LaxPower Back-Up Stick

"You don't come to Cortland to only win a SUNYAC Championship, you come to Cortland to win a National Championship!"

xcoach wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2020 4:10 pm "You don't come to Cortland to only win a SUNYAC Championship, you come to Cortland to win a National Championship!"

Anyone can say that, but the vast majority of players and fans across the DIII landscape know this is certainly not the case. While the Red Dragons obviously are a respectable program and frontrunner in the SUNYAC (not saying much), they are far from competing with the top tier of DIII teams, let alone a national championship. They are just one of those teams that's good enough to win a decent conference and as a result will always be towards the bottom of the top 20.

Those 12 final fours say otherwise.

Cortland travels South this season to play Salisbury, that will be a big test to see how they stand outside of regular comfort zone. Travel and playing a caliber team will help them.

The "just one of those teams that's good enough to win a decent conference" Red Dragons also play Amherst on that trip.
What was coach Thompson thinking scheduling a team that "will always be towards the bottom of the top 20"?

overandback wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2020 6:49 pm The "just one of those teams that's good enough to win a decent conference" Red Dragons also play Amherst on that trip.
What was coach Thompson thinking scheduling a team that "will always be towards the bottom of the top 20"?

Coach Thompson is building up the strength of their out of conference schedule. Cortland will win their conference (given its overall lack of strength) and as a result find themselves in the top 20 come tournament selection time. Therefore, this more or less guaranteed win for Amherst will look good for tournament selection at the end of the year should Amherst need a pool bid. The competition within the NESCAC requires that those teams get guaranteed OOC wins against decent teams to help their tournament case. Doesn't take much to see why he scheduled this game as it will be a good resume booster. Not denying that Cortland won't finish in the top 20, they obviously will, but they just can't compete with the top teams.

Cortland will go 11-5 reg season, maybe 10-6 w/ an in conference loss, and will continue their downward trend since 2012... They've done worse almost every successive year, except 2017, since 2012. There needs to be a change... Cortland hasn't been close to a natty in 7 years (hidden ball trick vs. RIT in 2013), while other teams in the conference are catching up and beating them. These include Brockport, Geneseo, Oswego (somewhat), and I'd say Plattsburgh but they have also trended downwards since they won the conference.

Either recruiting, internal standards of excellence or coaching style need to change if we want to see Cortland back as a perennial top 5 team once again. Which, I hope happens quickly. With those facilities and other off-field draws, there is no reason they shouldn't be in the quarterfinals every. single. year.