2015 D3 Season: NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

[Corazon]

Apologies in advance.  Couldn't help myself...

http://athletics.kenyon.edu/news/2015/8/5/GEN_0805153121.aspx

BTW, there was a comment last year about the small size of the Kenyon pitch.  Is 120 by 75 considered small?

Nice. I think someone last year (perhaps Mr. Right?) predicted Kenyon would do well and have an impressive recruiting class.

[D3soccerwatcher]

Preseason rankings are out...
#1 Tufts
#2 Wheaton (IL)
#3 Messiah and SUNY Oneonta (tie)
#5 Ohio Weslyan

[Domino1195]

Surprised Thomas More isn't listed in the rankings or other receiving votes.

[Corazon]

Also interesting that Trinity (CT) received votes for the Top 25 as the NESCAC insiders are picking them to be somewhere between #7-10 in the league. 

[D3soccerwatcher]

Also interesting that half or more of NESCAC insiders on this site aren't picking Tufts to even finish in the top 2 in the conference much less to be a national powerhouse.  Perhaps that goes to show just how "pre" these rankings are at this point.

[PaulNewman]

The NCAC New England top 25...

1) Amherst
2) Wheaton (Ill)
3) Messiah
4) Oneonta St
5) Loras
6) Trinity (TX)
7) St Lawrence
8) Tufts
9) Middlebury
10) Kenyon
11) Franklin & Marshall
12) Whitworth
13) Thomas More
14) North Park
15) Calvin
16) Rutgers Camden
17) Stevens
18) Brandeis
19) Wheaton (MA)
20) Babson
21) Muhlenberg
22) Wartburg
23) OWU
24) Emory
25) Montclair St

RC -- Gordon, Centre, Wesleyan, CNU, Newark, GAC, Cortland, Lynchburg, K'Zoo, Rochester, Lycoming, Williams, Hope, Dickinson

[WilltheMan]

Amherst first and no Williams even in footnotes.......your colors are showing, lol

[PaulNewman]

Amherst first and no Williams even in footnotes.......your colors are showing, lol

Williams was in "the footnotes."  Look again.

Where would you rank Williams in a preseason poll, a team that didn't make the tournament last year and has a fair share of question marks going into their first year with a new coach with some very stiff competition for a top 3-4 finish in the conference?

[WilltheMan]

Sorry I missed it.  But still if you were a betting man you would take teams 15-25 over Williams on a neutral field?  I don't mean to beat the drum for them, others here do that but couple nice frosh last year, Rashid back, always a good recruit class and I'm not sure Russo and that slow group a seniors movin on such a bad thing......I don't like "picking" on players but Williams didn't seem to have pace through the middle that many others did.....just my humble....

They open with Oneonta, might have a good indication strait away. 

Still think Tufts deserves more respect, you can hear the giant sucking sound of talent heading over there next few years wanting to play for him......and national title program, this is how it starts.

[Brother Flounder]

Sorry I missed it.  But still if you were a betting man you would take teams 15-25 over Williams on a neutral field?  I don't mean to beat the drum for them, others here do that but couple nice frosh last year, Rashid back, always a good recruit class and I'm not sure Russo and that slow group a seniors movin on such a bad thing......I don't like "picking" on players but Williams didn't seem to have pace through the middle that many others did.....just my humble....

They open with Oneonta, might have a good indication strait away. 

Still think Tufts deserves more respect, you can hear the giant sucking sound of talent heading over there next few years wanting to play for him......and national title program, this is how it starts.

Schools like Messiah and Wheaton have an advantage in recruiting given their programs strong history and the religious bent.  Yes, a National Championship and Coach of the Year will definitely help the JUMBOS but there are many teams to compete with, let alone within their own conference.  They lost a good group of seniors but have a good group of juniors with lots of playing experience and a solid keeper returning this year.  Tufts has had good teams since Coach Shapiro came in 4 years ago. The program had nowhere to go but up....and it skyrocketed.  The win last year should help them be consistently good for the next few years but it will be hard for anyone to match Messiah's success over the past 10 years (although The Giant Slayer Goal put a temporary end to that).  The Jumbos are a fun soccer team to watch and knock the ball around well.  They will have to get talented players to continue that style and be successful....and the coach will have to stay for awhile.  Let's get this season started already!!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Sorry I missed it.  But still if you were a betting man you would take teams 15-25 over Williams on a neutral field?  I don't mean to beat the drum for them, others here do that but couple nice frosh last year, Rashid back, always a good recruit class and I'm not sure Russo and that slow group a seniors movin on such a bad thing......I don't like "picking" on players but Williams didn't seem to have pace through the middle that many others did.....just my humble....

They open with Oneonta, might have a good indication strait away. 

Still think Tufts deserves more respect, you can hear the giant sucking sound of talent heading over there next few years wanting to play for him......and national title program, this is how it starts.

Schools like Messiah and Wheaton have an advantage in recruiting given their programs strong history and the religious bent.  Yes, a National Championship and Coach of the Year will definitely help the JUMBOS but there are many teams to compete with, let alone within their own conference.  They lost a good group of seniors but have a good group of juniors with lots of playing experience and a solid keeper returning this year.  Tufts has had good teams since Coach Shapiro came in 4 years ago. The program had nowhere to go but up....and it skyrocketed.  The win last year should help them be consistently good for the next few years but it will be hard for anyone to match Messiah's success over the past 10 years (although The Giant Slayer Goal put a temporary end to that).  The Jumbos are a fun soccer team to watch and knock the ball around well.  They will have to get talented players to continue that style and be successful....and the coach will have to stay for awhile.  Let's get this season started already!!!!

That's a double-edged sword.  Some recruits will see that as a huge plus, but probably a larger number would see it as a deal-breaker.  I.e., it will clinch the deal for some, but that pool is relatively limited.

[Flying Weasel]

Is it really that ridiculous to not rank a team pre-season who finished last season without any votes for the Top 25 and who is undergoing a coaching change?  Williams might prove to be a Top 25 team, but a wait and see attitude seems perfectly appropriate.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Player with most goals in 2015?  Mike Ryan  (Golz, Colofranson, someone from CSS).     

Team with the most shutouts?  Kenyon

Will a team go unbeaten before the tourney this year?   No

Longest unbeaten streak?  Wheaton Ill (gonna be tough going into Loras and getting the W).

Over/under Messiah losses... 3.5?  (over)

Over/under Tufts losses... 4  (over)

FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS:  Wheaton Ill, Trinity, Amherst, Rutgers-Camden    (Elite 8:  Loras, Ohio Wesleyan, SLU, Oneonta St).   Messiah bows out in Sweet 16.

I'll have to remind myself to check this come tournament time... haha.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Haverford looking to take a beating again, but prove their worth with a daunting non conference schedule:

@ Stevens
Wesleyan
@ Montclair St
Stockton
@ Rutgers-Camden
Catholic

Looks like it will be one of the toughest in the nation when you factor in the Centennial Conference, IMO.

[Brother Flounder]

Player with most goals in 2015?  Mike Ryan  (Golz, Colofranson, someone from CSS).     

Team with the most shutouts?  Kenyon,   WHO THE HELL KNOWS?

Will a team go unbeaten before the tourney this year?   No  AGREED

Longest unbeaten streak?  Wheaton Ill (gonna be tough going into Loras and getting the W). I SAY MESSIAH, THOUGH WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WHEATON WOULD DO IN THE NESCAC...

Over/under Messiah losses... 3.5?  (over)  UNDER

Over/under Tufts losses... 4  (over)  EQUAL OR UNDER

FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS:  Wheaton Ill, Trinity, Amherst, Rutgers-Camden    (Elite 8:  Loras, Ohio Wesleyan, SLU, Oneonta St).   Messiah bows out in Sweet 16. NOT READY TO PREDICT YET. STILL CONTEMPLATING...

I'll have to remind myself to check this come tournament time... haha.