Can a D3 team without grad players win the National Title

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

[Jumbo]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Doesn’t tufts not have grads?

[Unknown Participant]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Doesn’t tufts not have grads?

I believe Tufts had one last year. This year it has none (unless Swank comes back from Dominica).

[laxdad1434]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Which teams?

[MVPiccoli]

Unlikely IMO. Gulls and Captains are the preseason darlings. There might be a pure undergrad roster out there that can do it, but I don't think the odds are in their favor. The game slows down as you get to your traditional 3rd and 4th years. Give them a 5th or 6th, combine that with work in the weight room and all that. Tough to beat.

An ancillary question, can a team without a transfer win the NC?

[laxdad1434]

Unlikely IMO. Gulls and Captains are the preseason darlings. There might be a pure undergrad roster out there that can do it, but I don't think the odds are in their favor. The game slows down as you get to your traditional 3rd and 4th years. Give them a 5th or 6th, combine that with work in the weight room and all that. Tough to beat.

An ancillary question, can a team without a transfer win the NC?

Yep…And that’s why some go to D1 and do well after 4-5 years of D3. They’re no longer boys, they’re men.

[Jumbo]

I checked. Tufts didnt have any grads last season. They dominated the season and almost beat SU (a team stacked with 5th and 6th year)

If it was all about 5th and 6th year players to win a natty, CNU has always had the most. They can even get to the final 4.

With that said. SU bringing in 3 D1 transfers and having (probably) 7-8 grad kids, will be tough to beat. I feel bad for the fresh and sophomores that were probably studs in HS, but still haven’t seen a single meaningful min at SU

[LILaxGuy08]

I checked. Tufts didnt have any grads last season. They dominated the season and almost beat SU (a team stacked with 5th and 6th year)

If it was all about 5th and 6th year players to win a natty, CNU has always had the most. They can even get to the final 4.

With that said. SU bringing in 3 D1 transfers and having (probably) 7-8 grad kids, will be tough to beat. I feel bad for the fresh and sophomores that were probably studs in HS, but still haven’t seen a single meaningful min at SU

Does the NESCAC have a rule that does not allow graduate players/transfers (similar to Ivy and Patriot League)?

Tufts has amazing graduate programs. Shocked they can’t get any 5th/6th years?

[Asgot]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Which teams?

There are only a handful of teams that have the talent and experience to win it all and most if not all of them have grad students. CNU , Salisbury , RIT obviously Tufts has the talent as well but not that many other schools

[D3LaxFan2]

Does the NESCAC have a rule that does not allow graduate players/transfers (similar to Ivy and Patriot League)?

Yes

[Unknown Participant]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Which teams?

There are only a handful of teams that have the talent and experience to win it all and most if not all of them have grad students. CNU , Salisbury , RIT obviously Tufts has the talent as well but not that many other schools

Isn't this the last year of Covid 5th years?

[2laxers]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Which teams?

There are only a handful of teams that have the talent and experience to win it all and most if not all of them have grad students. CNU , Salisbury , RIT obviously Tufts has the talent as well but not that many other schools

Isn't this the last year of Covid 5th years?

Nope, this years seniors can have one more year. Which I think also means this years 5th years can have one more year.

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

Does the NESCAC have a rule that does not allow graduate players/transfers (similar to Ivy and Patriot League)?

Yes

Tufts had 2 grad players in2021

[AbeFroeman]

Looking at various D3 rosters and the number of 5th year players those teams have is it realistic to think a program without 5th years can win a title.

Which teams?

There are only a handful of teams that have the talent and experience to win it all and most if not all of them have grad students. CNU , Salisbury , RIT obviously Tufts has the talent as well but not that many other schools

Isn't this the last year of Covid 5th years?

2020 and 2021 didn’t count for D3

You could have a freshman in 2020, that can still play the next two seasons. 2020 (didn't count), 2021 (didn’t count) , 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

[SaltCounty]

I checked. Tufts didnt have any grads last season. They dominated the season and almost beat SU (a team stacked with 5th and 6th year)

If it was all about 5th and 6th year players to win a natty, CNU has always had the most. They can even get to the final 4.

With that said. SU bringing in 3 D1 transfers and having (probably) 7-8 grad kids, will be tough to beat. I feel bad for the fresh and sophomores that were probably studs in HS, but still haven’t seen a single meaningful min at SU

But what Tufts has that SU does not, is a number of players who attend New England-based, private schools.
Any player that re-classes / re-peats a year is essentially the same age as a 5th year; when they are in their Senior.
I say this without knowing who / or how many fall into this category...

[D3LaxFan2]

Does the NESCAC have a rule that does not allow graduate players/transfers (similar to Ivy and Patriot League)?

Yes

Tufts had 2 grad players in2021

Sorry, I meant grad student transfers cannot play in the NESCAC, like they can at, say, Babson and Stevens Tech.

[SKUD]

But NESCAC teams that have grad programs can keep their athletes for their grad year. Many players took a fall off to play another year.

[Dehuntshigwa’es]

I checked. Tufts didnt have any grads last season. They dominated the season and almost beat SU (a team stacked with 5th and 6th year)

If it was all about 5th and 6th year players to win a natty, CNU has always had the most. They can even get to the final 4.

With that said. SU bringing in 3 D1 transfers and having (probably) 7-8 grad kids, will be tough to beat. I feel bad for the fresh and sophomores that were probably studs in HS, but still haven’t seen a single meaningful min at SU

But what Tufts has that SU does not, is a number of players who attend New England-based, private schools.
Any player that re-classes / re-peats a year is essentially the same age as a 5th year; when they are in their Senior.
I say this without knowing who / or how many fall into this category...

The question I’ve always had about NESCAC rosters is to what extent does reclassifying players coming out of prep schools come in to play. Is it 20% of their rosters, less or more. Anyone have anecdotal evidence

[smoova]

The question I’ve always had about NESCAC rosters is to what extent does reclassifying players coming out of prep schools come in to play. Is it 20% of their rosters, less or more. Anyone have anecdotal evidence

In my limited experience, ~25% of NESCAC players start college at 19 or older.

[RE6ULATOR]

The question I’ve always had about NESCAC rosters is to what extent does reclassifying players coming out of prep schools come in to play. Is it 20% of their rosters, less or more. Anyone have anecdotal evidence

In my limited experience, ~25% of NESCAC players start college at 19 or older.

That’s not the flex you think it is. It sounds about right for what everyone is saying. Nobody cares whether or not the person doing choreographed celebrations on the bench is 24 years old. We’re talking about the -25% that represents the starters and key contributors, that happen to be PGd or reclassed, now senoirs, being no different than the 5th years on the other team’s side. Frankly, the argument could be made that the prevalence of prep school PG and reclass came before COVID years, giving the NESCAC a head start and likely a continuing leg up with them being available long after COVID years expire.