I am surprised more people aren't talking about Tufts winning the NC without Boyden, Brun, Adams, Bredahl, (the older) Waldbaum, etc.callaxdad wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 9:05 pmSpot on w re to F4 game on a few levels. Not having to face Sals was without a doubt a gift. While many of us Jumbos fans wanted to avenge the Finals loss last year, every single one was rooting for W&L.SaltCounty wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 5:40 pm100% agree on that note / trip.callaxdad wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 12:25 pmI wouldn’t say I wholeheartedly disagree with you, a couple of your points are valid. But, it’s tough to win on the road. Plain and simple. Especially traveling ~450 miles and 8 hours in a bus and having to play the late game on Saturday.SaltCounty wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 10:52 amI don't think it's as noteworthy as it seems given the pod format & their matchup.callaxdad wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 9:42 amExcuse me, since they expanded the tournament to the current size in this era.JDTlax wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2024 2:08 pmTufts IS NOT the 1st team in NCAA playoff history to win the title without playing a home playoff game. Washington College accomplished that in 1998 when they won their title.choochooCharlie wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2024 5:59 amSounds like one of their overly defensive fans just did.callaxdad wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 6:12 pm Tufts is the first program in DIIII history to raise the trophy without playing a single home playoff game. Furthermore, over the course of 17 days, they spent 13 on the road, practiced or played in five different stadiums, stayed in four different hotels and traveled nearly 2000 miles on buses and vans to capture their 4th National Championship!
In addition to losing in the NESCAC quarterfinals, they could’ve used any of the above as excuses
Prior to RIT, they faced the lessor of each of the potential foes along the way. Meaning they had an easier path. Meaning they were less beaten up come the final. Meaning you’re wrong. It is what it is.
Interesting fact about this, 1998 was the year the NCAA expanded the field from 8 teams to 10. Washington was the 10th seed. So not only were they the 1st to win a title with out a home playoff game, they are also the lowest seeded team to win a title.
Teams arrive the day before + get a short practice.
They played a program that (to no fault) is not in position to compete with Tufts.
By Sunday... you could argue you're pretty much settled in.
Tufts to Union is not that bad of a Trip.
And they are already familiar with the site.
You could say a fraction of that Title was won in their F4 game v. W&L.
Given this Tufts Roster / Youth - that was a bigger win that a lot of us knew at the time.
Also, one thing I haven't heard anyone say is the maturity and improvement of Tufts. IMO you make way bigger strides in terms of development from Freshman to Sophomore year and Sophomore to Junior year than you do from Senior to Grad year or 5th to 6th year. The teams that had a number of 5th and 6th year guys had plateaued. CNU was one of them. Several teams caught up to and passed them. Tufts had zero grad students last year. Tufts returns every starter next season, only one grad student.
Many picked those teams to be the ones that won a title.
I think this reinforces your point about the improvement of young Tufts players - credit to them and their staff