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Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

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  • Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

    How bad did the WIAC schools shoot themselves in the foot moving themselves out of the NCHA?

    Its hard to tell due to the severe lack of WIAC-NCHA games but the WIAC schools are 7-2-2 against the NCHA (3-1-1 against NCHA leader CSS, 1-1 against St. Norbert, 2-0 against Finlandia, 1-0-1 against Marian)

    It would be hard to imagine that a WIAC school wouldn't be at the top of NCHA right now.

    Looking at the USCHO rankings (yes I know they don't mean squat) WIAC schools are 5,6, & 7.


    With the current set up, however, a WIAC school isn't gauranteed a spot in the playoffs.

    If the NCAA elects to go with a 5/3 split I assume one gets in but the NCAA could easily decide to save money and go 6-2.

    If you look at tournament contenders

    Assume Pool A's

    ECAC-W Plattsburgh
    NESCAC Middlebury
    ECAC-E Norwich
    NCHA Adrian/CSS/Lake Forest/SNC
    MIAC St Thomas/Gustavus/Bethel


    Pool C's
    Elmira--probably in for sure

    I don't really see any other contenders for a Pool C in the ECAC-E, nor the NESCAC really. (I'm sure I'll take some heat here.)

    That is probably favorable for the WIAC.

    If Adrian wins the Peters Cup...CSS/LFC/SNC all have a lot of losses...WIAC schools all have wins over CSS

    Depending on how the MIAC shakes out...All 3 contenders have yet to play eachother...I could see one of them getting a Pool C.


    With no upsets out east in the tournaments...IS THERE POTENTIAL FOR A 4-4 split here?? Am I missing something on that?

    Plattsburgh
    Elmira
    Middlebury
    Norwich

    Adrian
    MIAC Winner
    WIAC Winner
    MIAC/WIAC Runner Up???


    Just throwing some thoughts out there and wondering if anyone will bite
    UWS Ladyjackets

    NCHA League Champions: 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
    NCHA Tournament Champs: 2008
    Frozen Four Participants: 2008

  • #2
    Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

    The key to any of this will be upsets in the east (either the NESCAC or after the action in Pine Valley, the ECAC-West). Should your favorites advance, (Middlebury, Norwich and Elmira/Plattsburgh-a Pool C for the loser in the conference final) I could see a 4-4 split with the west spots going to MIAC and NCHA auto bid winners and two WIAC Pool C teams. KRACH and Rutter models all rate the WIACs above the NCHA and MIAC teams, but a clearer picture will come with the NCAA regional rankings (next week?). 4-4 is very economical for the NC$$ although they did fly a quarter-final team last season.

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    • #3
      Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

      Interesting to take a look at the East Pairwise after the Soaring Eagle win last evening. It now has the major eastern players, Middlebury, Norwich and Elmira, all tied with Plattsburgh in the comparisons. Lots of hockey left to play, and today could change everything.

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      • #4
        Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

        I hope none of the WIAC schools get a bid. It would serve them right for pulling out of the NCHA. That selfish move resulted in a big step backwards for women's hockey in the Midwest.

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        • #5
          Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

          I think there is almost no chance that an ECAC West team upsets Elmira or Plattsburgh (Utica would be the only one with a real chance) nor that an ECAC East team upsets Norwich (UMass Boston?). However, I think there is a fairly significant chance that Middlebury is upset in the NESCAC - they have several league ties and have escaped a couple of overtime games - just like last season with Bowdoin. Worst case for the West would be if Utica wins ECAC West, UMass Boston wins ECAC East and Amherst or Williams (or someone else) gets hot and upsets Middlebury. Hard to imagine how 2 of Elmira, Plattsburgh, Norwich, and Middlebury don't make the NCAA tournament even if they lose their conference tourneys...and it would have to be 2 for there to even be 3 West teams in that scenario let alone 4.

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          • #6
            Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

            Originally posted by HockeyEast33 View Post
            I think there is almost no chance that an ECAC West team upsets Elmira or Plattsburgh (Utica would be the only one with a real chance) nor that an ECAC East team upsets Norwich (UMass Boston?). However, I think there is a fairly significant chance that Middlebury is upset in the NESCAC - they have several league ties and have escaped a couple of overtime games - just like last season with Bowdoin. Worst case for the West would be if Utica wins ECAC West, UMass Boston wins ECAC East and Amherst or Williams (or someone else) gets hot and upsets Middlebury. Hard to imagine how 2 of Elmira, Plattsburgh, Norwich, and Middlebury don't make the NCAA tournament even if they lose their conference tourneys...and it would have to be 2 for there to even be 3 West teams in that scenario let alone 4.
            I'm not sure I get your final statement...there are 8 tournament spots...

            If there are no upsets in the conference tournaments out east then Plattsburgh or Elmira get the ECAC W autobid, Norwich gets the ECAC-E autobid and Middlebury gets the Nescac autobid. 2 west teams are guaranteed a spot through autobids. There are 3 at large bids...loser of Elmira/Plattsburgh will get one and then its a question of who gets the other two.

            Unless something drastic happens I would think River Falls has one of those spots. Depending on what happens this weekend in Superior with Stevens Point if one of those teams sweep...they should be in the running as well. If Superior sweeps and beats CSS the following Tuesday they will be 17-4-4 with all 4 losses coming to River Falls(3)/Stevens Point(1). I'm assuming in this situation they will consider the WIAC tournament almost as an autobid tournament.
            UWS Ladyjackets

            NCHA League Champions: 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
            NCHA Tournament Champs: 2008
            Frozen Four Participants: 2008

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            • #7
              Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

              Originally posted by gojackets View Post
              I'm not sure I get your final statement...there are 8 tournament spots...

              If there are no upsets in the conference tournaments out east then Plattsburgh or Elmira get the ECAC W autobid, Norwich gets the ECAC-E autobid and Middlebury gets the Nescac autobid. 2 west teams are guaranteed a spot through autobids. There are 3 at large bids...loser of Elmira/Plattsburgh will get one and then its a question of who gets the other two.

              Unless something drastic happens I would think River Falls has one of those spots. Depending on what happens this weekend in Superior with Stevens Point if one of those teams sweep...they should be in the running as well. If Superior sweeps and beats CSS the following Tuesday they will be 17-4-4 with all 4 losses coming to River Falls(3)/Stevens Point(1). I'm assuming in this situation they will consider the WIAC tournament almost as an autobid tournament.
              The West worst case scenario I listed:

              ECAC-East - Someone other than Norwich (used U Mass Boston)
              ECAC-West - Someone other than Elmira or Plattsburgh (used Utica)
              NESCAC - Someone other than Middlebury (used Amherst or Williams)
              MIAC winner
              NCHA winner

              That means for the West to get a third spot, 2 of Middlebury, Norwich, Elmira, and Plattsburgh can't go and I can't see that happening....so the West ends up with two teams.

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              • #8
                Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

                Originally posted by HockeyEast33 View Post
                The West worst case scenario I listed:

                ECAC-East - Someone other than Norwich (used U Mass Boston)
                ECAC-West - Someone other than Elmira or Plattsburgh (used Utica)
                NESCAC - Someone other than Middlebury (used Amherst or Williams)
                MIAC winner
                NCHA winner

                That means for the West to get a third spot, 2 of Middlebury, Norwich, Elmira, and Plattsburgh can't go and I can't see that happening....so the West ends up with two teams.
                Yes but in the real world : )
                UWS Ladyjackets

                NCHA League Champions: 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
                NCHA Tournament Champs: 2008
                Frozen Four Participants: 2008

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                • #9
                  Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

                  Originally posted by Twolinepass View Post
                  I hope none of the WIAC schools get a bid. It would serve them right for pulling out of the NCHA. That selfish move resulted in a big step backwards for women's hockey in the Midwest.
                  Yeah punish the players, because they made that call



                  UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA WOMEN'S HOCKEY



                  WCHA Regular Season Champions:
                  WCHA Playoff Champions:
                  NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2012
                  NCAA Championships:


                  http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Reg...005/story.html

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                  • #10
                    Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

                    Originally posted by northhockey View Post
                    Yeah punish the players, because they made that call
                    Northockey, you took the words right out of my mouth! Twolinepass, please enlighten me on why you made your comment, as I fail to see how the WIAC pulling out of the NCHA “resulted in a big step backwards for women’s hockey in the Midwest.” First, that decision had no impact on the MIAC, except that maybe this year it gave the top MIAC teams some good competition – and isn’t that a good thing? Second, the NCHA is still intact with an auto bid, and this year’s winner is guaranteed to be a non-WIAC school -- isn’t that a plus for the remaining NCHA teams? As I see it, the WIAC decision only hurt the four WIAC teams . Because they cannot rely on an auto bid, they must each have a very strong strength of schedule and must do well in every conference and non-conference game – there are no nights off. If one or two of the WIAC teams can pull that off, they should be considered for a tournament spot.

                    Can someone explain to me the possibility of a Pool B team and whether that might happen this year? I'm not sure I understand the process. Thanks.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Will a WIAC team make the D3 Playoffs??

                      Originally posted by DedicatedFan View Post
                      Northockey, you took the words right out of my mouth! Twolinepass, please enlighten me on why you made your comment, as I fail to see how the WIAC pulling out of the NCHA “resulted in a big step backwards for women’s hockey in the Midwest.” First, that decision had no impact on the MIAC, except that maybe this year it gave the top MIAC teams some good competition – and isn’t that a good thing? Second, the NCHA is still intact with an auto bid, and this year’s winner is guaranteed to be a non-WIAC school -- isn’t that a plus for the remaining NCHA teams? As I see it, the WIAC decision only hurt the four WIAC teams . Because they cannot rely on an auto bid, they must each have a very strong strength of schedule and must do well in every conference and non-conference game – there are no nights off. If one or two of the WIAC teams can pull that off, they should be considered for a tournament spot.

                      Can someone explain to me the possibility of a Pool B team and whether that might happen this year? I'm not sure I understand the process. Thanks.
                      From what I understand the Pool B will never come into play again for the WIAC schools. This year two of the independent teams...Canton and UNE I think are probational NCAA members and do not qualify. Then next year some of the independents are joining conferences which will take us below the required 6.5 teams in order to have a pool B slot.
                      UWS Ladyjackets

                      NCHA League Champions: 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008
                      NCHA Tournament Champs: 2008
                      Frozen Four Participants: 2008

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