and Harvard have an informal scrimmage in Spring and in early summer and the scrimmages are very close...don't know if they played yet...

If this is the case between Tufts and Harvard that would totally be illegal per Nescac rules. Even without coaches, teams cannot get together on an informal basis and play in the spring. Either your facts are wrong or they are breaking Nescac rules.

I am pretty sure they play in the Summer after the teams formally show up for practice.  As far as the Spring, goes it could be that they play during a tryout for the PDL Rams.  I am not sure about the Spring in that regard.

[All NESCAC]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

I believe Tufts and Harvard have an informal scrimmage in Spring and in early summer and the scrimmages are very close...don't know if they played yet...

If this is the case between Tufts and Harvard that would totally be illegal per Nescac rules. Even without coaches, teams cannot get together on an informal basis and play in the spring. Either your facts are wrong or they are breaking Nescac rules.

If that is a violation of NESCAC rules, then most of the NESCAC is in violation as I know 5 other NESCAC's which have informal spring scrimmages (no coaches and no refs) against other colleges and some against other NESCAC's.

[oldonionbag]

I'm pretty sure that they actually scrimmage in the fall, and Tufts uses one of their preseason days (maybe an afternoon) to do this. At least that's what it was last year I believe...I don't think any NESCAC schools I know of play scrimmages in the spring. I don't think it would make much sense since many athletes use their non-playing season to focus on another extra-curricular...or in some cases another sport.

[oldonionbag]

Anyone have good spring games to report on? I wonder if Messiah is playing Bucknell again? I know it's just spring and for D1 teams it's a much different season than for D3's (with spring seasons) but last year Messiah beat Bucknell I think 3-0. Bucknell made the D1 NCAA Tournament this past year.

I believe Tufts and Harvard have an informal scrimmage in Spring and in early summer and the scrimmages are very close...don't know if they played yet...

If this is the case between Tufts and Harvard that would totally be illegal per Nescac rules. Even without coaches, teams cannot get together on an informal basis and play in the spring. Either your facts are wrong or they are breaking Nescac rules.

If that is a violation of NESCAC rules, then most of the NESCAC is in violation as I know 5 other NESCAC's which have informal spring scrimmages (no coaches and no refs) against other colleges and some against other NESCAC's.

With regards to this, is it technically a violation if no coaches/refs participate or watch? Wouldn't this just be considered a pick-up game? I don't think there is a rule against kids playing by themselves against other kids...

[Nutmeg]

I'm pretty sure that they actually scrimmage in the fall, and Tufts uses one of their preseason days (maybe an afternoon) to do this. At least that's what it was last year I believe...I don't think any NESCAC schools I know of play scrimmages in the spring. I don't think it would make much sense since many athletes use their non-playing season to focus on another extra-curricular...or in some cases another sport.

I think you r right in this regard...

[Ishmael55]

As to scrimmages, I think that at least some of the NESCAC school teams do have informal scrimmages in the spring, but these are run by the teams without benefit or burden of the coaching staffs or school administrations.  Not sure if they have refs or not.  geography seems to be a big factor in the identity of the opponent.

[Mr.Right]

Final thought on this as my guess with 4 to 5 brand new coaches and 2 without any Nescac experience, I believe their Nescac rulebooks are collecting dust on the floor in their office somewhere. Your team is allowed to get together and practice and scrimmage informally or attend 5v5 or indoor tournaments or whatever. No coaches allowed at any of these events obviously but YOU CANNOT have a Nescac side scrimmage another Nescac side in the spring with or without coaches.