Syversen named head coach at Marian

Erin Syversen was announced as the new head coach at Marian University. She was most recently an assistant at Adrian College.

-Ricky Nelson

2019 minutia

Eventful season. Good NCAA tournament. Decent regional rankings. Solid tournament selections.

The latter two items deserve more attention. Sincere kudos to the committees for producing rankings and selections that reflected reality for the most part and returned us to differences of opinion rather than the seeming demonstrative errors of recent seasons. However, if the correct answers are derived with faulty processes, we may not be in the clear in terms of rankings and selections.

For your consideration:
Please discontinue using RPI for anything besides a very general basis of comparison. The elements of RPI are already two of the five primary selection criteria (winning percentage and schedule strength). Using RPI to validate selections in Division III is nothing more than confirmation bias toward the two manipulable math equations that already comprise 40 percent of the primary criteria.

I have no reason to think these principles clearly outlined in the Manual were not utilized correctly, so please continue to value and parse results versus regionally ranked opponents and results versus common opponents. If the mandate was for committees to consider “winning percentage” or “number of wins” in those two criteria, the Manual would use those words like it does with won-lost percentage against Division III opponents.

Similar to the Manual instruction that not all results versus regionally ranked teams are the same, the primary criteria themselves are not all equal. So, please [continue to, fingers crossed] not rely on the criteria scorecard. A team is not automatically more worthy of selection merely because it has a 3-2 criteria advantage over another team. It is not difficult to create hypothetical scenarios wherein teams easily overcome 3-2 criteria deficits and possibly [possibly!] a 4-1 hole. This season — whether by accident or not — the committee sent the message that strength of schedule was vitally important for at-large teams. It’s not my favorite criterion, but unlike several recent seasons, what was sent this year is an ethos. That is what effective committees do. The committee ethos may change with different representatives over time, but the committee’s role is to provide a beacon for the membership to follow. Right now that beacon is flashing “strength of schedule” very brightly, whether it is by design or by accident.

Lastly, I have trouble reconciling how overscheduling is handled. There were at least two teams with fairly veteran coaches that participated in this year’s NCAA postseason despite scheduling matches on 25 dates and completing matches on 23 dates. The only real rules regarding scheduling in the division are 22 dates during the regular season, 70 percent in-region. Extra team practices and player eligibility issues can result in stiff penalties, including the vacation of wins. But if a team breaks one of two simple scheduling rules, that program is slapped with a relatively minor one-time date reduction the following season. Practice extra = potentially very bad. Extra actual match(es) = always kinda whatever. That doesn’t seem logical.

There are a couple of current head coach openings in the Central/Midwest, so I’ll be tracking those changes and any others throughout the offseason. But besides any coaching moves, this post should put 2019 to bed for me. Be good and be well out there.

-Ricky Nelson

CSB’s M. Weiss finishes 2019 as stat leader in 2 categories

The 2019 NCAA stats have been finalized. The following are Central and Midwest region players and teams ranked in the top 10. The national leader is listed regardless of region (in italics if from outside Central/Midwest).

Aces/Set
1. Bre MacDuff, Castleton 1.14
1. NVU-Johnson 3.98

Assists/Set
1. Lexi Wall, St. Olaf 11.67
4. Elizabeth Ganley, Illinois College 11.25
5. Emma Griffith, Chicago 11.01
7. Grace Anetipa, St. Thomas (Minn.) 10.87
8. Katie Koch, Saint Benedict 10.83
10. Lillian Braun, Saint Mary’s 10.79
1. Colorado College 13.78
5. St. Thomas (Minn.) 12.96
7. St. Olaf 12.89

Blocks/Set
1. Madison Weiss, Saint Benedict 1.75
9. Corrina Evans, Augsburg 1.22
10. Rachel Noonan, Carroll 1.17
1. NYU 2.57
4. Saint Benedict 2.39
5. Wartburg 2.36
6. Augsburg 2.33
9. Concordia (Minn.) 2.26

Digs/Set
1. Makenzie Coughlin, Washington and Jefferson 6.77
2. Mady Ferris, Knox 6.65
4. Kristen Farrah, Webster 6.61
1. Wesley 21.46
2. Webster 21.41
8. Dubuque 20.06
10. Principia 19.92

Kills/Set
1. Megyan Merrill, Morrisville St. 5.08
2. Kaylin Kuhn, Grinnell 4.78
3. April Gehl, UW-Stevens Point 4.75
1. Colorado College 14.52
6. St. Thomas (Minn.) 13.92
9. Chicago 13.73

Hitting Percentage
1. Madison Weiss, Saint Benedict .422
2. Anna Finch, Greenville .419
10. Hunter Weiss, Saint Benedict .396
1. Johns Hopkins .308
10. Carthage .249

Points/Set
1. Megyan Merrill, Morrisville St. 5.50
2. Kaylin Kuhn, Grinnell 5.47
5. April Gehl, UW-Stevens Point 5.26

-Ricky Nelson