Calvin’s Warners, UTD’s Villarreal named coaches of the year

Calvin head coach Amber Warners and Texas Dallas assistant coach Zach Villarreal have been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Coaches of the Year. 

Warners led Calvin to the 2013 national title and a 35-1 record.

Villarreal helped lead UTD to 31-9 season, a program record for wins.

-Ricky Nelson

Christopher Newport to host 2014 D-III volleyball championships; Calvin in 2015, 2017; Oshkosh in 2016

Christopher Newport was selected to host the 2014 NCAA Division III women’s volleyball championships at the Freeman Center. Christopher Newport was chosen from a list of four finalists that included Birmingham Southern, Calvin and Wisconsin Oshkosh.

The NCAA also announced the championship hosts for 2015-17:
2015: Van Noord Arena Hosts: Calvin/West Michigan Sports Commission.
2016: Kolf Sports Center Host: Wisconsin Oshkosh (Thank you, NCAA!).
2017: Van Noord Arena Hosts: Calvin/West Michigan Sports Commission.

Selection video announcing the D-III volleyball championship host sites

D-III women’s volleyball regional hosts were not announced (D-III baseball regional hosts were). Those volleyball sites will presumably continue to be announced when the NCAA releases the tournament field each season.

The D-III volleyball host announcement was not alone.
NCAA video announcements of future host sites for 82 of its championships
Complete text list of 2014-18 NCAA championship sites

-Ricky Nelson

Championship hosts to be revealed tomorrow

The NCAA developed a new way to procure bids for dozens of championships at all three levels. Hosting bids are now sent to a central portal, and the NCAA vetted the 1,984 total bids and will mete out the winning bids en masse.

The process started in July with bids from hopeful institutions and cities. Finalists for most of the NCAA’s 89 championships were announced in late October. Tomorrow the NCAA will announce the host sites for 82 championships, including Division III women’s volleyball.

The video announcement is scheduled to begin at noon central. The announcement will also include all pre-determined regional host sites, and cities were able to bid for one or more years of the same championship, according to an NCAA release in October.

As a reminder, here are the four finalists for the D-III women’s volleyball championship:
• Birmingham CrossPlex Hosts: Birmingham Southern/City of Birmingham/Birmingham CrossPlex.
• Van Noord Arena Hosts: Calvin/West Michigan Sports Commission.
• Freeman Center Host: Christopher Newport.
• Kolf Sports Center Host: Wisconsin Oshkosh.

I’m sure many of you have a preference. I do too. I’m typing this post one mile from one of the venues on the list of finalists. Pretty please with sugar on top, NCAA.

-Ricky Nelson

UST’s Foley, UWP’s Kirchner, UNW’s Stoltz, EC’s Wilks named First Team Academic All-America

Six Division III women’s volleyball players are named Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America Academic First Team All-America. The Central and Midwest regions are home to four of this year’s First Team honorees.

Central/Midwest Region First Team Academic All-Americans
• St. Thomas junior middle Kelly Foley is a business and financial management double major with a 3.82 grade point average. On the court Foley is the reigning two-time Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, a two-time All-American and the 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Freshman of the Year.

• Wisconsin-Platteville senior middle Stephanie Kirchner is an  industrial engineering major with a 3.97 GPA. On the court Kirchner is a three-time member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team. She also became the third Pioneer to reach 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.

• Northwestern senior setter Krista Stoltz is an elementary education major with a 3.95 GPA. On the court Stoltz was the 2013 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a 2012 AVCA Second Team All-American while amassing more than 4,300 career assists and leading her teams to four NCAA tournament appearances.

• Elmhurst senior middle Kaitlyn Wilks is an elementary education and psychology double major with a 3.96 GPA. On the court Wilks is a two-time AVCA All-American who helped lead her teams to two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin titles and three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Central/Midwest Region Third Team Academic All-American
• North Park senior outside Shelby Switzer is a biology major with a 3.93 GPA. On the court Switzer is a four-time All-CCIW selection who set the NPU record with 1,736 career kills and became the second Viking to surpass 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs (1,327).

From the release: To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

-Ricky Nelson

My 2013 preseason conference prediction report card: 84 percent

This was my third season predicting each Pool A conference’s winner. I count it as a successful prediction if the team wins the regular season or conference tournament titles.

This year I went 36-for-43 on my preseason conference predictions. An 84 percent is a solid “B” where I come from. Still room to improve. My incorrect picks? HCAC, LEC, MASCAC, NESCAC, NACC, NWC and WIAC. The bad part is that winners from two of those conferences were among the last eight teams playing this year.

The NCAA tournament selection committee and I disagreed on five tournament teams. I was wrong on seven conference predictions. Good thing there cannot be a difference in opinion with conference winners.

Past season predictions:
2011: 31-of-42
2012: 30-of-42

Here were my July 24 predictions (before SID and coach polls) and supporting facts along with prior predictions and supporting facts.

Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Pitt-Bradford
2010 tournament champ: Pitt-Bradford
2011 predicted champion: Penn State Altoona
2011 regular season champ: Penn State Altoona
2011 tournament champ: Penn State Altoona
2012 predicted champion: Medaille
2012 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend
2012 tournament champ: Medaille
2013 predicted champion: Penn State Behrend
2013 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend
2013 tournament champ: Penn State Behrend

American Southwest Conference
2010 regular season champ: Texas Lutheran, Hardin-Simmons (West); Texas-Dallas (East)
2010 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2011 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas-Dallas (East)
2011 regular season champ: McMurry (West), Texas-Dallas (East)
2011 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2012 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East)
2012 regular season champ: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East)
2012 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons
2013 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons
2013 regular season champ: Texas Dallas
2013 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons

Capital Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Frostburg
2010 tournament champ: Frostburg
2011 predicted champion: Mary Washington (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Salisbury
2011 tournament champ: Salisbury
2012 predicted champion: Salisbury
2012 regular season champ: Salisbury
2012 tournament champ: Salisbury
2013 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2013 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2013 tournament champ: Christopher Newport

Centennial Conference
2010 regular season champ: Haverford
2010 tournament champ: Franklin & Marshall
2011 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins
2011 regular season champ: Johns Hopkins
2011 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2012 predicted champion: Franklin & Marshall
2012 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins
2012 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins
2013 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins
2013 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall
2013 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins

City University of New York Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Hunter
2010 tournament champ: Hunter
2011 predicted champion: Hunter
2011 regular season champ: Hunter
2011 tournament champ: Baruch
2012 predicted champion: Baruch
2012 regular season champ: Baruch
2012 tournament champ: Baruch
2013 predicted champion: Baruch
2013 regular season champ: Baruch
2013 tournament champ: Baruch

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
2010 regular season champ: Millikin
2010 tournament champ: Carthage
2011 predicted champion: Carthage
2011 regular season champ: Carthage
2011 tournament champ: Carthage
2012 predicted champion: Elmhurst
2012 regular season champ: Elmhurst
2012 tournament champ: Elmhurst
2013 predicted champion: Elmhurst
2013 regular season champ: Elmhurst
2013 tournament champ: Elmhurst

Colonial States Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cabrini
2010 tournament champ: Cabrini
2011 predicted champion: Neumann (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Cabrini
2011 tournament champ: Cabrini
2012 predicted champion: Cabrini (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Neumann
2012 tournament champ: Neumann
2013 predicted champion: Cabrini
2013 regular season champ: Cabrini
2013 tournament champ: Cabrini

Commonwealth Coast Conference
2010 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2010 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2011 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2011 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2011 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2012 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2012 regular season champ: Roger Williams
2012 tournament champ: Roger Williams
2013 predicted champion: Roger Williams
2013 regular season champ: Roger Williams, Salve Regina
2013 tournament champ: Roger Williams

Commonwealth Conference
2010 regular season champ: Elizabethtown
2010 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley
2011 predicted champion: Elizabethtown (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Messiah
2011 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley
2012 predicted champion: Messiah (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Stevenson
2012 tournament champ: Stevenson
2013 predicted champion: Stevenson
2013 regular season champ: Stevenson
2013 tournament champ: Stevenson

Empire 8
2010 regular season champ: Ithaca
2010 tournament champ: Ithaca
2011 predicted champion: Ithaca (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Elmira
2011 tournament champ: Nazareth
2012 predicted champion: Elmira
2012 regular season champ: Elmira, Stevens
2012 tournament champ: Nazareth
2013 predicted champion: Stevens
2013 regular season champ: Stevens
2013 tournament champ: Nazareth

Freedom Conference
2010 regular season champ: Eastern
2010 tournament champ: Eastern
2011 predicted champion: Eastern
2011 regular season champ: Eastern
2011 tournament champ: Eastern
2012 predicted champion: Eastern
2012 regular season champ: Eastern
2012 tournament champ: Eastern
2013 predicted champion: Eastern
2013 regular season champ: Eastern
2013 tournament champ: Eastern

Great Northeast Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Johnson & Wales
2010 tournament champ: Johnson & Wales
2011 predicted champion: Rivier
2011 regular season champ: Emerson
2011 tournament champ: Rivier
2012 predicted champion: Rivier
2012 regular season champ: Rivier
2012 tournament champ: Emerson
2013 predicted champion: Rivier
2013 regular season champ: Rivier
2013 tournament champ: Rivier

Great South Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Huntingdon
2010 tournament champ: Piedmont
2011 predicted champion: Huntingdon (5th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Maryville
2011 tournament champ: Maryville
2012 predicted champion: Agnes Scott (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Huntingdon
2012 tournament champ: Salem
2013 predicted champion: Salem
2013 regular season champ: Salem (nominally, as the No. 1 seed)
2013 tournament champ: Agnes Scott

Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Transylvania
2010 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph
2011 predicted champion: Transylvania
2011 regular season champ: Rose-Hulman, Bluffton, Hanover, Transylvania, Mount St. Joseph
2011 tournament champ: Rose-Hulman
2012 predicted champion: Hanover (5th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Mount St. Joseph, Transylvania
2012 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph
2013 predicted champion: Transylvania (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Defiance
2013 tournament champ: Bluffton

Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Loras
2010 tournament champ: Wartburg
2011 predicted champion: Wartburg (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tourament)
2011 regular season champ: Coe
2011 tournament champ: Cornell
2012 predicted champion: Wartburg
2012 regular season champ: Wartburg
2012 tournament champ: Wartburg
2013 predicted champion: Wartburg
2013 regular season champ: Wartburg
2013 tournament champ: Wartburg

Landmark Conference
2010 regular season champ: Juniata
2010 tournament champ: Juniata
2011 predicted champion: Juniata
2011 regular season champ: Juniata
2011 tournament champ: Juniata
2012 predicted champion: Juniata
2012 regular season champ: Juniata
2012 tournament champ: Juniata
2013 predicted champion: Juniata
2013 regular season champ: Juniata
2013 tournament champ: Juniata

Liberty League
2012 regular season champ: Skidmore
2012 tourney champ: Clarkson
2013 predicted champ: Clarkson
2013 regular season champ: Clarkson
2013 tournament champ: Clarkson

Little East Conference
2010 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2010 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2011 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2011 regular season champ: Plymouth State, UMass Boston
2011 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2012 predicted champion: UMass Boston
2012 regular season champ: UMass Boston, Western Connecticut State
2012 tournament champ: UMass Boston
2013 predicted champion: Western Connecticut State (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: UMass Boston
2013 tournament champ: UMass Boston

Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Westfield State
2010 tournament champ: Westfield State
2011 predicted champion: Westfield State
2011 regular season champ: Westfield State
2011 tournament champ: Westfield State
2012 predicted champion: Framingham State
2012 regular season champ: Framingham State
2012 tournament champ: Framingham State
2013 predicted champion: Framingham State (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Westfield State
2013 tournament champ: Westfield State

Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
2010 regular season champ: Hope
2010 tournament champ: Hope
2011 predicted champion: Calvin
2011 regular season champ: Calvin
2011 tournament champ: Calvin
2012 predicted champion: Hope (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Calvin
2012 tournament champ: Calvin
2013 predicted champion: Calvin
2013 regular season champ: Calvin, Hope
2013 tournament champ: Calvin

Midwest Conference
2010 regular season champ: Monmouth
2010 tournament champ: Beloit
2011 predicted champion: St. Norbert
2011 regular season champ: St. Norbert
2011 tournament champ: St. Norbert
2012 predicted champion: St. Norbert (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Cornell
2012 tournament champ: Cornell
2013 predicted champion: Cornell
2013 regular season champ: Cornell
2013 tournament champ: Cornell

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: St. Olaf
2010 tournament champ: St. Olaf
2011 predicted champion: Concordia-Moorhead
2011 regular season champ: Concordia-Moorhead, St. Thomas
2011 tournament champ: Concordia-Moorhead
2012 predicted champion: St. Thomas
2012 regular season champ: St. Thomas
2012 tournament champ: St. Thomas
2013 predicted champion: St. Thomas
2013 regular season champ: St. Thomas, Augsburg
2013 tournament champ: St. Thomas

New England Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Daniel Webster
2010 tournament champ: Lesley
2011 predicted champion: Daniel Webster (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2011 tournament champ: Southern Vermont
2012 predicted champion: Southern Vermont
2012 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2012 tournament champ: Southern Vermont
2013 predicted champion: Southern Vermont
2013 regular season champ: Southern Vermont
2013 tournament champ: Southern Vermont

New England Small College Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Amherst
2010 tournament champ: Middlebury
2011 predicted champion: Amherst (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Bowdoin
2011 tournament champ: Bowdoin
2012 predicted champion: Tufts (6th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Connecticut College, Middlebury, Bowdoin
2012 tournament champ: Middlebury
2013 predicted champion: Bowdoin (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Williams
2013 tournament champ: Williams

New England Women’s and Men’s Athletics Conference
2010 regular season champ: Springfield
2010 tournament champ: Coast Guard
2011 predicted champion: Coast Guard
2011 regular season champ: Springfield, Coast Guard
2011 tournament champ: Springfield
2012 predicted champion: Coast Guard (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Wellesley
2012 tournament champ: MIT
2013 predicted champion: Wellesley
2013 regular season champ: Springfield, Wellesley
2013 tournament champ: Springfield

New Jersey Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2010 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2011 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2011 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2011 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2012 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2012 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2012 tournament champ: Richard Stockton
2013 predicted champion: Richard Stockton
2013 regular season champ: Richard Stockton
2013 tournament champ: Richard Stockton

North Atlantic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Maine Maritime
2010 tournament champ: Maine Maritime
2011 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2011 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2012 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2012 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer
2013 predicted champion: Colby-Sawyer
2013 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer
2013 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer

North Coast Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2010 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2011 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2011 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2011 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2012 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2012 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2012 tournament champ: Wittenberg
2013 predicted champion: Wittenberg
2013 regular season champ: Wittenberg
2013 tournament champ: Wittenberg

North Eastern Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Keuka (North), Gallaudet (South)
2010 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2011 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2011 regular season champ: Penn State Berks
2011 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2012 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2012 regular season champ: Gallaudet
2012 tournament champ: Gallaudet
2013 predicted champion: Gallaudet
2013 regular season champ: Gallaudet, SUNYIT, Keuka
2013 tournament champ: Gallaudet

Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
2010 regular season champ: Concordia (Wis.)
2010 tournament champ: Dominican
2011 predicted champion: Edgewood
2011 regular season champ: Dominican
2011 tournament champ: Edgewood
2012 predicted champion: Dominican (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Edgewood, Benedictine
2012 tournament champ: Benedictine
2013 predicted champion: Benedictine (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Edgewood
2013 tournament champ: Dominican

Northwest Conference (no tourney)
2010 regular season champ: Whitworth
2011 predicted champion: Whitworth
2011 regular season champ: Whitworth
2012 predicted champion: Pacific Lutheran
2012 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran
2013 predicted champion: Puget Sound (2nd in regular season)
2013 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran

Ohio Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Heidelberg
2010 tournament champ: Heidelberg
2011 predicted champion: Heidelberg
2011 regular season champ: Heidelberg
2011 tournament champ: Mount Union
2012 predicted champion: Heidelberg (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Mount Union
2012 tournament champ: Otterbein
2013 predicted champion: Mount Union
2013 regular season champ: Mount Union, Heidelberg
2013 tournament champ: Mount Union

Old Dominion Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Washington and Lee
2010 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2011 predicted champion: Washington and Lee
2011 regular season champ: Washington and Lee
2011 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon
2012 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon
2012 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon
2012 tournament champ: Washington and Lee
2013 predicted champion: Washington and Lee
2013 regular season champ: Washington and Lee, Randolph-Macon
2013 tournament champ: Washington and Lee

Presidents’ Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Thomas More
2010 tournament champ: Thomas More
2011 predicted champion: Thomas More (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: Geneva
2011 tournament champ: Geneva
2012 predicted champion: Geneva (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Thomas More
2012 tournament champ: Thomas More
2013 predicted champion: Thomas More
2013 regular season champ: Bethany
2013 tournament champ: Thomas More

Skyline Conference
2010 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2010 tournament champ: NYU-Poly
2011 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary
2011 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2011 tournament champ: NYU-Poly
2012 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary
2012 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary
2012 tournament champ: Mount Saint Mary
2013 predicted champion: Sage
2013 regular season champ: Sage
2013 tournament champ: St. Joseph’s (Long Island)

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2010 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2011 predicted champion: Occidental
2011 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2011 tournament champ: Occidental
2012 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran
2012 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2012 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran
2013 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran
2013 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran
2013 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Colorado College
2010 tournament champ: Colorado College
2011 predicted champion: Southwestern
2011 regular season champ: Southwestern
2011 tournament champ: Colorado College
2012 predicted champion: Colorado College
2012 regular season champ: Colorado College, Trinity (Texas)
2012 tournament champ: Colorado College
2013 predicted champion: Trinity (Texas)
2013 regular season champ: Trinity (Texas)
2013 tournament champ: Trinity (Texas)

St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Greenville
2010 tournament champ: Greenville
2011 predicted champion: Greenville
2011 regular season champ: Webster, Greenville
2011 tournament champ: Webster
2012 predicted champion: Greenville
2012 regular season champ: Greenville, Webster
2012 tournament champ: Webster
2013 predicted champion: Webster
2013 regular season champ: Greenville
2013 tournament champ: Webster

State University of New York Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2010 tournament champ: Cortland
2011 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2011 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2011 tournament champ: Cortland
2012 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West)
2012 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Buffalo State (West)
2012 tournament champ: Cortland
2013 predicted champions: New Paltz State
2013 regular season champ: New Paltz State
2013 tournament champ: Buffalo State

University Athletic Association
2010 regular season champ: Emory
2010 tournament champ: Emory
2011 predicted champion: Emory
2011 regular season champ: Emory
2011 tournament champ: Washington-St. Louis
2012 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis
2012 regular season champ: Emory, Chicago, Washington-St. Louis
2012 tournament champ: Emory
2013 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis
2013 regular season champ: Chicago, Washington-St. Louis
2013 tournament champ: Chicago

Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: St. Scholastica
2010 tournament champ: Northwestern
2011 predicted champion: St. Scholastica
2011 regular season champ: St. Scholastica, Northwestern
2011 tournament champ: St. Scholastica
2012 predicted champion: St. Scholastica (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2012 regular season champ: Northwestern
2012 tournament champ: Northwestern
2013 predicted champion: Northwestern
2013 regular season champ: Northwestern, Minnesota Morris
2013 tournament champ: Northwestern

USA South Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2010 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2011 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2011 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2011 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2012 predicted champion: Christopher Newport
2012 regular season champ: Christopher Newport
2012 tournament champ: Christopher Newport
2013 predicted champions: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2013 regular season champ: Averett (North); Maryville (South)
2013 tournament champ: Maryville

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2010 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2010 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Platteville
2011 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Platteville (4th in regular season, 4th in tournament)
2011 regular season champ: UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, UW-Eau Claire
2011 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Whitewater
2012 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2012 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2012 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2013 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament)
2013 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point
2013 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point

-Ricky Nelson

Revisiting my 2013 preseason top 10: I beg your pardon

Here’s my 2013 preseason top 10 that was posted July 24.

The good: Five teams finished in the top 10, out in front of the Saint Benedict hype, DePauw and Cornell played up to expectations.
The bad: Five teams didn’t finish in the top 10.
The ugly: Three didn’t even finish in the top 25. Heck, my preseason No. 2 team didn’t even make the tournament. I also whiffed on Cortland, Benedictine and a few others. I overlooked Augsburg, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Williams and a couple of others.

In short it was just OK. I beg your pardon.

2013 preseason top 10 (expanded)
1. St. Thomas
2. Puget Sound
3. Saint Benedict
4. Wittenberg
5. Calvin
6. Wisconsin-Whitewater
7. Elmhurst
8. Washington-St. Louis
9. Wartburg
10. Mount Union
My next 30 (in no particular order): Otterbein; Chicago; Emory; Hope; Cal Lutheran; Colorado College; Cornell; Juniata; Christopher Newport; Northwestern; Eastern; Benedictine; Pacific Lutheran; Trinity (Texas); Washington and Lee; Carthage; Concordia-Moorhead; Clarkson; Webster; Chapman; Middlebury; Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Bowdoin; Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Thomas More; Southwestern; Cortland State; DePauw; Wellesley; Stevenson.

-Ricky Nelson