2024 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[Convict charlie]

Can anyone shed some light on the NCAA tournament (regional) hosting criteria? What does the host college have to offer to be picked for an early round regional hosting spot? thank you

It's in the ncaa championship manual on selection of host sights. It goes by a number of factors and not always being the best team or record. It's usually done in pods of four teams. At this level of investment a lot of times it may be the central location that's the easiest for the teams to get to as far as travel. Someone else will update it but there was a rule that anything over 500 miles is a flight compared to a bus.
Secondary factor is also if both men/women make the tournament and both want to host. There's a priority list that switches every year and in the tournament as well. First two rounds (round of 64/32) the men may have priority or the women. Then in round of 32/16 referred to as sectionals) the priority of hosts switches to the opposite. This is all covered in the ncaa championship manual. Actually liked going away myself as a coach and felt we were more focused as a team when we traveled.
NCAA reimburses for the day before to travel down and practice for the bus and hotel as well as meals. Makes it more of an event. Just my thoughts.

[NEsoccerfan]

#1 UMW is about to kick off against D1 UVA! Very excited to see how they stack up.

[SierraFD3soccer]

#1 UMW is about to kick off against D1 UVA! Very excited to see how they stack up.

Thanks! Watching now. So far all right.

[Newenglander]

#1 UMW is about to kick off against D1 UVA! Very excited to see how they stack up.

Thanks! Watching now. So far all right.

literally just tuned in to catch the OG....tough break

[NEsoccerfan]

OG aside, UVA is having the better of the opportunities so far, but UMW is definitely holding their own and was unlucky not to bury one that went off the crossbar when it was 1-0.

[eaglesoccerdad]

OG aside, UVA is having the better of the opportunities so far, but UMW is definitely holding their own and was unlucky not to bury one that went off the crossbar when it was 1-0.

Captain Obvious here but when playing better teams those are the chances that need to be taken
Really nice flick header to the back post for the 2nd goal tho

[eaglesoccerdad]

Worm kind of turned when the the first set of subs came on for UMW
Especially #10

[NEsoccerfan]

Looks like UMW throwing in the towel and not putting out their best players in the 2H.

[eaglesoccerdad]

Looks like UMW throwing in the towel and not putting out their best players in the 2H.

Nope

[Ejay]

Good showing by UMW. They did D3 proud. Let's see what Trine can do against Indiana on Friday.

[NEsoccerfan]

Good showing by UMW. They did D3 proud. Let's see what Trine can do against Indiana on Friday.

Agreed. A 4-2 loss (with a disastrous own goal) to a historically excellent D1 program is nothing to scoff at.

[Ejay]

Good showing by UMW. They did D3 proud. Let's see what Trine can do against Indiana on Friday.

Agreed. A 4-2 loss (with a disastrous own goal) to a historically excellent D1 program is nothing to scoff at.

From Head Coach George Gelnovatch:
"With this game, we took the approach of using it as a way to get ready for the postseason. Scoring four goals and getting the win helps. We have played a couple teams like Mary Washington, and they are a Division I caliber team. There is a reason why they are the No. 1 team in Division III, so I give them a lot of credit."

[SierraFD3soccer]

From Head Coach George Gelnovatch:
"With this game, we took the approach of using it as a way to get ready for the postseason. Scoring four goals and getting the win helps. We have played a couple teams like Mary Washington, and they are a Division I caliber team. There is a reason why they are the No. 1 team in Division III, so I give them a lot of credit."

Very classy.

[PaulNewman]

Welp, I waited to see if someone would step up on this, but, alas, I will do my best as a bitter rival/hater.

First, congrats to Denison on a great season for a surging program.  We now will see how the Big Red respond as the hunted rather than the hunter.  Denison has the perfect set-up on Saturday evening....a home match on their brand new, sparkling pitch, an end of of the regular season tilt against historical behemoth, Ohio Wesleyan, and a regular season NCAC title on the line for two teams unbeaten and once-tied in the conference.  Certainly these squads have higher ambitions than a regular season conference title, but it's been a minute since either held up a banner for the regular season.  There is of course seeding to chase for the bigger tournament and there is a good chance these two squads will meet again next weekend (and possibly again in 2-3 weeks).  It is also the last regular season match for the legendary Jay Martin.  Dr. Martin surely would like to win his last NCAC campaign and also a NCAC tourney towards an ultimate storybook ending with a Final 4 run.  And surely Martin's players will want to see him off as a champion.  No doubt he would have liked to pick up a couple more national titles along the way, but OWU holds the record for NCAA tourney appearances (by a lot), won the NCAC virtually every single year for about 30 or more years, and captured two national titles in 1998 and 2011 (the latter featuring national POY and current rival coach, Travis Wall).  Definitely an interesting tilt for OWU nation and its legions of loyal and dedicated player alums.  Bianco and Wall are both beloved, I presume, but I would guess the heartstrings are getting pulled hard in Martin's direction.  The significance of this match goes well beyond any real or imagined impact on the rest of the season.  This is an event.  I also would guess that Wall will be there, ostensibly for scouting purposes, but more so to pay his respects (and it doesn't hurt that Granville is about a half-hour drive on rural, dead-deer-laced roads in Ohio's Amish country). 

I expect Bianco (and Denison) to honor Dr. Martin by really going for a win and an outright NCAC title.  I think Denison will play well.  That said, my gut tells me OWU will pull this one out, or at least earn a draw.  Remember they very easily could play again the following Saturday night on the pitch of whoever wins this weekend.  Speaking of NCAC seeding, in prior years these teams might have had at least a slight interest in avoiding Kenyon in a semi, but they've both already beaten Kenyon this year and I'm sure are quite confident about taking on the Owls again.  The winner will get DePauw (I think), and I wouldn't be shocked if that is the upset in NCAC tourney land.

Speaking of my Owls, I am less confident going into this part of the season than I have been since 2012.  I lean pessimistic by nature, but Kenyon has not been playing well.  Last night they had only one goal (that came late) and started diving for steals when Oberlin had the ball deep in their own third.  The lunges (and misses) for the ball led to big openings for the Yeomen and of course they scored with a little over two minutes left.  The Owls miraculously scored when with 4.4 seconds left the GK put a ball into the box that was headed forward and somehow put into the back of the net at literally 89:599.  Supposedly the ball crossed the line with 01. left.  Oberlin bitterly disputed the goal to no avail.  At any rate, you can't be struggling with Hiram and Oberlin, especially heading into tourney season.  In part there are too many injuries to too many players, but there also seems to a lack of rythym perhaps as a function of trying to figure out who is going to play and where. If they get some of the key players back (like Duratovic) then I will more hopeful, and if in form I would like our chances versus both Denison and OWU away from home with a chance to turn the tables on these programs that have won NCAC finals in Gambier.

Right now the big event is the game on Saturday night.  Would be huge for Denison to come out on top over Kenyon and OWU.  But, again, I think this is mostly about Jay Martin.

Tip of the cap to Dr. Martin.  I'll never forgive you for 2014.

[SKUD]

Monday 6:00 PM

D3  CCNY travels to D1 St John's University

Ouch