USA TODAY/ESPN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOP 25 POLL UPDATES

Rank	Institution - First Place Votes	Previous Ranking	Record	Points
1	Hope College (Mich.) - 5	1	7-0	196
2	Illinois Wesleyan University - 3	2	8-0	195
3	Amherst College (Mass.)	3	8-0	184
4	Bowdoin College (Maine)	4	7-0	167
5	Washington University (Mo.)	5	6-1	162
6	Howard Payne University (Texas)	6	7-0	160
7	Kean University (N.J.)	7	7-1	156
8	Marymount University (Va.)	8	7-0	143
9	Thomas More College (Ky.)	9	7-0	141
10	Trinity University (Texas)	10	5-0	126
11	University of Wisconsin, Whitewater	12	7-1	116
12	George Fox University (Ore.)	14	4-2	98
13	William Paterson University (N.J.)	15	9-0	96
14	Carthage College (Wis.)	13	6-1	95
15	University of Chicago (Ill.)	16	5-2	75
T16	Messiah College (Pa.)	18	8-0	71
T16	University of Scranton (Pa)	11	5-2	71
18	Muhlenberg College (Pa.)	17	7-1	65
19	Calvin College (Mich.)	19	9-1	62
20	Randolph-Macon College (Va.)	20	4-1	48
21	Capital University (Ohio)	25	5-1	31
22	Moravian College (Pa.)	T21	6-2	22
23	Simpson College (Iowa)	T21	5-1	20
24	University of Wisconsin, River Falls	NR	8-0	19
25	Mount Union College (Ohio)	NR	8-0	17

Dropped Out: Emmanuel College (Mass.), University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.
Others Receiving Votes: Emmanuel College (Mass.) - 13; Saint Norbert College (Wis.) - 8; College of St. Benedict (Minn.) - 7; University of Puget Sound (Wash.) - 7; California Lutheran University - 6; Lewis & Clark College (Ore.) - 5; Roanoke College (Va.) - 5; Washington & Jefferson College (Pa.) - 5; Christopher Newport University (Va.) - 4; Tufts University (Mass.) - 4.

Athlete Spotlight: Ryan Huxtable

Ryan Huxtable was the type of high school football player that you expected to do great things. He was named second team all-state, first team all-city and was a finalist for the “That’s my boy” award. He was also honored as the Wendy’s High School Heisman Representative. Needless to say, everyone knew he could go on to play college football, it was just the question of where. With an impressive list of options, including many Ivy schools, Ryan chose the University of Chicago. He has since graduated, and looking back on it he couldn’t be happier with the decision he made.

What schools from other divisions were interested in you/did you consider going to?
Brown, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Middle Tennessee State, Davidson, Indiana

Why did you choose to play at Chicago instead?
Chicago offered me the perfect combination of academics and the opportunity to play the sport I loved. It also had the major that I wanted (economics) and was close enough to home that my family could still come to games. The University of Chicago provides an education at or above an Ivy League level and prepares students for life after college.

What were you able to be involved in at Chicago outside of sports?
Campus Crusade for Christ, The Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, Stork Investment Partners

What do you think were some benefits of playing d3 instead of a higher division?
As a D-3 athlete you are there for an education, not an athletic career. Not one person on our team had a misguided dream of playing in the NFL. However, sports at any level in college prepare you more for the real world than any class ever could. It teaches you how to be regimented, multi-task, leadership, team-work, etc.

A lot of people say D3 is just an extension of high school sports, how would you compare the competition levels between the two?
As a whole, D3 athletics are better than high school, but you will get some “superstars” in high school that you won’t see in D3. Teams are better prepared and have more complex game plans that you won’t see in high school athletics.

How do you think your academics were affected by going D3?
Academics always come first at The University of Chicago as well as the majority of D-3 schools. Classes, study groups, and labs were never missed due to practice or meetings. Coaches were very understanding when classes or tests conflicted with practice.

What are you doing now that you’ve graduated?
Healthcare IT Consulting

What was the highlight for you of your college career?
Beating Washington University sophomore year and winning the 2005 UAA Championship.

Did you have any regrets about not playing in a higher division?
None at all.

And the Messiah soccer dynasty continues...

It’s a great time to be a Messiah soccer player. Both the men’s and women’s teams can call themselves National Champs… for the second year in a row. 
Messiah’s opponents were held scoreless in both games as the Messiah men defeated Calvin 2-0, while the women defeated Wash U. 1-0. The men AND women were able to take home the trophy for the second consecutive year. This was the seventh men’s championship soccer team in school history and third for the women. 

In the women’s game, Messiah controlled most of midfield play and the Falcons outshot the Bears 16-6. Amanda Naeher was credited with the game winning goal in the first half. Scoring is something the Falcons are used to as they have outscored their opponents an impressive 102-7 this season.
Although the men were no strangers to playing in the national championship game, there was one thing new to them, their coach. Even though Brad McCarty was not completely new to the program (assisted for 8 years), it was still his first time as the head coach. He got off to a great start with a 1-0 record in national championship games.

Wordless Wednesdays

Athlete Spotlight: Michele Goebel

Michele Goebel has played soccer since she can remember. While all those years prepared her to be capable of playing for a Division I team in college, she was clear that the most important aspect of her college search was finding a school she loved, soccer or not. Luckily for her, she was able to find both in Denison University, so let’s take a closer look at Michele’s decision:

What schools from other divisions were interested in you/did you consider going to?
I was talking to the coaches from Samford in Alabama and Gardner Webb in North Carolina (both D1) and came close to going to Samford.

Why did you choose to play at Denison instead?
I chose to play at Denison because they have a very successful program, I love the school and campus, I clicked with the girls and coaches, and I am able to be at a great school and receive a quality education while still being able to play soccer.

What have you been able to be involved in at Denison outside of soccer?
I am in a sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta) and am involved in service projects.

What do you think have been some benefits of playing D3 instead of a higher division?
Although soccer is a huge commitment, we have two games a week and practice every day, we don't travel as much or as far as D1 and because of that I am able to be involved in a sorority and do things on campus because I am actually on campus more than if I was at a D1 school and constantly traveling. I think this is a huge benefit because I wouldn't like being gone all the time and not being able to go down to the sorority house and see my friends or participate in activities on campus. Also, it gives you more time to focus on school and simply have time for yourself. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely still a struggle to fit in all your homework after practice but I feel like I still have more time than if I was traveling a lot more.

A lot of people say D3 is just an extension of high school sports, how would you compare the competition levels between the two?
I COMPLETELY disagree with that comment. The competition is much harder and the size, strength, speed, and skill of the players in college are a completely different and much higher level. In high school, there may have been four or five girls on the team who played club and were trained well but in college every single girl has played club since she was 7 or 8 and been trained since she was a child. Also, the attitude is much more serious in college. It's definitely not just a childish rivalry when you play a team, there is a much higher competitive attitude and people take it more seriously.

what you WILL see in D3 Hoops

There are a lot of things that as a spectator you probably won’t see when watching Division III women’s basketball this season. Most likely, no matter which teams you’re watching, you aren’t going to see the next WNBA draft pick. While it’s not impossible, you probably won’t witness a dunk like Candace Parker. And hopefully, you won’t see a player get pulled to the ground by her ponytail like in the New Mexico vs. BYU women’s soccer game. But—I can tell you about what you will see:

Fearlessness. Most people who knew anything about the George Fox Bruins would have expected the women on the team at Cal Lutheran to be afraid going into Sunday’s game. Clearly, that was not the case. They knew George Fox was the defending national championship team. And they knew that the Bruins were on a 36-game winning streak. Yet they were fearless. The Cal Lutheran Regals led almost the entire game and when the buzzer went off, they had won the game nobody thought they could.

Determination. The Illinois Wesleyan Titans spent the last six weeks of the 2008-2009 season as the No. 1 team in the nation. But when the pre-season Top 25 polls came out on D3hoops.com, they found themselves as #6. While they certainly haven’t had a long history as the top team in Division III, they wanted that position back. And with the team who filled that #1 spot (Washington University) on their schedule early on, they had the perfect opportunity to get it back. So that’s exactly what they did. They had a goal, and they were determined to achieve it. So they played the game, they won, and they earned their spot back on top.

Aggressiveness. Monmouth College lost a lot in their graduating class last year. The team will look to replace last year’s star players Tanesha Hughes and Melissa Gorski. A big problem they will face this season is their lack of size, but the way to make up for that is with aggressiveness. “We’re going to be smaller than most teams,” predicted Head Coach Melissa Bittner. “Lacking the size, we’ll need to be the scrappy, aggressive, athletic in-your-face team.” A team could have all the talent in the world, but if they don’t play aggressively it doesn’t matter. When it comes down to it, the best teams in the nation play aggressive.

Hard work. Every athlete knows that it is almost guaranteed that somewhere another athlete is working longer and harder. The University of Texas at Tyler will have a new head coach for women’s basketball this year.  Coach Stasha Richards will take over for the Patriots this season. When talking about success, she says this: “Everyone in the world would love to have a recipe for success. But, the truth of the matter is there is no sure fire way to ensure anyone will be successful in anything they do. I believe that there are many elements in the equation that can greatly improve the odds. The very first thing is to work as hard as we can in everything we do. We cannot take shortcuts.” Of course, not every single talented player is an extremely hard worker, but hard work can sometimes make up for talent, believe me I’ve seen it happen. Because the one thing no one can ever take away from you, and the one thing you can always control is how hard you work.

Victory. At the end of the season, there will be a team who can call themselves the best team in Division III women’s basketball. Though there will be many successful, hard-working, aggressive, determined and fearless teams, only one can win it all. There will be countless victories for numerous teams throughout this long season, and after all, that is what these teams are playing for. Even though people say “it’s not about wins or losses, it’s how you play the game”, I think Mia Hamm perfectly described how athletes really feel when she said “whoever said winning isn’t everything, probably never won.”

Gagliardi Trophy

Until 1 p.m. on Monday, December 7, the polls will be open for the public to vote for the outstanding Division III football player of the year. This is the 17th year that the Gagliardi Trophy will be awarded. The winner displays excellence in athletics, but also in academics and community service. Already more than 7,000 people have cast their votes. So let’s take a look at this year’s contestants:

1.    Gerry (Spud) Dick. DePauw. Senior Quarterback. Spud Dick completed 71.3% of his passes resulting in 27 touchdowns, as well as 309 passing yards per game. In the playoffs, he went 35 for 59 passing, 318 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
2.    Judd Lutz. Mount Union. Senior Linebacker. He finished the season with 80 tackles, 30 solo, 10 passes broken up and 4 tackles for loss.
3.    Dave Paveletz. Susquehanna. Senior Running Back. Paveletz ended with 1,414 rushing yards, 4.7 per carry and 128.5 per game. He scored 11 touchdowns, and had 20 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown.
4.    John Peters. Union. Senior Linebacker. 121 tackles, 50 solo, 6.5 tackles for loss, five passes broken up and 1 forced fumble.
5.    Jeff Schebler. UW-Whitewater. Senior Kicker. Schebler is the NCAA’s all-time leading kick scorer. He went 10 for 11 on field goals, and 71 for 73 on extra points. His average on kickoffs was 60.3 yards.
6.    Adam Shaffer. Mississippi College. Senior Quarterback. Shaffer completed 59% of passes resulting in 33 touchdowns with 9 interceptions, as well as 259 passing yards per game.
7.    Alex Tanney. Monmouth. Junior Quarterback. Tanney had 44 touchdowns with 7 interceptions, as well as 70% passes completed for 350.5 yards passing per game.
8.    Blaine Westemeyer. Augustana. Senior Offensive Tackle. The 6-5 senior is a three-time first-team All-CCIW selection. Off the field he is a biochemistry/pre-med major maintaining a 3.94 GPA.
9.    Dan Whalen. Case Western Reserve. Senior Quarterback. Whalen completed 68% of passes for 304 passing yards per game. Totaling 34 touchdowns with 8 interceptions.
10.    David Zachary. Central. Senior Running Back. He totaled 1,254 rushing yards, averaging 6.1 per carry and 114 per game. He scored 13 touchdowns and had 5 receptions for 29 yards.

The trophy will be presented as part of the Stagg Bowl festivities in Salem, Va by Jostens, Inc and the J-Club of Saint John’s University.

Wordless Wednesdays

Any Given Day.

In California on Sunday, a women’s basketball game ended in a result that I think is fair to say no one expected. The George Fox Bruins’ 36-game winning streak came to an end. To say that their opponent, Cal Lutheran, had a very different season from them last year is an understatement. Cal Lutheran had only 7 wins to their 18 losses in the 2008-2009 season, while George Fox was the only team able to finish with a completely undefeated season by winning the national championship.
This just goes to show that any team can beat any other team on any given day. Of course it is a new year and neither team is the exact same team they were last year, but I’m sure that wasn’t enough to convince George Fox they would lose this game.
The Regals led for most of the game, and even after No. 4 George Fox was able to tie the score with two and a half minutes remaining, the Regals wouldn’t let go. They held the Bruins scoreless the remainder of the game. None of Cal Lutheran’s players reached double-digits but 10 players scored.

In 1980, the US hockey team beat the Soviets and America went crazy. In 2007, Appalachian State beat Michigan and Ohio State fans will never let Michigan forget it. In 1990, Buster Douglas defeated Mike Tyson and surprised the entire world. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, #8 Golden State defeated #1 Dallas in the first round and the Warriors celebrated their first playoff series win in 16 seasons. And, let’s be honest, the upsets are the reason fans watch the early round games of March Madness. Each year everyone is wondering who is going to be the next Cinderella team. Upsets are one of the greatest things about being a sports fan.
A small company is not going to overtake Google tomorrow, but for any level of any sport, any team can beat any other team on any given day. And this, is why people love sports.

Athlete Spotlight: Cassie Pruzin

 

Indiana All-Star, participant in the North/South All-Star game, All-State Selection, McDonald’s All-American nominee… and she chose to play Division III basketball. Surprised? Well, Cassie Pruzin decided there was a lot more to her than basketball and she wanted to take advantage of everything that DePauw University had to offer. Don’t get me wrong; just because she was doing many other things, basketball never went away. In college, Cassie was, along with many other honors, ranked second in school history in career three pointers made and attempted, named an All-American and was a part of the 2007 National Championship team. So let’s find out why Division III was the perfect place for her:

What schools from other divisions were interested in you/did you consider going to?
Throughout my high school career, my coach prepped me to be a Division 1 athlete. I was sent to many camps and spoke with many Division 1 college coaches. I dreamed of going to the University of Notre Dame but soon realized my talent and size was not good enough to make it at ND. I started to be more realistic and started narrowing in on mid-major schools in the Midwest. I basically ruled out schools located anywhere besides the Midwest because if I played I wanted my family to be able to attend my games. I got looks from schools such as Bowling Green, Ball State, Akron, Toledo, Butler, Western Michigan, etc. I’d say the MAC conference was recruiting me the hardest but I wasn’t really interested. My junior year of high school, I decided I really wanted to go Butler. I went on an official visit and to a couple games, but when it came down to it they said I was too small (not strong enough). It broke my heart and I decided basketball wasn’t for me until I found out about DePauw.

Why did you choose to play at DePauw instead?
Like I said before, I wanted to go to Butler University, and when I found out I couldn’t I was lost and unsure of what was ahead of me. I put a halt on the recruiting process and stopped making visits to schools. In my mind, I was over basketball. Until my brother convinced me to meet Coach Huffman at DePauw University, I was going to be just a student at Indiana University or Miami of Ohio. I fell in love with DePauw’s campus and the feeling I had when I was there. I realized that if I went to DePauw, I could have a satisfying and complete college experience.
One of the main reasons I did not like any school in the MAC was because of the lack of academia. If I could no longer play basketball, I did not know if any of the schools in the MAC would be a fit for me academically or socially. I knew DePauw was for me because it was a school I could see myself enjoying even if I decided to end my basketball career. Also, I knew DePauw had a great basketball program and we had a chance to be very competitive in Division 3.

What have you been able to be involved in at DePauw outside of basketball?
Throughout my time at DePauw, I was an active member of Alpha Phi sorority. I was the Director of Finance for two years, and a member of the executive counsel for one year. I was a part of student friend, a community service organization that reaches out to the unfortunate children in Greencastle. Other than that, my time was devoted to basketball and my academics, as well as making time for my friends.

What do you think have been some benefits of playing d3 instead of a higher division?
The main benefit was my education. DePauw puts a large emphasis on student-athletes and makes sure we are putting academics before our sport. This is something I think you miss out on at a D1 school. Also, I believe I had a greater opportunity of succeeding at D3. I was able to be a key member of the National Championship team and recognized as an All-American, something I could not have achieved at a D1 school. Basketball wasn’t my life. I was able to focus on other things than just basketball. Being a D3 athlete allows you to find yourself as a person, not just an athlete.

Many people say d3 is simply an extension of high school sports, how would you compare the competition levels between the two?
I do not believe d3 is an extension of high school basketball by any means. In high school, you had girls who didn’t love basketball. They played because their friends played, parents made them, or because they thought it was a fun hobby for the time being. They were not necessarily the most athletic or competitive group of people. However, college is much different. On my team, every player was the best player on her high school team. When you start creating collegiate teams, they are compiled of athletes who want to extend their career because they are superior athletes or have a strong work ethic and desire to play basketball. The level of competition is much greater. D3 athletes typically lack one essential asset that would make them a successful D1 athlete. For example, a D3 athlete may have all skills necessary but may lack height, strength, speed, or court sense. Not all high school athletes can compete at the collegiate level. The game is much faster and more competitive than it was in high school.

Wordless Wednesdays

The Monon Bell Goes Back to Wabash

One of the Division III rivalries I mentioned in a previous post took place over the weekend. After two years at DePauw, the Monon Bell returned to Wabash as the Little Giants beat the Tigers 32-19.
Matt Hudson, Wabash’s quarterback completed 19 of 30 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns. By winning this game, Wabash ended a two-year losing streak, and also broke the tie between the schools for this annual rivalry game.

Despite the Wabash win, the Tigers were the team that had already clinched a spot in tournament play, being the teams’ first playoff game in school history. The Little Giant’s on the other hand had to wait until this afternoon to hear whether they would advance to the playoffs. They received news that they too will have the opportunity to play in the D3 NCAA playoffs.

For the students, a lot of the week/weekend is focused on parties and their “hatred” for the other school. But, President Casey of DePauw and President White of Wabash issued a joint letter about the rivalry game. They urged the students and fans to focus on the traditions and history of the game. In it they wrote, “Today and throughout the year, we can all celebrate the fact that DePauw and Wabash are two great schools that share this tremendous tradition alongside a tremendous mutual respect and admiration.”

Troy Montigney, a first-year alum of DePauw, seems to understand both the Presidents’ views as well as the students. He wrote an article for “The DePauw” about the tradition of the Monon Bell Game. In it he admitted that as a DePauw student (which I’m sure is also true for Wabash students) a lot of the Monon tradition is about parties and hatred for Wabash (or DePauw), but he also admitted that the best part about the rivalry is being part of the tradition. “Odds are Spud Dick will not join Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in racking up 300-yard games on Sundays in the NFL, and Bryan Mulligan will not make everyone forget about Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. Adam Vinatieri's pair of Super Bowl-winning boots will not be replicated by Jordan Havercamp, despite the latter's NFL-worthy performance two years ago. But the trio and their teammates will never forget their Monon triumphs”.

So even though I know simply being part of the tradition doesn’t erase DePauw’s pain over losing the bell, in the end, being a part of this historic rivalry game is an honor... win or lose.

WHY D3 SPORTS?

• Because the leading scorer on the basketball team isn’t a future NBA All-Star, but a future 3rd grade teacher.

• Because it isn’t about making the cover of Sports Illustrated.

• Because the quarterback who threw the winning touchdown isn’t the next Brett Favre, but a business’ next CEO.

• Because the man in the first row cheering you on is your history professor.

• Because the girl who wins all those matches won’t be a Wimbledon champion, but a future surgeon. 
  

• Because the homerun-hitter on the baseball team won’t play in the Major Leagues, but will write for the New York Times.

• Because the goalie on the soccer team is also President of her sorority.

• Because the people in the stands actually know YOU, not just your name and stats.

• Because the captain of the team is also the school newspaper editor. 

• And, because it’s not about being on ESPN, getting drafted or signing autographs… it’s all about the love of the game.

Wordless Wednesdays

little schools, BIG GAMES

One of the best parts about college athletics is when not only a team, but also an entire school comes together for a rivalry game. For the biggest rivalries, these feelings aren’t limited to game day. Fans, students, professors, players and coaches recognize the competition between the two schools that is always present. Just the mention of the opposing team’s name sets emotions on high.

The word rivalry often brings specific matchups into peoples’ minds.
Ohio State vs. Michigan. Arguably the number one sports rivalry of all time. Woody Hayes even refused to buy gas in the state of Michigan.
Duke vs. UNC. Puts up a good fight for number one rivalry of all time. Fans don’t get much louder than the Cameron Crazies, and they are always at their best when Carolina is in the house.
Auburn vs. Alabama. The Iron Bowl. 60 minutes of football determine bragging rights in the state of Alabama for 364 days.

But these rivalries are all between Division I schools, and while they may be more well known than the D3 rivalries, that doesn’t make them greater.
Hope vs. Calvin. ESPN rated it the top D3 college basketball rivalry, and 4th in ALL of collegiate hoops. Hope’s student section, the Dew Crew, is Division III’s premiere student section and has been featured on ESPN’s Greatest College Rivalries.
DePauw vs. Wabash. The Monon Bell Game. Currently Indiana’s best football rivalry according to an ESPN poll. After the 2008 season, the all time series stands at a tie of 53-53-9. The Bell has been stolen at least nine times, with the most famous theft being known as “Operation Frijoles”, one of five greatest all time rivalry pranks according to Sports Illustrated.
Amherst vs. Williams. “The Biggest Little Game in America”. Among the best academic institutes in the nation. When Williams beats Amherst at home, the whole team marches across town to a barbershop where they shave their heads and smoke cigars.

And these are just some of many. So while Division III rivalries may often be under-the-radar and overshadowed by big league face offs, they are no less intense.

BIO

Since I can remember I have been an athlete. I am willing to admit that I wasn’t necessarily always good. According to my parents, when I first started playing soccer I just ran around following the girl I had heard others say was the best. When I tried out for my first AAU basketball team, I was the last girl picked. But, there was one thing no one could deny, I loved to play. Because of that, throughout the years I have managed to turn it around through my dedication, hard work and passion for sports. I played on every team I possibly could, and discovered I have a true love for the game… no matter what sport it is. By high school I narrowed down the many sports I was playing to focus specifically on basketball. I became our teams leading scorer and received awards such as Division III Player of the Year. Unfortunately, during the perfect (undefeated) season, a knee injury kept me from playing in the state tournament my senior year. After surgery, I came back and played college basketball but then suffered almost the same injury to the opposite knee. Now that my injuries are keeping me off the court, I have decided to embrace the sidelines. While my passion for the game leaves me considering the idea of playing again, I am chasing after another passion of mine that I discovered. If I can’t be in the game, I want to report on it, and I hope to eventually trade in my Nike’s for a microphone.