SimpleCoach D3 Soccer YouTube Channel

[Crossit4fun]

I'm also greatly looking forward to the upcoming season, but I'm going to try and enjoy a hopefully beautiful summer in the North Country first.

With that said, I'll build on Kuiper's post when it comes to the northeast area teams.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the SUNYAC shapes out with the conference changes.  Brockport and Geneseo were upper end teams in the conference which will hurt the league in terms of SOS.  Plattsburgh could be a bit of a sleeper threat along with New Paltz, but NP lost a major contributor to division I.  Cortland and Oneonta should be top dogs again, but Oneonta also lost some high impact players to division I.  I don't expect Cortland to drop off that much in terms of wins and losses, but they lose a not so insignificant amount of highly talented players to graduation.  Axtell always reloads and brings in transfers so we'll just have to see.

This is the first season in I don't know how long that the Liberty League is a complete question mark in terms of expectations.  The Massey ratings last year had extreme disparities among the top teams in terms of actual ranking versus power ranking.  Hobart definitely bottled some luck with a horde of 25 yard strikes in their final stretch to win the league double.  But that doesn't mean they weren't a good team.  They lose some 5th year starters but bring back one of the best players in the league.  Union and Ithaca are mixed in terms of graduation losses and returners, but still bring back scoring.  Ithaca seems like a wildcard year to year so I won't even begin to try to predict how they turn out.  RPI loses key offensive pieces and senior leadership, but played a lot of freshmen last season as well.  Clinton always has his teams ready no matter the quality of his roster.  As for SLU, they have a challenge in replacing Woelfinger but otherwise bring back the entire defense and attack which included mostly first years and sophomores.  The central midfield will be the biggest piece of the puzzle, and if they figure it out will challenge for the league title. 

The E8 was significantly strengthened by Geneseo and Brockport, as well as SUNY Poly who were NAC champions last year.  Elmira made the dark horse run last year, but on paper I would expect Geneseo and 'Port to be the favorites.  Those 3 teams along with Naz, Fisher, and Hartwick will really benefit from having to play each other and will hopefully make the E8 AQ much more sharper heading into NCAA tournament play. 

I'll throw a bone to the NESCAC and speculate that Amherst will win the NESCAC outright.  This year's senior class is probably the best overall in the country in terms of talent.  Middlebury could very well be up there, but if Saint-Louis is not coming back for a final year then I have to give the nod to Amherst.  Given my post history on this subject you cannot accuse me of being biased after making this prediction!

Regarding your SUNYAC comments conference is much weaker without tough competitive Brockport and scrappy Geneseo teams.

Agree on Cortland - class of the conference

Oneonta is vulnerable this year first time in awhile. They lost the two players to D1 you mentioned plus a starting Forward and GK who graduated a CM who started on and off  but okayed significant minutes.

Buffalo has the offense two strong fast forwards but not much else, Defense was shaky at times

NP lost their best player to D1 was their top scorer last two seasons, lost two starting forwards graduated, their backup Striker. Lots of offense missing for a team that struggled to score goals with those players. They return their GK and a very strong back 4. Rumor has it another CM is leaving as well.

Platts returns most of their players and word is a couple of transfers in to strengthen the squad.

Looks like there may be a battle for the second bye this year from the above teams. The rest will battle for the last playoff spot Oswego, Potsdam, Canton, Morissville.

Which forward are you referring to?  On paper their top 2 strikers should be back, is one of them gone?

Zingaro  was told he maxed out his eligibility (I wrote F he played high a lot- but more was of attacking CM)

Mangana F and Bernardi D to Manhattan

[stlawus]

Ok that's who I thought you were referring to.  They still have their strikers back but losing that midfield could hurt.

[SKUD]

https://youtu.be/GCI2bpTmcIQ?si=gEaRDn-_xftJZZlK

Nicely done Simple!

[SKUD]

Paul,

Great job, keep the content coming!

https://youtu.be/Lc6Qdy_-ZXo?si=C6zxfiT0XuupX3XB

Would love to see the hat-cam from your officiating!

[jfreddys]

Paul,

Great job, keep the content coming!

https://youtu.be/Lc6Qdy_-ZXo?si=C6zxfiT0XuupX3XB

Would love to see the hat-cam from your officiating!

Totally agree.   Such a great interview/dialogue SC.   

I'm a parent fan for a couple more years, but its these interviews that will keep me a D3 soccer fan long after he's done.   


Thanks SC.

[Kuiper]

Following up on Simple Coach's great interview a week ago with Cal Tech HC Duncan Gillis, I thought I would post this year-end review of Cal Tech's season that was posted earlier this month.  To give an idea WHY Simple Coach said he would have named Gillis coach of the year last year, consider several facts, some of which are from the year-end review:

1.  Gillis led Cal Tech to its highest win total in 53 years

2023 proved to be a historic year for the Caltech men's soccer team, who recorded the program's highest win total in 53 years.

The group picked up six strong wins as part of a 6-6-4 record, with three of those wins coming over SCIAC opponents. The Beavers finished the year tied for the fourth-most wins in the conference.

The review doesn't actually state the win total from 53 years ago or who they played, but 1970 is the year that Ralph Graham scored 12 goals for Cal Tech, which is the most goals from an individual player in a single season in program history.  In 2023, Ishaan Mantripragada and Etienne Casanova each scored 11 goals.   

2.  From 2012 to Coach Gillis' arrival in 2021, Cal Tech won a combined 7 games.  In 2023, they won 6 games

It is an impressive feat for third-year head coach Duncan Gillis and the program, who have now won 10 total games across the past three seasons. The program won just seven games from 2012 to Gillis' arrival in 2021.

3.  In 2023, Cal Tech scored 32 goals, in 2022, they scored 17 goals, in 2021 (Coach Duncan's first year on the job), they scored 7 goals.  From 2006 until 2021, they had only had a double digit number of goals total, as a team, four times.

4.  In Gillis' three years at Cal Tech, they have never conceded more than 40 goals in a season.  From 2006 until Gillis arrived in 2021, they had never conceded fewer than 44 and in all but two years they conceded between 60 and 90 goals. 

[SKUD]

Another good one:

https://youtu.be/vQ2gM266NQs?si=hjHmqta5uOVKOIKG

Hate watching them play soccer, love seeing them serve and defend our country.

[Ejay]

Another good one:

https://youtu.be/vQ2gM266NQs?si=hjHmqta5uOVKOIKG

Hate watching them play soccer, love seeing them serve and defend our country.

I played for Parsons. Great guy.

[SimpleCoach]

Following up on Simple Coach's great interview a week ago with Cal Tech HC Duncan Gillis, I thought I would post this year-end review of Cal Tech's season that was posted earlier this month.  To give an idea WHY Simple Coach said he would have named Gillis coach of the year last year, consider several facts, some of which are from the year-end review:

1.  Gillis led Cal Tech to its highest win total in 53 years

2023 proved to be a historic year for the Caltech men's soccer team, who recorded the program's highest win total in 53 years.

The group picked up six strong wins as part of a 6-6-4 record, with three of those wins coming over SCIAC opponents. The Beavers finished the year tied for the fourth-most wins in the conference.

The review doesn't actually state the win total from 53 years ago or who they played, but 1970 is the year that Ralph Graham scored 12 goals for Cal Tech, which is the most goals from an individual player in a single season in program history.  In 2023, Ishaan Mantripragada and Etienne Casanova each scored 11 goals.   

2.  From 2012 to Coach Gillis' arrival in 2021, Cal Tech won a combined 7 games.  In 2023, they won 6 games

It is an impressive feat for third-year head coach Duncan Gillis and the program, who have now won 10 total games across the past three seasons. The program won just seven games from 2012 to Gillis' arrival in 2021.

3.  In 2023, Cal Tech scored 32 goals, in 2022, they scored 17 goals, in 2021 (Coach Duncan's first year on the job), they scored 7 goals.  From 2006 until 2021, they had only had a double digit number of goals total, as a team, four times.

4.  In Gillis' three years at Cal Tech, they have never conceded more than 40 goals in a season.  From 2006 until Gillis arrived in 2021, they had never conceded fewer than 44 and in all but two years they conceded between 60 and 90 goals. 

@EJay.  Thanks for this.  Yes, for all those reason's, NCAA D3 Coach of the Year.  Without a doubt.

SC.

[SimpleCoach]

Figured I would post this.  Clarks Summit University has announced it was closing it's doors.  I just so happen to have stopped by and recorded a Fields of Dreams.

FoD - Clarks Summit University

Sad news, but something we are seeing more frequently....

[SimpleCoach]

Hey all.  Tried my hand at a pre-season poll.  Might be totally off, but it was fun trying to figure it out.

Unveiling the 2024 Division III Men's Top 25 Pre-Season Picks

Looking forward to the new season!

SC.

[Another Mom]

Listened to it this morning.  Well done!

[4231CenterBack]

Messiah at 23!  Interesting...  They are 40-1-2 combined in the last 2 seasons. Yes, they have under achieved in the tournament recently but #23!. They return 8 of 11 starters including their entire starting midfield and 3/4 in the defense.

September 28th they play your #1 team Mary Wash in Fredericksburg.  Last year's rain soaked affair was fun to watch but nobody doubts who had the better of the play.  Yes, McDonald and his 13 goals are gone but so is Kirkland and his 15.... Let's hope Messiah can pull off a major upset 

Thanks for all you do.  This is fun stuff!

[northman]

Nicely done, SC!  I appreciate your dedication and insightfulness.

[Kuiper]

Had the chance to speak with Andrew Wu, Athletic Director at Goucher College.

A Special SimpleCoach to Coach with Andrew Wu, Athletic Director at Goucher College.

This seems like a really odd career move, from AD at Goucher to interim AD at Maryville?

https://mcscots.com/news/2024/8/9/general-maryville-names-wu-interim-athletics-director.aspx

I wonder if there is a Singleton-like explanation relating to family or spousal reasons for the move to an interim position