2022 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[SimpleCoach]

Souders though was literally pacing up and down his sideline, almost trying to defend himself, and he was all over the refs for what I thought at a great distance admittedly was totally out of line.

I find his sideline "behavior" totally inappropriate. 

SC.

[Ejay]

Montclair opens NJAC play with a 1-0 win over previously undefeated NJCU. Not surprisingly, Lukovic with the goal. But the most interesting stat for me....
NJCU had 7 cards (6Y, 1R) on 11 fouls. I guess if you're going to foul, you might as well make it count.

[D3Dad]

Kenyon womens team took a trip this year to England I believe

[PaulNewman]

Kenyon womens team took a trip this year to England I believe

A little bit at a loss for words here....but...sticking very loosely to the NCAC theme, who had the better career (thus far), Paul Newman or Steve Carell?

[camosfan]

Montclair opens NJAC play with a 1-0 win over previously undefeated NJCU. Not surprisingly, Lukovic with the goal. But the most interesting stat for me....
NJCU had 7 cards (6Y, 1R) on 11 fouls. I guess if you're going to foul, you might as well make it count.

Montclair had a red and a few yellows themselves.

[PaulNewman]

Paul Newman Exclusive:  Drone view from 50 Feet

Reminiscing around the D3 campfire

As we listen to Simplecoach strum his guitar and belt out some Bob Dylan tunes I'm drifting back to the first half of the 2010s.  The Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors burst on to the scene and won four NJAC titles over five years and reached the 2013 national final on an unthinkable Loras misplay of a 60 yard free kick in the 92nd minute of a national semi.  In the final Camden scratched and clawed their way into a second OT but could not stop one of the greatest Messiah squads of all time as Josh Wood inside the 18 slotted a little pass to Jeremy Payne (now Whitworth coach) who finished from point-blank range.  Camden has been pretty mediocre for the past few years and in 2022 sits at 3-5-1 after back-to-back losses to Alvernia and Immaculata....and Mike Ryan, Mitch Grotti, and D1 transfer Keegan Balle are not walking through that door. 

And then there's one of the historic top dogs...the Wheaton (Ill) Thunder.  Wheaton was one of the best teams in the country in 2013 and 2014, and rebounded from a disappointing early exit in the NCAA tourney in 2013 to reach the national title match against Tufts in 2014.  Alas, a coaching departure seemed the beginning of a downward turn while also dealing with indignity of the emerging North Park machine.  Wheaton has been very average for the most past since then and today is 2-3-2 with the best result being a loss....3-2 to Chicago early on.  Sorry Thunder fans, Marshall Hollingsworth (D3 soccer Midfielder of the Year), Noah Anthony (one of best left pegs in D3 history), and the Golz brothers are not walking through that door.

Preseason faves foreshadowing a lost season or just head fakes on the road to glory

Every year there is a cadre of disappointing performers based on expectations.  This year the pot seems to hold a larger number of characters, but maybe that always seems like the case in the moment.

Broadly speaking, I think the teams in this category fall into two groups...disappointing results in the setting of monster schedules who you dismiss at your own peril.  Rowan at 5-3-1 imo is borderline for this group and may be breaking free from it, and then there's also Cortland St at 4-3-2 with a tight loss to SLU and a draw with Potsdam in their last two outings.  Both of these teams still feel formidable and I still would be surprised if they aren't in the bracket come selection day.

Very close to (or arguably in) the category above are St Olaf at 4-3, Redlands at 2-1-3 and rival C-M-S at 2-2-4.  These teams are in better shape than some because 1) they're good and 2) they likely are going to experience less resistance the rest of the way.  The question for the latter two is whether one of those can get a Pool C bid.  Usually the answer is NO, but both scheduled very well so maybe their SoS will be better than in some past years. 

In the next tier, I've got NYU and Brandeis at 3-2-1, UAA brother Wash at 2-2, Vassar at 4-3, RPI at 2-3-2, RIT at 2-1-5, Rutgers-Newark at 3-3-2, and maybe, maybe MIT at 4-4 (started 1-4 and won last three albeit against middling or less competition).

Finally, my top six disappointments so far in 2022....I'll begin with only surprising but not shocking as I wasn't expecting either to make a run to the Sweet 16...Hope at 1-1-5 and 2019 Final 4 participant, Centre, at a truly dismal 0-5-2.  Of the two Centre actually might have the better chance at redemption as Hope almost certainly would have to get through Calvin to win their AQ (and same for 3-4-2 KZoo).  There is no obvious heavyweight in the SAA.  And then there's Washington College at 1-3-2, Emory at 1-3-4, Trinity (TX) at 1-3-2, and OWU at 0-4-2.  Amazingly, these bottom four are probably all capable of stunning turnarounds.  Let's just take OWU for example.  They're almost certain to pick up two wins heading into the massive Kenyon game at home.  OWU is very capable of winning that game and if they do they've got a clear inside track to the #1 seed and home field for the NCAC tournament...as well as picking up an all-important regionally ranked win to go along with what should be a strong SoS.

Legit or pretending

Let's start with Drew.  The Rangers clocking Kean 3-0 caught my attention and Drew the rest of the way isn't in a conference where they are likely to be overwhelmed.  Same for conference foe Catholic.  I'll go more legit than not for both.

Carnegie Mellon...Maybe I've been too harsh.  I still haven't overcome CMU beating Muskingum 1-0 on opening day.  The Tartans do have an inpressive-looking win over very good John Carroll on a last second GW, but the rest of the schedule, especially for a UAA outfit, has been embarrassingly poor.  CMU does get Ohio Northern tomorrow in a decent test although the Polar Bears will be on the second day of a back-to-back, and today they no doubt will expend a ton of energy trying to get a result against seriously underrated Rose-Hulman.  CMU will have to win probably at least three UAA games with a draw or two.  Can they do that?  We'll see.

York (PA) very quietly is 5-0-2 with some decent to good results but nothing that slaps you in the face.  They have a chance today versus Rochester.

I think St Thomas (TX) is a handful and legit, and they play at the gorgeous Houston Sport Park which serves as the training grounds for both Houston's MLS and NWSL squads.

I am in wait and see mode on Hamilton, Clarkson, and Gettysburg.  Same with still off Doppler Stockton and Sewanee.

I am really pulling for UW-Eau Claire who should be 11-0 heading into tomorrow's clash with Loras.  I reluctantly lean towards pretender here but a win over Loras might change my mind.  I'm not ready to entirely write off MSOE, but I don't have faith in Baldwin-Wallace, Augsburg, Hampden-Sydney (who just lost to Randolph-Macon), Randolph-Macon (who just beat Hampden-Sydney), McDaniel, or Augsburg...the latter streaking to a 9-0 record last year only to finish 12-6-1.  New friend Emerson will find out something today against Babson.

Teams to watch hidden in the pack and/or who tend to be ignored

First, a surprise name...Williams...D3 is better when Williams is good, and the Ephs might be good.  Others are CWRU, John Carroll, SLU, York (PA), Stockton, Birmingham-Southern (quick, name the only other Alabama D3), Otterbein, Rose-Hulman, St John's (MN), Swat, Catholic, Scranton, Willamette, Sewanee, Gettysburg, Lynchburg, Ohio Northern, definitely Mary Washington and Luther, Virginia Wesleyan, Babson, Skidmore, WPI, Mary Hardin-Baylor, and New Paltz.

[jknezek]

Alabama D3 = Huntingdon in Montgomery. But ai live down here so it's cheating

[PaulNewman]

Alabama D3 = Huntingdon in Montgomery. But ai live down here so it's cheating

Yeah, you should have recused yourself, lol.

The only two people I can think of who might have gotten it in under 60 secs without a phone or computer would be Christan Shirk and Sager.  Other good ones are Louisiana and Mississippi.

[jknezek]

Alabama D3 = Huntingdon in Montgomery. But ai live down here so it's cheating

Yeah, you should have recused yourself, lol.

The only two people I can think of who might have gotten it in under 60 secs without a phone or computer would be Christan Shirk and Sager.  Other good ones are Louisiana and Mississippi.

Eh, anyone who also follows football would have gotten it. Huntingdon has been top of the USASAC in football since they joined. I had a coworker that played at Huntingdon in the late 80s early 90s when I think they were D1, or maybe the top tier of NAIA.

[PaulNewman]

Calvin @ JCU is another fantastic game.  Now 1-1 deep in the 2nd.  I know no one is supposed to say anything even mildly negative about Calvin but they've had some very bad fouls...just get the sense that the Knights are almost desperate to win and maybe a touch entitled about winning a national title after so many near misses.   

[PaulNewman]

Great game.  Sweet 16 intensity.  After JCU equalized they had multiple excellent chances to go ahead and then concede late off a deep throw.  JCU outplayed Calvin in the 2nd half.  Apparently Akintade had some kind of injury and did not return after beuing subbed in 1st half.

JCU announcers are really good and beyond fair.  The lead guy criticizes their own fans and calls everything totally both ways.  They do need to get rid of that PIP in the corner that obstructs the view.

[PaulNewman]

Wow.  The defending champs with virtually their entire team back draws at home with Wheaton (MA), 2-2.  And on his return Conn's star CB picks up what looks like was a straight red in the 89th minute after Wheaton drew level maybe a minute or two before.

Keep on eye on Babson at Tufts at 7:00 (huge game for both) and Sewanee at Covenant also I believe at 7:00.

[D3Dad]

Sweet free kick from Wheaton that led to the tying goal .  As a newby not super impressed by conn college or tufts this year , but I do like the way babson plays some skilled players there ,

[SimpleCoach]

If anyone cares to learn more about the genius of @PaulNewman, check out the New Show that was hatched literally during the discussion.  It was supposed to be a segment in Around D3 but it was too good, so my production team, CMO, CSO, and CDO all agreed in starting a show.

The New Show

[Ejay]

If anyone cares to learn more about the genius of @PaulNewman, check out the New Show that was hatched literally during the discussion.  It was supposed to be a segment in Around D3 but it was too good, so my production team, CMO, CSO, and CDO all agreed in starting a show.

The New Show

LOL.  Good stuff!