2023 NCAA Tournament

[stlawus]

Curious... who was the gentleman with the beard in the YouTube clip also waiving to the Midd fans?  He's not dressed to play, and he's out in front of the players at 1:32, taunting the parents.  Is that Asst Coach Ortega?
[/quote] I didn't think it was an active player at first glance.  I appreciate the former player angle put think its may be seen through a pair of purple colored glasses...I struggle with the thought that if Serpone's ire was toward inappropriate behavior aimed at his players why there wasn't a stoppage/warning to the Midd team at a minimum - clearly within the NCAA/NESCAC's code to enforce........that staff wears out the 4th official every game I've watched.
[/quote]

There have been several examples of this happening in various professional levels here in the US, and every time the game was either abandoned or there were immediate repercussions for the offending team and/or player through ejections or cards.  I'm watching the replay again, and there is no one else reacting to whatever Serpone thinks warranted a stoppage of play.  In today's world I find it extremely difficult to believe that something like this happening, in a NESCAC setting no less, would not result in a near unanimous uproar and on field reaction.    Sure, it could have happened the way described, but they are not going to get the benefit of the doubt from me until proven otherwise.   As I mentioned before, everything that transpired has to be viewed in the broader context of observed actions the past 15 years. 

[kevdog]

St Olaf has player on their team whose last name is Morgan.  He played at North Hermon prep school I believe and has been called into Costa Rico U-23 national team.  I have watched some of their games although very briefly. He is very good.  Topdrawer soccer had an article on him.  Best of luck to all the final 4 teams.Enjoy the holiday and the moment.

[Another Mom]

As surprised as some of you are that Washington College and St. Olaf made it to the final four, I must say that *I* am surprised that W&L is there.  That said, none of the teams we've played so far was better than them (equal to, sure).

The W&L players initially swarmed their GK immediately after he blocked the PK, and then, yes, they all ran over to the stands where families and friends were, and all high fived all the parents' extended hands as we leaned over the bleachers' fence.

From memory, there is no barrier at the Amherst field, there are some tiny temporary bleachers and most people stand on the grass sidelines.

[northman]

Scientifically speaking none of these young men have fully developed brains yet.  They will make a lot of mistakes.  In the meantime they will be shaped by team character given the time commitments to these programs.

I went back and watched SC's interview with WAC Coach Dunshee.  After agreeing with SC on strength of culture as a factor for team success he says:

"For culture you have to set an environment.  The best way to do that is to model good leadership.  If you want your players to be good leaders, then you have to be a good leader. I try to lead by example in everything I do.  The key, of course, is in recruiting.  I can make a player better.  It's harder to make a person a better person, if it's not there.  I think we have a fantastic culture in our team right now.  I'll take credit for rounding those guys up.  I will not take credit for who they are.  That credit belongs to their families."

At WAC families of players are considered part of the team.  After each game, win or lose, families join the team for a meal.  They volunteer for tasks and events.  It's easier to preach leadership when you have reinforcements.

As the clock ran out on their victory yesterday the team immediately went straight to their families in the stands.  This was their captured moment as a team:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz181HTPKCI/

Not to say other programs don't have high cultural standards--it was great to read some examples here like Messiah and others.  Recruits are paying attention.  If not they should be.

Those are good observations, Freddyfud.  During my son's junior year at Bowdoin, they "lost' the NESCAC tournament final to Middlebury at home on PKs.  They were of course crestfallen...while the Middlebury players sang some kind of song (which I have no problem with).  Bowdoin then avenged this "loss" by beating Middlebury in the Elite 8 (also at home) on a goal that was literally scored as the clock ticked down toward zero at the end of the first OT.  This was in the days of the golden goal.

Rather than taunt the Middlebury players, the Bowdoin players, their parents and the fans rushed the field for a mass celebration.  That's all to say that there are different kinds of responses to winning a tough, competitive game.

[Kuiper]

How about Washington Collage or St. Olaf? We've had no discussion about them!

I'm still peeved at Massey. W&L is ranked lower than four teams we beat.

I'll offer a few of my "probably only of interest to me" observations about Washington College, which seems to be the biggest underdog of the Final Four and therefore the most suitable for my kind of Region X-style posts.  Plus, there's an admirable Southern California angle to Washington College's coaching staff that is worth spotlighting given the, ahem, somewhat negative view on the Boards of the coaching staff of at least one of the other participants in this year's Final Four.

Washington College assistant coach Ryan Shera lived in the Southern California area prior to the pandemic, coaching youth soccer.  For awhile, he was the soccer director for Yalla Academy, which was a soccer, tutoring, and college program for refugee children that existed at the time in El Cajon, CA.  It was started by someone from Lebanon, but it served refugee kids from all over, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Mexico, Guatemala, Sudan, Ethiopia, Liberia, and the Philippines.  He got some national attention for his work there:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/20162547/yalla-non-profit-academy-el-cajon-supports-refugee-families-soccer

Incidentally, the last photo and description in the ESPN story is of a Sudanese refugee named Akuar Yamun, who Yalla's founder saw playing soccer in the park and encouraged his father to bring him to Yalla for soccer and tutoring to help him get a chance to go to college (his father was one of the "Lost Boys" from South Sudan who Akuar said walked 1,000 miles to Ethiopa to escape the Civil War).  In a feel good update on Akuar, he went on to play club at Nomads and just finished his freshman year as a 6'5" defender at San Diego City College in case anyone is looking for a community college transfer in a year or so - https://www.sdcityknights.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/roster; https://x.com/sdcityknights/status/1705455515722260529?s=20)

Here's an interview Shera did with a local station about the program (rocking a hairstyle that I'm sure his current players would love to see!).

https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2015/08/26/one-youth-soccer-league-san-diego-college-goal

Here's an interview that Shera did with Simple Coach (with a much more conservative hair style)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KymkA31Mzuk

It's also interesting to note that Head Coach Roy Dunshee and Asst Coach Shera both have law degrees.  Shera still practices law as well, serving as general counsel for his family's business.  I don't know if there are any other soccer programs in the country with two lawyers on the coaching staff.  It would be interesting to see what the player contracts in the Washington College program look like!

And, if you want to extend the Law connection further with Washington College, the team's leading scorer this year was Ben Strine.  Ben's brother James, a volunteer assistant coach on this year's team, was the co-leading scorer on the 2021 team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/strine-brothers.php

How does that relate to law?  Their father, Leo Strine, is the former Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery (the most important business law court in the country because most public corporations are incorporated in Delaware) and the former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

[Ejay]

I'll offer a few of my "probably only of interest to me" observations about Washington College, which seems to be the biggest underdog of the Final Four

I wouldn't go so far as to call Washington College an underdog. They've been legit all season. They were undefeated through their first 14 games, and they've only lost to 1 team (Hopkins) albeit twice. I like their chances.

[Kuiper]

I'll offer a few of my "probably only of interest to me" observations about Washington College, which seems to be the biggest underdog of the Final Four

I wouldn't go so far as to call Washington College an underdog. They've been legit all season. They were undefeated through their first 14 games, and they've only lost to 1 team (Hopkins) albeit twice. I like their chances.

Sorry, that wasn't meant as a slight or a statement about their chances.  It might have been better for me to use the phrase, the "school that no one is talking about," which is indeed an accurate description of what Region X schools feel like sometimes!

[SierraFD3soccer]

As for the Shorepeople and the best logo in the Centennial (I voted and that decides it): I have a very skewed opinion on them, because Hop beat them twice by 2-0 scores. Both games were a little closer than that scoreline, but not fluky or undeserved Ws by any stretch. I wouldn't say I'm shocked that they are in the F4... But I am very VERY surprised.

I always root for the CC, so I'm definitely pulling for them.

Not sure there is anyone who isn't surprised.  I watched their games and noticed they played great defense.  But as I look at the other semifinalists W&L and Amherst actually allowed less goals in the tournament--only one for each.  I cringed during the second half of their last two games against Mary Wash and Conn, teams which scored well above 2 goals per game during the regular season.  At about the 65 minute mark in both games they parked the bus.  Guessing Coach was confident in his defense.  Looking ahead to St Olaf, a team that scored just under 3 goals per game in the regular seasons and has scored 14 in the tournament, I'd be a little worried.

Edit: And I actually like St Olaf's crest.  Reminds me of English football.

I'm going for the Shor'men (fyi, Eastern Shore dialect, a story all by itself) and its logo. If it was the women's team, they would be the Shor'women.  Any club which adopts the Maryland flag pattern along with a goose gets my vote.  We live on the other side of the Chesapeake and every kid (most adults as well) have Maryland flag colors/pattern in there clothing. Whole stores where you can buy Maryland centric items - think Disney stores.  Never a wrong gift for Xmas around here.

WC beat my team and played well. Peaking at the right time and getting it done! Plus two weeks to get ready.

[lastguyoffthebench]

The guy grabbing his crotch should be, at a minimum, not allowed to travel to NC.

As others have said, there is something going on at Amherst that isn't "normal." Even if the opposing fans were giving the players the business, it's a very strange reaction after punching a ticket to the F4 to go over, as a team, to the opposing fans like that. It's definitely a culture thing. Us vs. Everybody, chip on your shoulder, constantly chippy in your style. That's all fine... Until you channel that into highly inappropriate and unsportsmanlike behavior.

With all of that said... I know folks feel strongly on here, especially those that have noted this culture and its problematic (at times) results. But I don't see a coach getting fired for that display. First off, there's another side to this in terms of what was going on with those fans. This wasn't done in a vacuum, I'm sure. There's no excuse for it, but I'd appreciate hearing what sparked that stuff.

Agreed.  I don't there is any chance Serpone gets fired or even "a stern talking to"....as though he doesn't absorb and dismiss the latter multiple times a game.

And you're also right that they likely were responding to some stick from the Midd crowd.. But the risk with that is each and every instance gets explained away.  There's always an apologist at the ready to compartmentalize anything negative as aberration and collude with a narrative that Amherst actually holds the rightful grievance as the ultimate victim of unfair targeting.  Rapal was cited for his behavior in the 1st round match.

400+ programs....and we're supposed to believe that it's a total coincidence or unfair targeting that we're yet again talking about Amherst coach and player behavior.

somebody had posted NCAA rules on straight reds for players abusing officials- not sure how this hasn't carried over to the sidelines

The bench decorum was a point of emphasis for officials this season... we really need to hold these programs accountable.  Not even sure what the governing body will do in this case, but something needs to be done.  This year was a chance for us officials to curb this mindset/behavior.

Coaching and Team Area Decorum. Coaches, players and bench personnel must behave in a responsible and professional manner. Officials will focus on enforcing good sportsmanship and a high level of decorum within the coaching and team areas. "Over the top" unprofessional behavior includes actions which show a clear lack of respect for game officials or the opposing team. Officials are reminded that they are expected to punish this type of behavior.

[SierraFD3soccer]

I'll offer a few of my "probably only of interest to me" observations about Washington College, which seems to be the biggest underdog of the Final Four and therefore the most suitable for my kind of Region X-style posts.  Plus, there's an admirable Southern California angle to Washington College's coaching staff that is worth spotlighting given the, ahem, somewhat negative view on the Boards of the coaching staff of at least one of the other participants in this year's Final Four.

Washington College assistant coach Ryan Shera lived in the Southern California area prior to the pandemic, coaching youth soccer.  For awhile, he was the soccer director for Yalla Academy, which was a soccer, tutoring, and college program for refugee children that existed at the time in El Cajon, CA.  It was started by someone from Lebanon, but it served refugee kids from all over, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Mexico, Guatemala, Sudan, Ethiopia, Liberia, and the Philippines.  He got some national attention for his work there:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/20162547/yalla-non-profit-academy-el-cajon-supports-refugee-families-soccer

Incidentally, the last photo and description in the ESPN story is of a Sudanese refugee named Akuar Yamun, who Yalla's founder saw playing soccer in the park and encouraged his father to bring him to Yalla for soccer and tutoring to help him get a chance to go to college (his father was one of the "Lost Boys" from South Sudan who Akuar said walked 1,000 miles to Ethiopa to escape the Civil War).  In a feel good update on Akuar, he went on to play club at Nomads and just finished his freshman year as a 6'5" defender at San Diego City College in case anyone is looking for a community college transfer in a year or so - https://www.sdcityknights.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/roster; https://x.com/sdcityknights/status/1705455515722260529?s=20)

Here's an interview Shera did with a local station about the program (rocking a hairstyle that I'm sure his current players would love to see!).

https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2015/08/26/one-youth-soccer-league-san-diego-college-goal

Here's an interview that Shera did with Simple Coach (with a much more conservative hair style)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KymkA31Mzuk

It's also interesting to note that Head Coach Roy Dunshee and Asst Coach Shera both have law degrees.  Shera still practices law as well, serving as general counsel for his family's business.  I don't know if there are any other soccer programs in the country with two lawyers on the coaching staff.  It would be interesting to see what the player contracts in the Washington College program look like!

And, if you want to extend the Law connection further with Washington College, the team's leading scorer this year was Ben Strine.  Ben's brother James, a volunteer assistant coach on this year's team, was the co-leading scorer on the 2021 team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/strine-brothers.php

How does that relate to law?  Their father, Leo Strine, is the former Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery (the most important business law court in the country because most public corporations are incorporated in Delaware) and the former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

Adding something as well, Roy Dunshee got his start head coaching in high school soccer and made the jump to college. He coached at my son's HS, Severna Park (a public HS), for several years before my son's time, but his asst coach took over and has had equal success at the HS.  Further, Roy ran Coerver for Maryland (https://www.coerverunited.com/) which he gave up to Sev. Park's now head coach. Don't know why they left that out of bio. So he has a unusual story, but not as much as his asst. coach.  You might say that he is not the usual head college coach.  Also a really, really stand up guy.  Simple Coach's interview is exactly the way he is.

Roy's son goes to St. Mary's College of Maryland (actually a small honors state college in St. Mary's County, southern Maryland) and they went to the NCAAs this year.  Lost in the first round to John Carroll.

Another Mom, you may have not made the connection, but W&L has a freshman from Severna Park, Brad Dulin, who left a MLS Next program to play his senior year for HS soccer.  He played for a program that started its upswing because of Dunshee.  Last year, his team lost in the state finals after a great run to the finals. Also, the SP girls just finished winning the state title and were undefeated while being coached by another Coerver coach when Dunshee ran the program.

You could say that Roy Dunshee has a coaching tree.  Maybe not in college, but in other ways. FYI, Coerver is profitable and don't think any of these coaches will make the jump like Roy did.

[1970s NESCAC Player]

I'll offer a few of my "probably only of interest to me" observations about Washington College, which seems to be the biggest underdog of the Final Four and therefore the most suitable for my kind of Region X-style posts.  Plus, there's an admirable Southern California angle to Washington College's coaching staff that is worth spotlighting given the, ahem, somewhat negative view on the Boards of the coaching staff of at least one of the other participants in this year's Final Four.

Washington College assistant coach Ryan Shera lived in the Southern California area prior to the pandemic, coaching youth soccer.  For awhile, he was the soccer director for Yalla Academy, which was a soccer, tutoring, and college program for refugee children that existed at the time in El Cajon, CA.  It was started by someone from Lebanon, but it served refugee kids from all over, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Mexico, Guatemala, Sudan, Ethiopia, Liberia, and the Philippines.  He got some national attention for his work there:

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/20162547/yalla-non-profit-academy-el-cajon-supports-refugee-families-soccer

Incidentally, the last photo and description in the ESPN story is of a Sudanese refugee named Akuar Yamun, who Yalla's founder saw playing soccer in the park and encouraged his father to bring him to Yalla for soccer and tutoring to help him get a chance to go to college (his father was one of the "Lost Boys" from South Sudan who Akuar said walked 1,000 miles to Ethiopa to escape the Civil War).  In a feel good update on Akuar, he went on to play club at Nomads and just finished his freshman year as a 6'5" defender at San Diego City College in case anyone is looking for a community college transfer in a year or so - https://www.sdcityknights.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/roster; https://x.com/sdcityknights/status/1705455515722260529?s=20)

Here's an interview Shera did with a local station about the program (rocking a hairstyle that I'm sure his current players would love to see!).

https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2015/08/26/one-youth-soccer-league-san-diego-college-goal

Here's an interview that Shera did with Simple Coach (with a much more conservative hair style)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KymkA31Mzuk

It's also interesting to note that Head Coach Roy Dunshee and Asst Coach Shera both have law degrees.  Shera still practices law as well, serving as general counsel for his family's business.  I don't know if there are any other soccer programs in the country with two lawyers on the coaching staff.  It would be interesting to see what the player contracts in the Washington College program look like!

And, if you want to extend the Law connection further with Washington College, the team's leading scorer this year was Ben Strine.  Ben's brother James, a volunteer assistant coach on this year's team, was the co-leading scorer on the 2021 team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/strine-brothers.php

How does that relate to law?  Their father, Leo Strine, is the former Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery (the most important business law court in the country because most public corporations are incorporated in Delaware) and the former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

Adding something as well, Roy Dunshee got his start head coaching in high school soccer and made the jump to college. He coached at my son's HS, Severna Park (a public HS), for several years before my son's time, but his asst coach took over and has had equal success at the HS.  Further, Roy ran Coerver for Maryland (https://www.coerverunited.com/) which he gave up to Sev. Park's now head coach. Don't know why they left that out of bio. So he has a unusual story, but not as much as his asst. coach.  You might say that he is not the usual head college coach.  Also a really, really stand up guy.  Simple Coach's interview is exactly the way he is.

Roy's son goes to St. Mary's College of Maryland (actually a small honors state college in St. Mary's County, southern Maryland) and they went to the NCAAs this year.  Lost in the first round to John Carroll.

Another Mom, you may have not made the connection, but W&L has a freshman from Severna Park, Brad Dulin, who left a MLS Next program to play his senior year for HS soccer.  He played for a program that started its upswing because of Dunshee.  Last year, his team lost in the state finals after a great run to the finals. Also, the SP girls just finished winning the state title and were undefeated while being coached by another Coerver coach when Dunshee ran the program.

You could say that Roy Dunshee has a coaching tree.  Maybe not in college, but in other ways. FYI, Coerver is profitable and don't think any of these coaches will make the jump like Roy did.

As for the Dunshee coaching tree, it does extend to college.  His 2015 captain at WC, Chris Koch, is the son of legendary UMass coach Sam Koch, a teammate of mine at Colby in the 1970s.  Chris went on to assist at WC and is now the assistant at Stevens, which went to the Final Four last year.

[Another Mom]

Yes, Brad Dulin is a great addition to the team! (His parents are very nice as well). Brad has gotten some good playing time this year.

[PaulNewman]

I think it's fair to refer to WC as both "for real" and an underdog.

I remember wondering in 2021 where WC had come from.  I do follow the CC with some interest and tbh I never thought of WC before that season.  In my mind they were very similar to Ursinus.  And if you go back and look at records beginning around 2008 the records of those two schools look pretty similar.  WC never even made the CC playoffs until 2016.  That said, WC was for real in 2021, pretty good last year, and now obviously in the Final Four.  I think I picked the as having a good chance....and like all teams that make it you have to have a bit of good fortune.  They've gotten out to 1-0 leads including when getting crushed in the stats battle vs Mary Wash.  Out of the four remaining teams I think WC has to be considered the underdog, which of course doesn't mean they won't win the whole thing.  The Comber kid is a heckuva player.

As for W&L, it does feel a bit like they were lurking in the wings under the radar.  I didn't see their run coming.  I think the Generals were fortunate to play Tufts in the Sweet 16 which was the right spot to knock off the Jumbos.  An Elite 8 matchup I think would have been tougher and of course even though sounds like most feel W&L carried the play the game with CC obviously could have gone either way.  That said, W&L on the back of a very good near-decade and two Final Four appearances within a three year stretch and a Sweet 16 in between imo has elevated to #6 in the "current top programs" list and is knocking on the door of top 5. 

No predictions, but I think W&L is most prepared to get by Amherst....and if W&L gets by Amherst, either WC or St Olaf would have a good chance to beat W&L.  I don't see WC or St Olaf beating Amherst, although St Olaf hanging with and winning over Chicago are encouraging.

[Falconer]

On a much happier note, kudos to the Falcon women, who defeated John Carroll 1-0 in the Elite Eight, advancing to the Final Four for the 15th time. Tufts advanced on the other side of the bracket, so the long-awaited Tufts-Messiah game might actually happen this year. 

[Freddyfud]

W&L has some championship pedigree with at least one of their players, sophomore Alec Perez.  Alec played for Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh and won not one, but two, NC state 4A championships.  The first was in the shortened season due to the pandemic.  The boys season was shortened and moved from the Fall of 2020 to the Spring of 2021.  Just getting through that season was a challenge for all of the boys--not if there would be a quarantine protocol but a matter of when.  A year and a half later Alec and Cardinal Gibbons won a second NC state championship.

To the chagrin of my son who played for a rival high school that Gibbons championship team was stacked.  Some of the boys landed at NC State, St Bonaventure, UNC Charlotte, Catholic U, and Alec at W&L, among others.