NCAC 2024

[hatinghayden]

All confrence teams are out if anybody wants to check it out. https://northcoast.org/documents/2024/5 ... CAC_24.pdf

[twohandsonestick]

All confrence teams are out if anybody wants to check it out. https://northcoast.org/documents/2024/5 ... CAC_24.pdf

I’m all for spreading the wealth as there are many deserving players worthy of recognition on teams throughout the NCAC. That said, I’m hard pressed to find a single player that’s not on OWU, Denison or Kenyon that would make any of those rosters. First and Second team should at least be littered with the NCAC champs/runner-ups (i.e. Denison, OWU / Kenyon) players if we want to call this a fair read.

On the other end, glad to see some parity this year in a conference largely dominated by two teams. May take another year of me over-analyzing the play via watching live streams to determine if Denison and OWU have “fallen” or if the talent pool has just been expanding here in the Midwest. Congrats to all that made it!

[hatinghayden]

All confrence teams are out if anybody wants to check it out. https://northcoast.org/documents/2024/5 ... CAC_24.pdf

I’m all for spreading the wealth as there are many deserving players worthy of recognition on teams throughout the NCAC. That said, I’m hard pressed to find a single player that’s not on OWU, Denison or Kenyon that would make any of those rosters. First and Second team should at least be littered with the NCAC champs/runner-ups (i.e. Denison, OWU / Kenyon) players if we want to call this a fair read.

On the other end, glad to see some parity this year in a conference largely dominated by two teams. May take another year of me over-analyzing the play via watching live streams to determine if Denison and OWU have “fallen” or if the talent pool has just been expanding here in the Midwest. Congrats to all that made it!

I think there are a few players you are really doubting here. Casey Steffan and Colin Taylor are 2 defensive players that stand out to me. I think both would make a big difference on any team, but I see what you mean. If this truly were the best players, it would be majority OWU, Denison, Kenyon, and then 1-2 Wooster and Oberlin players.

[laxmax234]

Noah Pilgram from Hiram would make an impact on any team he plays on, even Notre Dame #goterriers

[twohandsonestick]

Back to current season if I will - any thoughts on BigRed's game tomorrow?

[Prepschoolkid]

Pretty Standard at the top... Alot of Northeast prep school kids from Denison and OWU. Have a couple of notes

1). Jack Sload 1st team SSDM is awesome. I have watched alot of NCAC lacrosse and Mike Caravana did an amazing job recruiting this diamond in the rough from the north shore of Chicago. At first glance in warmups he is not the most flashy player but then you watch him on the field and he is a monster. Physically throwing players on defense and picking up every ground ball to start transition.

2). Big props to Thomas Nelson from Kenyon for earning Specialist of the Year. Love that the lords get some recognition in the player of the year race. He was able to dethrone the Denison duo of MacLean and Larson handling them both in the regular season and championship. Hope Kenyon can continue to build around him next year.

3). Props to plantholt and crew for taking home coaching staff of the year after a terrible 2023 campaign. However I do not understand how you do not pick Kenyons coaching staff every year. What Doug Mistari has done in Gambier over the past couple of years is amazing. I remember in 2017 the Lords traveled to Denison for the conference semifinal and got 20 pieced... now they are right on the heels of Denison year after year. If Koch and his crew of unqualified coaches dont get their act together I can see Kenyon taking over the conference and never looking back.

[twohandsonestick]

Pretty Standard at the top... Alot of Northeast prep school kids from Denison and OWU. Have a couple of notes

1). Jack Sload 1st team SSDM is awesome. I have watched alot of NCAC lacrosse and Mike Caravana did an amazing job recruiting this diamond in the rough from the north shore of Chicago. At first glance in warmups he is not the most flashy player but then you watch him on the field and he is a monster. Physically throwing players on defense and picking up every ground ball to start transition.

2). Big props to Thomas Nelson from Kenyon for earning Specialist of the Year. Love that the lords get some recognition in the player of the year race. He was able to dethrone the Denison duo of MacLean and Larson handling them both in the regular season and championship. Hope Kenyon can continue to build around him next year.

3). Props to plantholt and crew for taking home coaching staff of the year after a terrible 2023 campaign. However I do not understand how you do not pick Kenyons coaching staff every year. What Doug Mistari has done in Gambier over the past couple of years is amazing. I remember in 2017 the Lords traveled to Denison for the conference semifinal and got 20 pieced... now they are right on the heels of Denison year after year. If Koch and his crew of unqualified coaches dont get their act together I can see Kenyon taking over the conference and never looking back.

From watching them a far, Denison needs a full coaching rebuild as the assistant coaches arent what they use to be. Caravana built a rocketship, mentoring and launching these coaches into their careers. The Big Red needs to get back to that if they want to continue NCAC dominance for years to come

[MavShowtimeAllstar]

Guys I’m new to the forum. Just want to say I’m ready to be open with you all and I’m eager to learn. Let’s do this thing!

[twohandsonestick]

Over on the NCAA Tournament forum I've been saying it all day, but Denison comes to play tomorrow 14-11 and handles the Babson inexperience. Looking forward to watching the Big Red play

[boredatwork]

Over on the NCAA Tournament forum I've been saying it all day, but Denison comes to play tomorrow 14-11 and handles the Babson inexperience. Looking forward to watching the Big Red play

Babson has 24 Seniors/Graduate students, I'm not sure "inexperience" is something they struggle with.

[Prepschoolkid]

I agree Babson has experienced players. But the program is new to the tournament... last year was their first year in a while and they had a decent little run. Denison is in the tournament every year. With that being said they have not had a deep run since 2019 when they lost to salisbury in the elite 8 i believe it was. Regardless of who wins the game they will be destroyed by RIT.... DESTROYED

[twohandsonestick]

Over on the NCAA Tournament forum I've been saying it all day, but Denison comes to play tomorrow 14-11 and handles the Babson inexperience. Looking forward to watching the Big Red play

Babson has 24 Seniors/Graduate students, I'm not sure "inexperience" is something they struggle with.

Babson has a senior laden team with several grad students (clear advantage over Denison who doesn't offer that 5th year ability). By inexperience, I was referring to experience in the NCAA tournament which they do not have outside of last season's exit. Denison, while they haven't been as dominant the past two seasons as they usually are, is a team where NCAA playoff appearances is the norm and has been for the past 9 years straight. Koch is equipped with maybe the worst coaching staff in America but the team itself has talent and is hungry to prove they have what it takes to make a run.

[laxrat1982]

Didn’t the Denison HC hire his own assistants?

[twohandsonestick]

Didn’t the Denison HC hire his own assistants?

Yes he did - if I were Denison I'd be looking for a quality OC this off season

[Nosey Ned]

Good to see a little back and forth about Denison! Recently I feel like I’ve been “talking to myself”.

I think twohands makes some valid points. Particularly about the Koch versions of the Big Red are not you up to the same standards we came to enjoy/expect from Coach Caravana. Especially the 2015 to 2019 teams - they were very very competitive teams. I also am disappointed we didn’t get to see what the 2020 team had in store for us - Covid stole what I thought was going to be another special team, maybe even as good as that 2017 team that made it to the, Final Four. But we’ll never know. Caravana also had exceptional assistants as denoted by his coaching tree. Koch is new and you can’t expect him to match up right away with a 320 game winner but he needs to start winning some more top 10 contests. Denison dropping out of the Top 20 IMO is unacceptable. With the history, facilities, Admin support and the ever present road to the NCAA Tournament on an annual basis - recruiting should be a success every year.

Anyway enough of that - As for tomorrow, I posted early in the week that Babson is a very good team and that their senior/grad heavy team would be a handful. I expected them to be a “few goal” favorite over the Big Red and lo and behold, Massey is handicapping it 14-11 Babson. Giving Denison only a 28% chance of victory. Ok I can live with that, but it means “we have a chance “. I think the Big Red is playing much better than the OOC portion of the slate, especially better goalie play (which has gone from a question mark to a strength). Decent FOGOs and a string unit. The offense is Attack heavy but if Bresnahan is indeed healthy, that will make the Babson poles have to think before crashing down on the attackmen. The shooting has become better - still not great but better. Hope it’s not just because of the quality of the opponent but there is that to consider. All that said, I give Denison a chance tomorrow to make it a game late in the 4th and maybe even shock a few people. They’ll have to control the dot, slowing the game down a bit. Denison will fare better in a 10 goal winner vs a 20 goal winner IMO.

Enough talk, roll the ball out and let’s see what happens!

GO BIG RED

[twohandsonestick]

Good to see a little back and forth about Denison! Recently I feel like I’ve been “talking to myself”.

I think twohands makes some valid points. Particularly about the Koch versions of the Big Red are not you up to the same standards we came to enjoy/expect from Coach Caravana. Especially the 2015 to 2019 teams - they were very very competitive teams. I also am disappointed we didn’t get to see what the 2020 team had in store for us - Covid stole what I thought was going to be another special team, maybe even as good as that 2017 team that made it to the, Final Four. But we’ll never know. Caravana also had exceptional assistants as denoted by his coaching tree. Koch is new and you can’t expect him to match up right away with a 320 game winner but he needs to start winning some more top 10 contests. Denison dropping out of the Top 20 IMO is unacceptable. With the history, facilities, Admin support and the ever present road to the NCAA Tournament on an annual basis - recruiting should be a success every year.

Anyway enough of that - As for tomorrow, I posted early in the week that Babson is a very good team and that their senior/grad heavy team would be a handful. I expected them to be a “few goal” favorite over the Big Red and lo and behold, Massey is handicapping it 14-11 Babson. Giving Denison only a 28% chance of victory. Ok I can live with that, but it means “we have a chance “. I think the Big Red is playing much better than the OOC portion of the slate, especially better goalie play (which has gone from a question mark to a strength). Decent FOGOs and a string unit. The offense is Attack heavy but if Bresnahan is indeed healthy, that will make the Babson poles have to think before crashing down on the attackmen. The shooting has become better - still not great but better. Hope it’s not just because of the quality of the opponent but there is that to consider. All that said, I give Denison a chance tomorrow to make it a game late in the 4th and maybe even shock a few people. They’ll have to control the dot, slowing the game down a bit. Denison will fare better in a 10 goal winner vs a 20 goal winner IMO.

Enough talk, roll the ball out and let’s see what happens!

GO BIG RED

Couldn’t have said it better myself - Denison has to be a top 15 team year in and year out or it’s a disappointing season. Looking forward to seeing their team respond tomorrow

[hatinghayden]

Call me crazy but I am backing the Big Red. Andrew Albert 75% day loading. Luke Fisher is about to drop 8 points on some badger head. 11-9 final

[twohandsonestick]

In what will be my last post of the season, here are my thoughts following the Babson game:

1) Obviously a disappointing year as we fell out of the top 20 for the first time in idk how long – that can never happen, as Denison should be a top 15 program nationally week in, week out. Koch as a head coach has lost 14 games in 3 years, has only won 1 game against nationally ranked opponent and notched back-to-back losses in a season which the Big Red under Caravana hadn’t done in almost a decade. While a coach needs a few years to get his own recruits in, build the program etc I don’t want to be too pessimistic, but Koch needs to make things happen next year or I can imagine most of the alumni will be calling for change. In addition, Caravana did a heck of a job on the recruiting circuit and Koch had those talented players to utilize for the past two seasons
2) It was clear all season long the caliber of assistant coaches was beyond subpar on the Denison sideline. Hmmmm, maybe lets add another Bartlett family member and see if that works! While last year’s OC was an abrupt (and late) resignation, Denison lacked a true OC illustrated by the ineffective offensive sets. There needs to be a full replacement of the assistant coaches to help Koch both recruit and actually do a decent job in-season. I’d love to see them take a few up and coming assistants from a competitive conference such as NESCAC, CC, ODAC to name a few. If you can live in Amherst, MA you can stick it out in Granville
3) The Big Red were not doing / not being held accountable to do the little things and that was very clear all season. Passes are all over the place and not on the stick, missed ground balls all over the field and low percentage shots with a lack of mental toughness to earn a decent shot. These are the little things that Caravana would NEVER allow to happen – Koch needs to clean this up asap
4) Yes, the athletic department and school at large is supportive of the program – that is extremely clear thanks to a state-of-the-art lacrosse specific facility that rivals any D1 program. However, I am worried that the athletic department is fine with winning the NCAC tournament each year and anything after that is a bonus. That is absolutely NOT the standard Denison lacrosse was built upon. Denison plays for National Championships – beating arguably what I’d call equivalent to low level Ohio HS teams shouldn’t be something the coaches or players are satisfied with. Its National Championship or bust and Koch + the AD need to wrap their heads around that
5) BURN THE JERSEYS! They are god awful and I never want to see them worn again

[Nosey Ned]

Twohands, I won’t and can’t argue with any of the major points you raised. BTW - I’m already on record myself saying the same re point #5. Horrible uniform.

I hope the team lets this disappointing season gnaw at them all offseason and use it to motivate themselves to hit the wall, hit the weight room and PRACTICE SHOOTING. The coach better demand they come back a better version of themselves and give the players who played there before them a reason to be proud. This version was not up to standard….. frankly this season was simply not good enough.

Time to go to work gentlemen!

Go Big Red!

[FannOLax]

Oh gawd, did Denison wear those gray things that look like the were designed for, and rejected by, Ohio State??

Tough year for the NCAC, a conference definitely losing its lacrosse luster.