Unless your computer only shows the top few inches of the site for some reason, you’ve probably seen that the Men’s Preseason Top 25 poll was released.
One voter said this was one of the hardest preseason polls he’s ever voted in. I actually thought it was one of the easiest to vote in. It’s funny how much simpler dart boards make everything.
Here are some more serious thoughts on the Top 25.
– Biggest surprise William Paterson at No. 7. The Pioneers should be very solid with most of last year’s Sweet 16 team back. But I didn’t think they’d place this highly in the preseason given some of their low scoring results (Va Wes 46 WPUNJ 35).
– Thunderstruck: I liked the way Wheaton (Ill.) finished the season, so they were No. 22 on my ballot. Getting Kent Raymond back after he sat out last year should be a lift. You can read more about the Thunder in their team preview.
– Oshkosh, By Gosh: Last year I had the Titans ranked in the Top 10 to start the year. I wasn’t alone as Oshkosh was the No. 2 team in the preseason. The Titans were “upset” by unranked Lawrence in the opener – the first of 25 straight wins for the Vikings — and then lost 5 of 7 to close the year. Maybe the slow start or the weak finish deterred some voters from putting the Titans on their ballot. Nonetheless, I went with the Titans again in the Top 25 along with Whitewater. Given my predictive powers, UWO fans everywhere may be ducking for cover.
For those keeping score: Division III teams got beaten soundly by Division I counterparts in their preseason exhibition games. You can check out the UNI-Central box score or the St. Norbert game story below if you enjoy carnage.
George Mason 84 Marymount (Va.) 48
Pittsburgh 103 Carnegie Mellon 45
Northern Iowa 75 Central 41
UW-Green Bay 70 St. Norbert 37
Gordon, thanks for starting this off. It’s been a crazy week for me, putting the two polls together, maintaining D3football.com and driving home to visit my wife and kids in Northern Virginia for the weekend. This is my first chance to breathe, with the baby napping and the two older kids in school.
… oh wait … phone ringing … political advertisement. 🙁
Is William Paterson that good? Probably not. But at this point, I’m not sure we know who is. I personally think St. Thomas should be higher than Paterson. I’m rolling the dice on Tufts and truly rolling the dice on UW-Stevens Point, both of whom I have quite high. Tufts has to prove it can do it again.
I think Carroll is underrated as well.
People who voted for Illinois Wesleyan puzzle me. What more evidence do you need than four lost starters, eight or so lost of the top nine in the rotation, and a new coach? Anyone who has them in the Top 20 needs to seriously rethink their ballot before the first regular season poll.
Men’s teams I’m not 100% sold on: Wittenberg, Randolph-Macon, Occidental, Hampden-Sydney and Puget Sound.
Here are three more D1 vs D3 scores as reported on the Midwest Region SLIAC board:
D1 Eastern Illinois 71, D3 Eureka 55
D1 Western Illinois 97, D3 MacMurray 65
D1 Southeast Missouri 88, Westminster (MO) 79
Kudos to Westminster for keeping it relatively close.
More than kudos for Rhode Island College for beating Iona. Story out front.
Similarly, congrats to Guilford beating Elon.
DI SIU-Carbondale 59, D3 Washington U. 28