2021 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[d4_Pace]

That Tufts team was really odd and I think in most people's opinion the weakest of the four winners. Started 0-2-1 and then figured some things out. That team was incredible defensively and could grind games out but just didn't have it going forward compared to other groups. That manifested in the team winning every "big" game all year including 3-0 against Amherst but struggling mightily against teams that sat back and defended, hence back to back losses to Bowdoin in the last week + nescac tourney. Luckily teams in the tournament usually try to come out and play versus packing it in which played into that team's hands.

[SimpleCoach]

My breakdown on this has always been that there are 20-25 teams that can win a national championship if everything goes right. I think the first Tufts teams fell more into that bracket where we avoided most major injuries and got some bounces here and there. Then there are 4-5 teams who can weather a whole bunch of adversity and still pull it off. Obviously, things usually don't all come together, so those teams that are talented enough to not have it all go to plan and still win are much more likely to do so.

Couldn't agree more @D4_Pace.  After having watched close to 150 games of all kinds, I think the top 5, at least in my book, have all of the elements to win it.  Even when some of those things work against them.  Good teams find ways to win, and they are good teams.

The rest of at least my Top 20, have to play lights out in order to make it to the 1/4s.  If for whatever reason they are not playing their best brand of soccer, they run the increasing risk of losing.  And when you get to the Hilary Step on the way to the Summit, there is no room for error for these teams.  That's the hard part.

Of course, this is soccer and this is theory.  This goes out the window when the whistle blows.

[D3_Slack]

Lots of talk on here referencing Tufts teams of the past.  I'm a Tufts grad and have watched the program closely (obviously not as close as those that played there).  That said, it can't be understated the impact Shapiro had on winning those games.  The dude is a master.  Now with Dezotell I believe the psychology completely changes.  He has a lot to live up to and Tufts gets everyone's best shot.

Which leads me to my next question.  How much do the coaches impact which teams to keep an eye on.  I love Singleton, Appleby, Serpone but don't really know much about the majority of coaches.

I'm also struck by how many injuries these teams deal with, placing a huge emphasis on depth and luck (hate to say it).  Again, I was struck by how many players Shapiro played regardless of the game or situation. 

[jknezek]

Which leads me to my next question.  How much do the coaches impact which teams to keep an eye on.  I love Singleton, Appleby, Serpone but don't really know much about the majority of coaches.

I'm also struck by how many injuries these teams deal with, placing a huge emphasis on depth and luck (hate to say it).  Again, I was struck by how many players Shapiro played regardless of the game or situation.

Coaches matter big time. Recruiting especially.

Injuries.... most teams will play 20 games in roughly 9 weeks before the NCAA tournament. There is no time to recover from a little nick. They just get worse as you try and play through. For a modest injury like an ankle sprain or a solid concussion, if you lose 2 weeks of practice, then a week to try and get fitness back, it's 1/3 of the season. For a significant injury like a minor pulled hamstring you lose 3 weeks of practice and a week and a half to get fitness back it's half the season. For a major injury you can be done for the season real easy. It doesn't even take a blown acl, just something that's going to take 4 or 5 weeks off, plus 2 or 3 weeks to regain real fitness.

The schedule is so compressed because it needs to fit into one semester that injuries are brutal. Teams need to have depth or be real lucky.

[PaulNewman]

Interesting about the Shapiro angle.  I've thought about how to ask D4 about that, and no doubt D4 is gonna be 100% behind Dezotell.

This feels a little like the Belichick-Brady question.

In some ways the Tufts team this year feels like it's still Shapiro's to some degree given that he recruited most of the players and coached a large number of them.  By the time Shapiro departed he, the alums like D4, and current players built a strong culture with super-high expectations that I would think have some staying power.  And given the investment in the Tufts program it's hard to believe they would hire someone who they didn't think could keep Tufts prosperous.  But as you say, Shapiro is special and obviously a real loss.  As long as Tufts is viewed as the or a premier program, and given the popularity of the school which combines advantages of NESCAC and UAA type institutions, the recruiting should remain strong at least near term.

Shapiro actually lost a fair number of games.  He just was mostly unbeatable in the tournament.  Iirc Tufts was ousted in PKs or a late goal by Vassar in 2012 or 2013, the last minute loss in Gambier, and an Elite 8 OT loss to Brandeis.  That's it.  4 titles in such a short span (without the name Messiah) seems highly improbable, so yeah, he's good.

And pretty sure Tufts has been getting everyone's best shot for a few years now.

[CC United]

Can someone please post the dates the NCAA will release the NCAA Division III regional rankings?  I've got the USC rankings.

[deiscanton]

Can someone please post the dates the NCAA will release the NCAA Division III regional rankings?  I've got the USC rankings.

The NCAA DIII Men's and Women's Soccer Committees will release regional rankings for all 10 regions of DIII on the following dates:

1.)  Wednesday, October 20, 2021 (two weeks from CC United's post today)
2.)  Wednesday, October 27, 2021
3.)  Wednesday, November 3, 2021-- Teams in the third week regional rankings will count as ranked teams for selection purposes, along with any new teams appearing in the fourth and final regional rankings used on Selection Day.

4.)  Selection Day-- Monday, November 8, 2021

Men's soccer is a 64 team field this year, with 43 teams getting in through automatic qualification (Pool A), no teams getting in through Pool B, and 21 teams getting in through Pool C at-large picks.

Women's soccer is also a 64 team field, with 44 teams getting in through automatic qualification (Pool A), no teams getting in through Pool B, and 20 teams getting in through Pool C at-large picks.

[Ron Boerger]

I don't know how I got into advocating for Trinity a bit, but even if you think their pods are soft, they often end up getting screwed to a degree like ending up in Amherst and Medford in back to back years, and especially for the second where most would have said Trinity deserved to host but the NCAA didn't want to fly 3 teams, 2 from Boston area, to San Antonio.  Kenyon's had become infected with some fungus and couldn't host, and the obvious and only choice became Medford.

I think there's a bit of both.  Trinity gets higher rankings because they're not located in an area with a plethora of strong competition and end up with gaudy records, but OMG they get screwed out of hosting in the later rounds so often to save the NCAA money.  It's a common problem the school (and really any school in many team sports in either this part of the country or the West region) faces frequently and it gets really, really old to almost never have the opportunity to play in front of your home crowd in later rounds when you have otherwise earned the right to host.

And with what's going on in the NCAA you wonder if there will be any money to pay for any part of D3, let alone the travel for championships, so even that experience may be something we reminisce about and miss before long.

[PaulNewman]

And speaking of NESCAC, here we go....Hamilton 0-6 in conference knocks off D3soccer #7 Oneonta St 2-1 in OT.  Stats look even.

[jknezek]

W&L beats Ferrum 5-1. The only noticeable thing about the game was Ferrum scored on their only shot. Not their only shot on goal, their only shot period. 1 corner kick, 1 shot, 1 goal.

[Another Mom]

I thought W&L were a little too sleepy the first half.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park won the annual rivalry game at Wheaton, 3-1. Wheaton got an early goal off of a PK after an NPU handball in the box -- and it turned out to be the lone shot on goal Wheaton had all night. Credit to Wheaton for staying up one through to halftime despite the Vikings having the run of play, but North Park finally broke through with three tallies in the second stanza.

[Gregory Sager]

Chicago edged reeling Carthage, 1-0, at Stagg Field. I'll bet that Maroons fans are breathing a sigh of relief that disaster didn't befall the boys from the Midway in the final minutes, as had been Chicago's m.o. of late.

[blue_jays]

Chicago edged reeling Carthage, 1-0, at Stagg Field. I'll bet that Maroons fans are breathing a sigh of relief that disaster didn't befall the boys from the Midway in the final minutes, as had been Chicago's m.o. of late.

Sigh of relief is right. Shoulda been 3-0 easily. The missed PK was rough and then a sitter empty net opportunity was saved off the line by a defender. But I'm sure Domin will spin it to say something ridiculous even though they were thoroughly outplayed all night.

[Gregory Sager]

Man, when's the last time that a Steve Domin Carthage team was goose-egged three straight games? Inquiring minds want to know.