2021 NCAA Tournament

[Mr.Right]

Well done PN with the predictions.

[BracketMaster]

2021 ECAC Regional

https://ecacsports.com/news/2021/11/8/ecac-announces-2021-diii-mens-soccer-championship-field.aspx

Thanks for posting, and pursuant to what Ron B. said above about the state of the NCAA and their future revenue risk, organizations like the ECAC may become more relavent if D3 travel funds become even more scarce. In terms of major sporting organizations, the NCAA competes with the NFL for the honor of being my least favorite.

The big questions going forward: is there anybody less lazy than me that would set up a bracketology for the forum? I don't have the time to administer a contest, but I'd donate a $50 gift card of some sort to the winner. Any takers?

Having run a few of these in the past for my office at March Madness... you ought to donate the gift card to the poor fool who offers to run it! There is probably some software out there that makes it easier, but then you need everyone to use the software. I volunteered 3x, never again...

Haha. That's a better suggestion, and I'll take your advice and offer it to the poor fool *brilliant public servant* who offers to run it!

Hello everyone - I'm a former DIII player and a long time lurker but first time poster. Building off of Centennial1 and jknezek's idea I thought I'd put together a bracket a pool for this season's tournament. In true DIII fashion, I am proposing that we do this only for fun/bragging rights rather than any monetary prize.

Below is the link to the website to sign up for the bracket pool. It does ask for a name and email when you register, but that information will not be visible to other participants. Only your username and bracket entry name will be visible. Feel free to use a John Doe type alias too if you have any concerns.

https://www.runyourpool.com/join/pool_info.cfm?id=179402&p=ytcoyu

PM or email me with any questions, feedback, or issues. The window to submit a bracket closes right before the start of the first game on Friday, best of luck!

[Centennial1]

BracketMaster: you're the man.

[PaulNewman]

Anybody have insight into key players to watch?

Ones who seem to be well known and have been mentioned this season include Giammattei with Amherst, Aroh with Tufts, Travis van Brewer at Tufts, Gomez with OWU, Olsen with North Park, Lukovic for Montclair, and Groothoff for Messiah.  Of those the only one apparently out due to injury is Groothoff.  Twigg at Calvin is another, and Turittin for John Carroll who I guessed was struggling with an injury earlier in the season but now based solely on watching internet video appears at full strength.  Anyway, I don't know who the MVP-type players are for Wash U, Chicago, NYU, Trinity, F&M, Emory, St Olaf, CNU, W&L, Oneonta, Hopkins, etc, etc.

[blue_jays]

Anybody have insight into key players to watch?

Ones who seem to be well known and have been mentioned this season include Giammattei with Amherst, Aroh with Tufts, Travis van Brewer at Tufts, Gomez with OWU, Olsen with North Park, Lukovic for Montclair, and Groothoff for Messiah.  Of those the only one apparently out due to injury is Groothoff.  Twigg at Calvin is another, and Turittin for John Carroll who I guessed was struggling with an injury earlier in the season but now based solely on watching internet video appears at full strength.  Anyway, I don't know who the MVP-type players are for Wash U, Chicago, NYU, Trinity, F&M, Emory, St Olaf, CNU, W&L, Oneonta, Hopkins, etc, etc.

UChicago's best attacking player is Yetishefsky. If he scores, the Maroons win, it's that simple. Their center back Griffin Wada is a monster on defense, 6-foot-5 and wins every header, one of the best CBs in the country.

[SimpleCoach]

Anybody have insight into key players to watch?

Ones who seem to be well known and have been mentioned this season include Giammattei with Amherst, Aroh with Tufts, Travis van Brewer at Tufts, Gomez with OWU, Olsen with North Park, Lukovic for Montclair, and Groothoff for Messiah.  Of those the only one apparently out due to injury is Groothoff.  Twigg at Calvin is another, and Turittin for John Carroll who I guessed was struggling with an injury earlier in the season but now based solely on watching internet video appears at full strength.  Anyway, I don't know who the MVP-type players are for Wash U, Chicago, NYU, Trinity, F&M, Emory, St Olaf, CNU, W&L, Oneonta, Hopkins, etc, etc.

Kenyon #15 is the best right back/midfielder I have seen in his position in the country.

[PaulNewman]

Anybody have insight into key players to watch?

Ones who seem to be well known and have been mentioned this season include Giammattei with Amherst, Aroh with Tufts, Travis van Brewer at Tufts, Gomez with OWU, Olsen with North Park, Lukovic for Montclair, and Groothoff for Messiah.  Of those the only one apparently out due to injury is Groothoff.  Twigg at Calvin is another, and Turittin for John Carroll who I guessed was struggling with an injury earlier in the season but now based solely on watching internet video appears at full strength.  Anyway, I don't know who the MVP-type players are for Wash U, Chicago, NYU, Trinity, F&M, Emory, St Olaf, CNU, W&L, Oneonta, Hopkins, etc, etc.

UChicago's best attacking player is Yetishefsky. If he scores, the Maroons win, it's that simple. Their center back Griffin Wada is a monster on defense, 6-foot-5 and wins every header, one of the best CBs in the country.

Thanks...exactly what I was looking for.  And to not appear to be ducking my own question, Kenyon imo doesn't have any POY candidates or clear MVP-type players.  Upton, a midfielder, and Hosmer-Quint, a CB both made one of the AA teams in 2019 but they are much more part of a "by committee" group in terms of who has biggest impact and difference makers.  The Lords have two primary forward lines which I wish Brown had experimented with changing up the two duos and found more time for Hrafnkelsson up top or in midlfield.  A strength of the team is in midfield with Upton, Nardiello-Smith, and frosh dynamic playmaker Martinez, and also at CB with Hosmer-Quint and soph Burns (in first year of competition), and Muther at right back and sometimes midfield who has been referenced on this site quite a bit.  Burns has been one of Kenyon's best and most consistent players imo and has been lethal with free kicks. 

[PaulNewman]

Anybody have insight into key players to watch?

Ones who seem to be well known and have been mentioned this season include Giammattei with Amherst, Aroh with Tufts, Travis van Brewer at Tufts, Gomez with OWU, Olsen with North Park, Lukovic for Montclair, and Groothoff for Messiah.  Of those the only one apparently out due to injury is Groothoff.  Twigg at Calvin is another, and Turittin for John Carroll who I guessed was struggling with an injury earlier in the season but now based solely on watching internet video appears at full strength.  Anyway, I don't know who the MVP-type players are for Wash U, Chicago, NYU, Trinity, F&M, Emory, St Olaf, CNU, W&L, Oneonta, Hopkins, etc, etc.

Kenyon #15 is the best right back/midfielder I have seen in his position in the country.

Didn't see this until after what just posted.  Yes, very, very good.  That said, needs to bounce back after one of his weaker games because of the Miracle of Denison which you detailed so well (yes, Miracle is #21 for Denison).

[camosfan]

In addition to the players already mentioned, I will add, Hopkins #7, NYU #9 and Connecticut's #7.

[Hopkins Walk-On]

Hopkins #7 is Nate Charendoff. He is a graduate forward. Although he doesn't typically start and plays limited minutes, he is second on the team in goals and points. He should probably play more.

The Hopkins GK, Xander Lafevre, was first team all-conference as was #19 Liam Creedon, MF, and #17, Ian Whammond, MF. Whammond was the conference rookie of the year.

[PaulNewman]

In addition to the players already mentioned, I will add, Hopkins #7, NYU #9 and Connecticut's #7.

Conn Coll #7?  Going by the roster numbers looks like he hasn't played very much.  Thinking of someone else?

My impression is that Conn has a handful of difference makers.  I'm too far out of youth soccer to know what MLS Next, ECNL (boys), etc mean, but Conn's roster looks super-impressive.  Impressed that Conn can draw kids from Phillips Exeter.  Yeonas I noticed in the Tufts game all over the field.

[PaulNewman]

Hopkins #7 is Nate Charendoff. He is a graduate forward. Although he doesn't typically start and plays limited minutes, he is second on the team in goals and points. He should probably play more.

The Hopkins GK, Xander Lafevre, was first team all-conference as was #19 Liam Creedon, MF, and #17, Ian Whammond, MF. Whammond was the conference rookie of the year.

Those JHU team sport coats look sharp!

[Hopkins92]

BracketMaster: you're the man.

Yep, zipped through the brackets because I'm out of town starting tomorrow, but this should be fun! Thanks BM!!

[Hopkins92]

Hopkins #7 is Nate Charendoff. He is a graduate forward. Although he doesn't typically start and plays limited minutes, he is second on the team in goals and points. He should probably play more.

The Hopkins GK, Xander Lafevre, was first team all-conference as was #19 Liam Creedon, MF, and #17, Ian Whammond, MF. Whammond was the conference rookie of the year.

Hey Walk-On, I know this is a longshot, but do you know if Lafevre's going to be available this weekend? He got clattered into and had to come out his last game. The back-up is a big dude (Ford) that was a transfer from Fordham (D1), but he looked a little shaky with the ball at his feet. Which... I'll let folks fill in the blanks on how problematic that is for the Jays.

[Falconer]

Here's the web page for the games in Grantham this weekend. https://gomessiah.com/sports/2021/11/8/2021-ncaa-opening-weekend-mens-soccer.aspx