2023 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[WUPHF]

The UAA kind of messes up reviews by region, so off the top let me say that the UAA has fallen further behind NESCAC.  Chicago has separated from the rest of the UAA...with imo considerable distance between the Maroons and then, who?  NYU?  Rochester? 

Rochester finished 6th last season and may finish in the bottom half again this year, though they may have the best GK in the league.

I do think it is Chicago and everyone else is a good bet until we get a few games in the books.

I could see NYU finishing second.

Carnegie Mellon lost a lot including their keeper. 

[PaulNewman]

I was glad to see some positive response to the coverage of regions mock proposal. I almost deleted it because I don't know if @stlawus is another psychologist or an atty waiting for me to need his services, but I do feel a little hypomanic and over the top.

@kuiper, where to place your fine work is the least of our worries. The bigger concern is that your reviews are too good, yielding hesitation from others and a risk of me being exposed for really having no true knowledge of whatever teams I talk about.  In any case, my vote is for the national thread even if it gets a little messy and of course posting the same content in two places wld still be an option.

I do think we need to know what we're dealing with in terms of d3soccer.com, viability of alternative database/scheduling resources, etc. Since we haven't heard anything -- and we're not just on the doorstep but ringing the bell on the season -- I'm assuming the worst.

Another short-term suggestion for anyone who is bored and excited would be starting a thread where team season previews could be dropped with a link.  Maybe someone knows how to do it where new entries could automatically alphabetize.

[stlawus]

Even if you were over the top, don't see how that's a bad thing!  I've posted more in the LL board this offseason than I have at any point in my life, and I've held back on a lot of things so if anything I'm the one that's over the top.   

As for the proposal, I pay close attention to all things Region 3 so I'm more than happy to chime in on things.

[Gregory Sager]

Don't look now but Calvin is absolutely loaded...and huge.  Wunder back at GK at 6'6, a bunch of 6'3 and 6'2 dudes, Akintade back, and Chris Schau returns for his 9th campaign.  Impressive geographical reach recruiting-wise that probably surpasses Messiah.

Calvin appears to have a brand new field (artificial?).  The schedule looks favorable as well.  On the road for Chicago and Ohio Northern but get OWU and JCU at home.

Projection....20-1-1 with Sweet 16 as floor (would be massive disappointment) and national title as ceiling.  Does Souders finally get a still hungry Calvin program to the top of the mountain?

North Park traveled to Grand Rapids on Saturday and defeated Calvin by a score of 5-1.

Yes, I know, it was only a scrimmage. But still ...

[SKUD]

Does anyone know about this Hartford Team?  If they can defeat Conn College on 9/5 they should run the table. 

[Gregory Sager]

Does anyone know about this Hartford Team?  If they can defeat Conn College on 9/5 they should run the table.

You're probably aware of this, but, for readers who aren't aware of how moving from one NCAA division to another works: Hartford is a provisional member of D3, which means that the university is still in the process of reclassifying from D1. And that, in turn, means that "run the table" should be interpreted as "go undefeated in the regular season and then put away the gear until next August."

[Newenglander]

Does anyone know about this Hartford Team?  If they can defeat Conn College on 9/5 they should run the table.

You're probably aware of this, but, for readers who aren't aware of how moving from one NCAA division to another works: Hartford is a provisional member of D3, which means that the university is still in the process of reclassifying from D1. And that, in turn, means that "run the table" should be interpreted as "go undefeated in the regular season and then put away the gear until next August."

Does seem like an interesting scheduling choice for Conn - I would assume Hartford would be a bit of a wild card at this point (not understanding who stayed/left/recruited based on the news) for a team who is looking to get out of the gates better than last season.

[College Soccer Observer]

Middlebury traveled to Williamstown and came away with a 4-0 victory in a scrimmage.  Goals by first year Jay Hoke and Jr. Tyler Payne on nice free kicks.  First year Will Sawin had a side volley to make it 3-0, and Alem Hadzic finished off the scoring with a sliding tap in of a cross from the left.  Was not on site, but am relaying based on cell phone video and eyewitness reports.

[soccerpapa]

Aurora University playing a D1 Team (northern Illinois) during the regular season - this seems odd doesnt it?

[Gotberg]

Aurora University playing a D1 Team (northern Illinois) during the regular season - this seems odd doesnt it?

It's not uncommon in Basketball.  It's usually an exhibition for the d3 team, regular game for d1.  Likely, NIU had a date it couldn't fill, so added a d3 to get a game in....

[SKUD]

Last year Endicott traveled to BC for a Monday night game in late October.

[PaulNewman]

First Five Matches Plus for Some Prominent Programs By Regions (EXCLUDING NESCAC)


Regions 1 and 2



Babson -- St Joe's (ME), TX-Dallas, Suffolk, @Montclair, @Stevens (Conn Coll 9/23, @Amherst 9/27, Tufts 10/3)

Brandeis -- Western NE, @ECSU, @WPI, Vassar, Bridgewater St (Wesleyan 9/17, @Babson 10/10)

Coast Guard -- @Widener, @Swat, @Merch Marine, Mass-Dartmouth, MIT (Colby 9/17)

Endicott -- Concordia (TX), Ramapo, @Stevens, @Montclair, Salem St (@Middlebury 9/19)

MIT -- @Haverford, @Scranton, @Tufts, @UMass-Boston, @RWU (Brandeis 10/4)

Western CT -- Vassar, Drew, Potsdam (N), Nichols (N), Keene St (Wesleyan 10/3, @Williams 10/18)

WPI -- @Worcester St, @UMass-Boston, Brandeis, Skidmore, Eastern Naz (@Amherst 9/19)


Regions 3 and 4


Brockport -- RIT, Elmira, @St John Fisher, @Messiah, @Gettysburg

Cortland -- @Rochester, @SLU, Manhattanville, Catholic, Utica (@Rowan 9/13)

Montclair -- NYU, Hunter, Babson, Endicott, @Moravian (Vassar 9/16, Amherst 10/15)

New Paltz -- @Drew, St Elizabeths Univ (N), Lehman, Union, @Vassar (@Skidmore 9/16)

NYU -- @Montclair, Merch Marine, @Wesleyan, TCNJ (N), @Rut-Newark (@Stevens 9/19)

Oneonta -- @Union, Hartwick, Merch Marine, SLU, @Utica (RPI 9/27)

Rochester -- Cortland, @Alvernia, Keuka, RIT, Hobart (Stevens 9/23)

Rowan -- @Salisbury, St Mary's (N), Hopkins, @Haverford, Cortland (@Wash Coll 9/19)

RPI -- @Mary Wash, NC Wesleyan (N), Plattsburgh, @Keene St, Oswego (@Oneonta 9/23)

SLU -- Geneseo, Cortland, @Hartwick, @Oneonta, Potsdam

Stevens -- Manhattanville, @Franklin & Marshall, Endicott, Babson, TCNJ (NYU 9/19...Duck Country Game, @Rochester 9/23)

Vassar -- @Western CT, Mt St Mary, @Springfield, @Brandeis, New Paltz (@Montclair 9/16)


Regions 5 and 6


Catholic -- Shenandoah, Messiah, @Cortland, Randolph Macon, Emory (N) (@Gettysburg 9/20, Mary Wash 10/14)

Christopher Newport -- Berry, Lynchburg, Marymount, Randolph, NC Wesleyan (Santa Cruz (N) 9/22, @Colorado Coll 9/23, @W&L 10/21, @Mary Wash 10/28)

Emory -- Covenant, W&L, @Pac Luth, @Willamette, Catholic (N) (Mary Wash (N) 9/17, Wash U 9/23)

Franklin & Marshall -- Stevens, Leb Valley, Etown, Rosemont, @PS-Harrisburg

Johns Hopkins -- NC Wesleyan (N), @Mary Wash, @Rowan, Lycoming, Hobart

Lynchburg -- Hardin-Simmons (N), @CNU, Covenant (N), Oglethorpe, Greensboro (@Mary Wash 10/7)

Mary Washington -- RPI, Hopkins, Hobart (N), Lycoming (N), Hampden-Sydney (N) (Emory (N) 9/17, @Messiah 9/23)

Messiah -- TCNJ (N), @Catholic, Brockport, Rut-Camden, Dickinson (Mary Wash 9/23)

Rhodes -- Mary Hardin-Baylor, Lyon Coll, @Webster, @ Westminster (MO), Stockton, McMurry

Sewanee -- Gettysburg, @W&L, @Hampden-Sydney, Maryville @Belhaven (@Emory 9/24)

Washington & Lee -- @Oglethorpe, @Emory, Stockton (N), Sewanee, Otterbein (N) (CNU 10/21)


Regions 7 and 8


Calvin -- St Norbert, OWU, Cornerstone, @ONU, Wilmington (N) (JCU 9/23, @Chicago 9/27)

Carnegie Mellon -- Muskingum, Allegheny, JCU, @Westminster (PA), @Washington & Jefferson

Chicago -- @St Olaf, @GAC, UWEC, @North Park, @Hope (Calvin 9/27)

CWRU -- @Otterbein, Wooster, Defiance, Capital, @JCU (Denison 9/23)

Denison -- Roanoke, Transy, @Marietta, @Grove City, @Franklin (@JCU 9/20, @CWRU 9/23, Otterbein 9/27)

Hanover -- Centre (N), @Spalding, @Kenyon, @OWU, @Berea (Otterbein 9/23)

Hope -- OWU, St Norbert, Cornerstone, @Elmhurst, Olivet (Chicago 9/15, RHIT 9/16)

John Carroll -- Oberlin, @Kenyon, @CMU, Wooster, CWRU (@OWU 9/16, Denison 9/20, @Calvin 9/23, North Park (N) 9/27)

Kenyon -- @ONU, JCU, Hanover, St Olaf, Wilmington

North Central -- Baldwin Wallace (N), @PS-Behrend or Alfred (N), Benedictine, Trine, RHIT (ONU 9/15)

North Park -- Benedictine, St Norbert, @KZoo, Chicago, Wartburg (ONU 9/16, @Wash U 9/20, JCU 9/27 (N))

Ohio Northern -- Kenyon, @Oberlin, Calvin, Colorado Coll, @OWU (@North Central 9/15, @North Park 9/16)

Otterbein -- CWRU, Trine, W&L (N), Franklin, @Transy (@OWU 9/20)

OWU -- @Hope, @Calvin, St Olaf, Hanover, ONU (JCU 9/16, Otterbein 9/20)

Rose Hulman -- @Greenville, Wash U, Wabash, @ North Central, DePauw (@Hope 9/16, ONU 9/23)

Washington Univ -- @ Ill Wesleyan, @RHIT, @Principia, Aurora, @Millikin (North Park 9/20)

Wheaton (Ill) -- Wisc-Platteville, Principia, @Lake Forest, @MSOE, Dubuque (@Loras 9/16, Chicago 9/19, Wash U 9/23)


Regions 9 and 10


Augsburg -- @Linfield, @George Fox, Univ Northwestern St Paul, @Minnesota Morris, @Hamline

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps -- Santa Cruz, @Willamette, Pac Lutheran (N), Cal Lutheran, @Chapman

Gustavus Adolphus -- Knox, Chicago, @Loras, @Dubuque, @Carleton (@Luther 10/16)

Loras -- Monmouth, Concordia (Minn), Northland, GAC, St John's (Wheaton (Ill) 9/16, UWW 9/20)

Luther -- Cornell Coll, @St Scholastica, @Wisc-Platteville, Viterbo, @Macalester (UWW 9/13, @St Olaf 9/20)

Occidental -- TX Lutheran, Marymount (VA), The Master's College (what??), Lewis & Clark, Caltech

Pacific Lutheran -- @Colorado Coll, Nebraska Wesleyan (N), Emory (N), C-M-S, Whitworth

Redlands -- Bethesda Univ, Santa Cruz, LIFE Pacific, @Chapman, @Vanguard

St Olaf -- Chicago, Knox, @OWU, @Kenyon, Bethel (Luther 9/20)

St Thomas (TX) -- Pomona-Pitzer, Willamette (N), Concordia (TX), @Mary Hardin Baylor, @St Edwards (ummm, who??)

Southwestern -- Willamette, Elmhurst, Whitman, TX-Dallas, E. Texas Baptist

Texas-Dallas -- @Wheaton (MA), @Babson, @Trinity (TX), @Southwestern, TX Lutheran (Colorado Coll 9/17)

Trinity (TX) -- Elmhurst, Pomona-Pitzer, TX-Dallas, Whitman, Hardin Simmons

Wisc-Eau Claire -- @St Scholastica, @Wisc-Superior, @Macalester, @ Chicago, Northland (St Olaf 10/4, UWW 10/6, Luther 10/21)

Willamette -- @Southwestern, @St Thomas (TX) (N), C-M-S, Emory, Linfield

[paclassic89]

I'm going through my RPI spreadsheet prior to the season and making sure my team database matches the NCAA listing and while searching for Finlandia's status (I guess they cut men's soccer?  They're no longer listed in the NCAA database and they don't have a 2023 schedule up on their athletics website) discovered that men's soccer will be included in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference again starting next season.  UW-Eau Claire, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater.  Another AQ spot

https://wiacsports.com/news/2023/8/29/mens-soccer-returning-to-wiac-sport-module.aspx

[WUPHF]

Finlandia has closed, unfortunately.

[Gregory Sager]

I'm going through my RPI spreadsheet prior to the season and making sure my team database matches the NCAA listing and while searching for Finlandia's status (I guess they cut men's soccer?  They're no longer listed in the NCAA database and they don't have a 2023 schedule up on their athletics website) discovered that men's soccer will be included in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference again starting next season.  UW-Eau Claire, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater.  Another AQ spot

https://wiacsports.com/news/2023/8/29/mens-soccer-returning-to-wiac-sport-module.aspx

The sad irony, of course, being that long-time national power UW-Oshkosh, which played in 14 D3 tourneys and reached the Final Four on four different occasions before disbanding the men's soccer program eight years ago, is not one of the WIAC schools that will be participating in the rebirth of WIAC men's soccer.