(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  

(11-15-2023 03:30 PM)jimrtex Wrote:  ACC 9 teams, 6 seeds
Sun Belt 5 teams, 3 seeds
AAC 4 teams, 1 seed
PAC 3 teams, 2 seed
Am E 3 teams, 1 seed
WCC 3 teams, 1 seed
Big East 2 teams, 1 seed
MVC 2 teams
Summit 2 teams
WAC 2 teams
CAA 1 team, 1 seed

ASUN, A10, Big S, B1G, Big W, Horizon, Ivy, MAAC, NEC, OVC, Patriot, SoCon 1 team each

23 AQs.

MtW, BXII, SEC, Southland, SWAC, MEAC, Big Sky, CUSA, MAC do not sponsor soccer

Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tapped the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

One-quarter of the Wahoos’ roster is international. They’re casting a wide net for talent…soccer powerhouse countries (Brazil, Italy and Germany), wealthy developed countries (Sweden and Canada), and underdeveloped nations (Senegal and Ghana).

Soccer, similar to lacrosse, also helps UVa maintain a pipeline to affluent communities. They still have roster space from wealthy suburbs such as McLean, Alexandria, Potomac and Bethesda.

(11-17-2023 06:31 AM)Yosef181 Wrote:  Number of teams remaining (Round of 32)

8: ACC
5: Sun Belt
4: AAC
3: Pac-12
2: American East, MVC, WCC
1: Big East, Big Ten, CAA, Ivy, Summit, WAC

Of the 12 conferences which had only a single (AQ) team, only 2 survive, and one of those defeated another single-bid team: Indiana (B1G) > Lipscomb (ASUN)

The other was Yale (Ivy) > Bryant (Am E). The America East had 3 teams, including the #8 seed New Hampshire.

(11-17-2023 06:31 AM)Yosef181 Wrote:  Number of teams remaining (Round of 32)

8: ACC
5: Sun Belt
4: AAC
3: Pac-12
2: American East, MVC, WCC
1: Big East, Big Ten, CAA, Ivy, Summit, WAC

Man, this feels weird to say, but way to go MVC!

(11-17-2023 10:26 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  

(11-15-2023 03:30 PM)jimrtex Wrote:  ACC 9 teams, 6 seeds
Sun Belt 5 teams, 3 seeds
AAC 4 teams, 1 seed
PAC 3 teams, 2 seed
Am E 3 teams, 1 seed
WCC 3 teams, 1 seed
Big East 2 teams, 1 seed
MVC 2 teams
Summit 2 teams
WAC 2 teams
CAA 1 team, 1 seed

ASUN, A10, Big S, B1G, Big W, Horizon, Ivy, MAAC, NEC, OVC, Patriot, SoCon 1 team each

23 AQs.

MtW, BXII, SEC, Southland, SWAC, MEAC, Big Sky, CUSA, MAC do not sponsor soccer

Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tapped the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

One-quarter of the Wahoos’ roster is international. They’re casting a wide net for talent…soccer powerhouse countries (Brazil, Italy and Germany), wealthy developed countries (Sweden and Canada), and underdeveloped nations (Senegal and Ghana).

Soccer, similar to lacrosse, also helps UVa maintain a pipeline to affluent communities. They still have roster space from wealthy suburbs such as McLean, Alexandria, Potomac and Bethesda.

I have a co-worker who is a UVa grad (he likes soccer) and will ask his thoughts. Sounds like a smart move for Virginia to recruit like this.

(11-17-2023 09:24 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tappe the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

Ha! On the ENTIRE roster of #1 Marshall, only 4 players are from the USA.

The UCLA men's soccer team has only four foreign born players on the 26-man roster. On the men's basketball roster, UCLA has seven foreign born players on the 15-man roster. I guess you go where you have to go to find the talent in all sports.

(11-17-2023 05:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:24 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tappe the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

Ha! On the ENTIRE roster of #1 Marshall, only 4 players are from the USA.

The UCLA men's soccer team has only four foreign born players on the 26-man roster. On the men's basketball roster, UCLA has seven foreign born players on the 15-man roster. I guess you go where you have to go to find the talent in all sports.

I'm almost stunned UCLA has only four foreign-born players for men's soccer. Very surprising. And had no idea the Bruin basketball team is half international. Would be curious to get W.T. Walton's take on this.

(11-17-2023 05:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:24 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tappe the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

Ha! On the ENTIRE roster of #1 Marshall, only 4 players are from the USA.

The UCLA men's soccer team has only four foreign born players on the 26-man roster. On the men's basketball roster, UCLA has seven foreign born players on the 15-man roster. I guess you go where you have to go to find the talent in all sports.

Thirty years ago, UVa regularly recruited the elite US soccer players. Claudio Reyna and John Harkes led UVa to national championships…and later were each captains of different US men’s national teams in World Cup squads.

Then the big European soccer powerhouses started to build their own “academies” to better develop talent at a younger age. Subsequently, the MLS gained enough traction and US clubs started their own academies. The competition for control of young soccer talent has been intense.

US college soccer has had to scramble for its own survival. The educational opportunities and experience of playing for a US university provides a niche, but you need to cast a wide net to find elite athletes who desire what you offer.

(11-17-2023 05:25 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 05:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:24 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:42 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote:  Maybe the ACC’s realignment/expansion approach is influenced by men’s soccer. Two of the incoming members, SMU and Stanford, are also seeded teams in the tournament. SMU seems to have a championship level team this year.

Although the elite US-born athletes are increasingly being scooped-up by MLS development programs, universities with competitive soccer teams have tappe the international market for top-end talent.

Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

Ha! On the ENTIRE roster of #1 Marshall, only 4 players are from the USA.

The UCLA men's soccer team has only four foreign born players on the 26-man roster. On the men's basketball roster, UCLA has seven foreign born players on the 15-man roster. I guess you go where you have to go to find the talent in all sports.

I'm almost stunned UCLA has only four foreign-born players for men's soccer. Very surprising. And had no idea the Bruin basketball team is half international. Would be curious to get W.T. Walton's take on this.

He loves the kids, especially 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who plays like a young Bill Walton. Mara is from Spain. He also talked a lot about Jan Vide, a talented and smart 6-foot-6 combo guard from Slovenia.

My grandson in Florida is a senior and he’s being recruited by UVA, Duke, Clemson and Wake Forest to play soccer. He’s presently in Cologne, Germany for this semester going to school and training with FC Koln.

If he gets picked up by one of the European teams he’s going to skip college and play over there professionally.

If he doesn’t sign a contract he’ll go to one of the above ACC schools. (He’s a huge Louisville fan unfortunately they’re not recruiting him.)

(11-17-2023 03:40 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 06:31 AM)Yosef181 Wrote:  Number of teams remaining (Round of 32)

8: ACC
5: Sun Belt
4: AAC
3: Pac-12
2: American East, MVC, WCC
1: Big East, Big Ten, CAA, Ivy, Summit, WAC

Man, this feels weird to say, but way to go MVC!

This article from the Springfield newspaper suggests that they felt they should have got a seed, but instead are traveling to the #16 seed Stanford. Only two players have a US hometown. Missouri State has qualified for five straight NCAAT.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/w...r-AA1k48ft

Western Michigan (the other "MVC" team) may have been stronger than Akron in the last seasons of the MAC.

(11-17-2023 06:55 PM)jimrtex Wrote:  ... This article from the Springfield newspaper suggests that they felt they should have got a seed, but instead are traveling to the #16 seed Stanford. Only two players have a US hometown. Missouri State has qualified for five straight NCAAT.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/w...r-AA1k48ft

Western Michigan (the other "MVC" team) may have been stronger than Akron in the last seasons of the MAC.

It was WMU in the MAC that I was doing the "Way to go MVC!" for.

It's the first year of that arrangement, so it still feels strange.

(11-17-2023 08:30 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-16-2023 11:41 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-16-2023 11:10 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Lots of close games. Only one team (Western Michigan) has won today by three goals (WMU beat Green Bay 3-0).

We’ll probably see more lopsided games once todays winners start taking on the good teams that got byes.

Yep.

I’m going to disagree with both y’all.

One of the positive benefits of the 48-team bracket is that most of the “cupcakes” get eliminated before having to face seeded teams.

But both the first and second rounds will, by design, offer many more competitive games than the 64(ish) team brackets do (like basketball or women’s soccer)

I like this format and for the same reason would not mind if we went to 96-ish for MBB and WBB.

Meantime… it’s GAMEDAY for the second round! Let’s Goooooooooooo!

(…oooooooL!)

(11-17-2023 06:12 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 05:25 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 05:04 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:24 AM)forphase1 Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 09:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Excellent point. Lipscomb (which lost to Indiana 2-1 yesterday) offers a roster that is about one-third international.

Ha! On the ENTIRE roster of #1 Marshall, only 4 players are from the USA.

The UCLA men's soccer team has only four foreign born players on the 26-man roster. On the men's basketball roster, UCLA has seven foreign born players on the 15-man roster. I guess you go where you have to go to find the talent in all sports.

I'm almost stunned UCLA has only four foreign-born players for men's soccer. Very surprising. And had no idea the Bruin basketball team is half international. Would be curious to get W.T. Walton's take on this.

He loves the kids, especially 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who plays like a young Bill Walton. Mara is from Spain. He also talked a lot about Jan Vide, a talented and smart 6-foot-6 combo guard from Slovenia.

That is wonderful to hear. And I hope Walton has a good rapport with Mick Cronin. I want to see Mara play. You've got me curious.

(11-19-2023 08:53 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(11-17-2023 08:30 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(11-16-2023 11:41 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-16-2023 11:10 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Lots of close games. Only one team (Western Michigan) has won today by three goals (WMU beat Green Bay 3-0).

We’ll probably see more lopsided games once todays winners start taking on the good teams that got byes.

Yep.

I’m going to disagree with both y’all.

One of the positive benefits of the 48-team bracket is that most of the “cupcakes” get eliminated before having to face seeded teams.

But both the first and second rounds will, by design, offer many more competitive games than the 64(ish) team brackets do (like basketball or women’s soccer)

I like this format and for the same reason would not mind if we went to 96-ish for MBB and WBB.

Meantime… it’s GAMEDAY for the second round! Let’s Goooooooooooo!

(…oooooooL!)

Fair point. And I hope you are proved correct.

Number of teams remaining (Round of 16)

4: ACC (Notre Dame, UNC, Virginia, Clemson)
3: Sun Belt (Marshall, James Madison, West Virginia)
2: American East (New Hampshire, Vermont), Pac-12 (Stanford, Oregon State)
1: AAC (SMU), Big Ten (Indiana), CAA (Hofstra), MVC (Western Michigan), WCC (Loyola Marymount)