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It’s Not Too Early: NESCAC Football Preseason Awards

Now that you’ve read all of our team previews, it’s time preview the individuals. This year more than any year in recent memory, the league is just stacked with talent across the board. Plus when you factor in how many teams could make a run at the title, there are really so many players in contention for awards this year. Let’s see how they stack up.

Coach of the Year: Dan DiCenzo, Wesleyan

Barring a Williams-esque turnaround, which I don’t see happening (sorry Maine), this award is going to go to someone at the top of the standings. As evidenced in the Season Previews, it’s going to be crowded at the top with a whole lot of contenders, so your guess is as good as mine. But I’ll my chances with the 4^thyear man in Middletown for a few reasons. First, despite posting consecutive 6-win seasons, the Cards are facing a bit of a rebuild with their personnel. Okay, rebuild is probably too strong of a word, but the faces on the field are going to look a little different this year, especially on offense. Sure, First Team QB Mark Piccirillo ’19 is back and the talk of the league (more to come on that), but everything else is going to look a lot different. WR Mike Breuler is gone, which really can’t be overstated, as the 2017 Player of the Year was absolutely dominant, finishing with 87 catches, 1172 yards, and 10 TDs. Oh, and the NESCAC plays a 9 game schedule. Dario Highsmith has transitioned to WR, leaving the backfield a relative unknown. The defense will be strong as ever, but it’s the offense that will tell this team’s story. Also, their schedule shapes up nicely to Coach DiCenzo to make a run at this award. They have one of the toughest Septembers in the league, hosting Middlebury before traveling to Tufts. If they can grab those two they look set to cruise into contention, before a grueling Week 8 @ Williams followed by the finale at home vs. Trinity. They’ll be tested early, and they’ll be tested late, and if they can pass both tests DiCenzo will be a huge reason.

Defensive Player of the Year:

TJ Rothmann ‘21, LB, Williams

This is probably a little out of the box here, but if any defensive player in the league has the chance to improve the most it’s Rothmann. We often see just how big a jump in production is made between years 1 and 2, and as the only freshman named to the All-League defense last year, Rothmann fits that bill. Williams is going to make its name stopping the run this year, and his 83 returning tackles are going to be a big reason why. The biggest question is whether or not they’ll have the team success to get his name in this conversation.

Andrew Yamin ‘19, DE/LB, Amherst

It would be natural for the reigning DPOY returning for his senior year to be at the top of the list, but that would make way too much sense. Instead, the Amherst star falls at #2. 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for a loss are a lot to follow up. Yamin very well may be the best defensive player in the league this year, and he might have the numbers to back it up, but as we’ve seen many times, once you set the bar for yourself, it can be really hard to reach. Yamin is going to have to at least match these numbers this year if he wants to repeat, and in a linebacking core shared with LB Andrew Sommer, there might not be enough to go around.

Greg Holt ’20, LB, Tufts

This felt like such a slam dunk that I’m confident enough to feel like I’ve completely jinxed it. The 2016 Rookie of the Year took the jump into the First Team as a sophomore, and there’s only one more level to ascend to. Holt’s 84 tackles last season were good for 3^rdin the league, but it’s their Class of 2018 that make him the favorite to win this award. The Jumbos graduated a staggering three All-League defensive linemen in 1^stTeamer Micah Adickes and 2^ndTeamers Doug Harrison and Zach Thomas. Those were some bad dudes, but they’ve left a hole in their departure and Holt is going to fill it. Not only will there be more to go around for Holt, but we already know that he can do it. He had an incredible 98 tackles in just 8 games his freshman campaign, and if he hits that century mark this season you can begin drafting the press release. His tackles for loss and sacks should see an increase as well. I’ll take Holt.

Honorable Mentions: DL Corey-Jean Jacques ’19, Trinity, LB Andrew Sommer ’19, Amherst, CB Tim Preston ’19, Tufts

Offensive Player of the Year:

Ryan McDonald ’19, QB, Tufts

What’s with all the Tufts love, right? On paper, this pick doesn’t make a lot of sense. McDonald threw for just 11 TDs last year and paired them with 10 INTs. He was wildly inconsistent, but the entire pretense of this pick rests on the senior being able to develop into the kind of player he showed in flashes, but for all 9 games. McDonald threw for 267 yards against Trinity and followed it up with 336 against Williams the following week. His last three weeks, his passing high was 179 yards, and he was 14-31 with a pair of interceptions in that same game, a loss against Amherst. But McDonald could be the most talented player in the league because of his ability in the air coupled with his ability on the ground. He was third in the entire league with 722 rushing yards and rushed for 145 yards in his final game vs. Middlebury. If he can become a little more accurate and turn those 11 TDs and 10 picks into 15 TDs and, say, 6 INTs, he won’t even need much more improvement on his 1879 passing yards (2^ndin the league) and aforementioned 722 rushing yards.

Max Chipouras ’19, RB, Trinity

For the more casual readers of this site: yes, Max Chipouras is still here. The 2015 Rookie of the Year has been trucking linebackers and piling up the stats for what feels like forever, but he has finally arrived at his senior season. It’s a testament to Max that he led the league in both rushing yards with 947 and rushing touchdowns with 10 and it felt like his year was just okay. But when you take a closer look at the box score, you realize the kind of damage he could’ve truly done. He had 4 games with a YPC of 6+, but only had 50 carries in those games. Why wasn’t he given the ball more? Probably because Trinity outscored their opponents 190-27 in those games. Chipouras led the NESCAC in every major rushing category and he was taking his cleats off at halftime for nearly half of the season. In theory, Trinity shouldn’t be as dominant this year, and their offense not as balanced with QB Sonny Puzzo gone. They should have to give Chipouras the ball more, and that should lead to some serious numbers. If they decide to leave this guy in the game this year, they might have to rewrite the record books.

Mark Piccirillo ’19, QB, Wesleyan

I wanted to put Piccirillo at #2 so badly. Like so badly, you have no idea. The plan going in was to be contrarian and predict a regression while Chipouras carries a greater load and steals it away from his CT neighbors. But then you look at Piccirillo’s stats from last year, and it’s just impossible not to install him as the favorite. 2657 yards. 70.4% completion percentage. 20 TDs. That’s before mentioning the 474 rushing yards (6^thin the league) and 4 rushing TDs. I mean those numbers are insane. Now before you tell me that WR Mike Breuler is gone and any other arguments—save it—they were literally exactly what I was going to use to justify putting him at #2. In fact, I’m going to agree with some of those arguments. Piccirillo is probably going to regress. I mean it’s hard enough to throw for 2657 (2657!!) yards a second year in a row, and even harder without being able to throw it up to D3 Randy Moss 20 times a game. But the rushing numbers will probably go up due to the uncertainty in the backfield and increased playmaking responsibility on their senior quarterback. Coach DiCenzo always has the Wesleyan offense humming and Piccirillo will be the face of that. The team success certainly won’t be an issue, and quite frankly if he turns it over 15 teams again like he did last year, it probably won’t make a difference either. He’s the best player on one of the best teams in the league. I didn’t want to do it, but I have to go with Piccirillo.

Honorable Mentions: QB Bobby Maimaron ’21, Williams, WR Conrado Banky ’19, Middlebury, WR Joe Schmidt ’20, Hamilton

College Football is Back: Weekend Preview 9/15

If I told you that Urban Meyer has the second highest winning percentage of any active college football coach that has coached 10+ years, who would you think has the highest? Probably Nick Saban, right? Actually, the answer is Jeff Devanney of Trinity College. When most people think of college football powerhouses they think of Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson. I think of Trinity, Amherst, and Middlebury. The real college football is finally back and it’s shaping up to be an exciting year with more teams in contention than usual. The NESCAC has been very stratified in recent years, but we anticipate that there will start a bit more parity this season as the weaker teams are beginning to make some changes, and the top teams have lost some of their stars. It’s year two of the ninth game, so now teams should be adjusting to the shorter preseason since they’ve had a chance to experiment once already. Let’s see how the matchups look for Week 1 of the new season:

Williams @ Bowdoin, Brunswick, ME

Bobby Maimaron will look to pick up right where he left off last season (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Two years ago, these teams both finished 0-8, leaving a sour taste in their mouths as they looked to get back on track the following season. Williams was able to do more than just get back on track, as they surprised everyone with a 6-3 finish. Unfortunately, Bowdoin was unable to right the ship as they struggled even more, finishing 0-9. The Ephs feature a pair of star sophomores in QB Bobby Maimaron ’21 and WR Frank Stola ’21 who broke into the NESCAC scene with huge freshman seasons. They’ll be asked to carry a strong offense with very high expectations after such a successful 2017 campaign. The big question for the Polar Bears will be who is going to start at quarterback since they return both QB’s from last year’s team and welcome Lafayette transfer Austin McCrum. Aside from that there doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of change for a team that really needs it. Even with the addition at quarterback, I don’t see this being the week that things start to turn around in Brunswick.

Prediction: Williams 31, Bowdoin 14

Middlebury @ Wesleyan, Middletown, CT

As far as Week 1 matchups go, this is as big as it gets. Our game of the week features perennial title contenders Middlebury and Wesleyan as they’ll go to battle again this year right out of the gates. Wesleyan returns star quarterback Mark Piccirillo ’19 who led the league in passing last year in just about every category, but they lose their top receiving threat in Mike Breuler ’18 (who led the league in receiving in just about every category) as well as 4 of their top 5 receivers. It’ll be interesting to see how Piccirillo fares, as he has to make relationships with an entirely new group of receivers. On the other hand, Middlebury lost their star quarterback Jared Lebowitz ’18, but return the entirety of their very strong receiving corps, headlined by Conrado Banky ’19, Jimmy Martinez ’19, and Frank Cosolito ’20. They’ll have to make it easy on first-time starter Jack Meservy ’19, who was able to put up some impressive numbers last season playing behind Lebowitz. It’ll be tough to start against a defense as strong as Wesleyan, but I think Meservy is up for the challenge. The Panthers’ strong team rapport tips the balance because I think it’ll take the Cardinals a week or two to find their identity this season.

Prediction: Middlebury 31, Wesleyan 28

Tufts @ Hamilton, Clinton, NY

These teams each feature very talented – albeit inconsistent – quarterbacks who are in position to have big seasons. Both teams have the capability to compete with anyone, but haven’t been able to string together consecutive strong performances. Maybe it’s because I just wrote the team preview for the Continentals, but I really like their defense. Tyler Hudson ’19 is one of the best defensive players in the league, and he leads a unit that now has a few years of experience together. This is their year to prove that they belong, and it starts against a quarterback in Ryan McDonald ’19 who is notoriously turnover-prone. Losing to the same team twice in a row isn’t fun – especially when it’s in overtime. Hamilton isn’t going to let that happen again. I’m ready to hop on their bandwagon.

Prediction: Hamilton 28, Tufts 24

Amherst @ Bates, Lewiston, ME

We’ll have to wait and see if Brendan Costa is ready to make the transition from a run-first to a pass-first offense (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Bates is experiencing more change than any team from 2017 to 2018 as they hired a new coach who put in a new offense. This is very promising for a team that underachieved last season, has an up and coming quarterback in Brendan Costa ’21, and a wide receiver who has a chance to make an immediate impact in Derek Marino ’22. Unfortunately, they start the 2018 campaign against one of the league’s best. Amherst has won 3 of the last 5 NESCAC championships and look like the favorites again this season. Andrew Yamin ’19 could very well be the defensive player of the year and he leads the league’s top defense against a team who will be playing their first game with a new offensive scheme. The Mammoths also return their top offensive threats in tailback Jack Hickey ’19 and wide receiver James O’Regan ’20 who will help walk game manager Ollie Eberth ’20 through the full 60 minutes. The Bobcats have potential and their massive system changes will be beneficial in the long run, but they won’t be ready this early to take on an opponent as strong as Amherst.

Prediction: Amherst 33, Bates 13

Trinity @ Colby, Waterville, ME

We don’t know who will be under center for Trinity tomorrow (probably Jordan Vazzano ’21), but it doesn’t really matter. Whoever it is, they’ll be able to either hand it to Max Chipouras ’19 who will probably find his way into the end zone or throw it to Koby Schofer ’20 or Jonathan Girard ’21 who will likely find their way into the end zone, too. Colby made the right move in getting Jack Cosgrove to be their next head coach, but it’s almost not fair that his first game is against Trinity. The Mules have nowhere near the amount of talent as the Bantams, but it’ll be important to see that they’re making strides in the right direction for when they face a more formidable opponent. I’d like to see Bernie Sander ’21 catch a few passes, as he’s one of the most promising receivers on the Colby roster. Plus I’m going to love referring to him as “The Senator.” This one is going to be a blowout, but at least there will be nowhere to go but up.

Prediction: Trinity 45, Colby 7

Is This the Year?: Hamilton Football Preview 2018

QB Kenny Gray ’20 looks to breakout after a solid 2017 campaign.

Is This the Year?: Hamilton Football Preview 2018

2017 Record: 3-6

Projected Record: 4-5

Projected Offensive Starters (*7 returning)

QB – Kenny Gray ’20*

RB – Mitch Bierman ’21

WR – Christian Donahoe ’20

WR – Joe Schmidt ’20*

TE – Trevor Pinkham ’19*

LT – Sam Palomaki ’20*

LG – Stephen Kelley ’19*

C – Micah Balogh ’19*

RG – AJ Rattee ’21

RT – AJ Cantarella ’20*

Projected Defensive Starters (*8 returning)

DB – Colby Jones ’19*

DB – Bryce Phillips ’20

DB – Justin Leigh ’20*

LB – Tyler Hudson ’19*

LB – Cole Burchill ’19*

LB – Tim Russell ’21

LB – Sean Tolton ’19*

DL – Alex Ganter ’20*

DL – Michael Friedman ’19*

DL – Jeff Martinez ’20

DL – Will Rothschild ’19*

Projected Specialists (*3 returning)

K – Joe Suski ’21

P – Billy Wagner ’20*

KR/PR – Joe Schmidt ‘20*/Sam Robinson ’20*

Offensive MVP: Wide Receiver Joe Schmidt ’20

The 2017 First Team All-NESCAC selection is back for more. This kid is an absolute stud receiver, finishing his second season 3^rdin the NESCAC in receptions (55), 2^ndin receiving yards (811), and tied for the league lead in touchdowns with 10. He also is capable of having a huge game, as he showed in Week 1 last year against Tufts, when he caught 8 passes for 214 yards and 4 touchdowns. 4 touchdowns! Now that Wesleyan’s Mike Breuler ’18 is out of the picture, Schmidt officially becomes the conference’s top receiver. With budding star Kenny Gray throwing to him, he’s in a fantastic position to duplicate (or even top) his outstanding 2017 performance. Schmidt is an absolute nightmare for opposing secondaries.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Tyler Hudson ’19

Hamilton boasts one of the best linebacker groups in the NESCAC, and Hudson is right at the front of that group. He has earned First Team All-NESCAC accolades in each of the past two seasons, leading the league in solo tackles (2^ndin total tackles) last year. The converted defensive end is one of the best true athletes you’ll find at this level and at times it feels like you can’t run a play without him getting involved. I’d like to see his sack numbers improve a bit, but there really isn’t much this guy can’t do. The Continental defensive unit is a force to be reckoned with and Tyler Hudson is the face of that unit.

Biggest Game: September 15^thvs. Tufts

While it might be just the first game of the season, it’s a big one. The last two meetings between these two teams have ended in overtime victories for the Jumbos. Hamilton has been just one possession away from victory each time but has come up empty as Tufts has proven that they can win these close games. With the amount of returning stars in Hamilton’s lineup, I think this could be the year that the Continentals make a leap into the upper echelon of the conference. It all starts Week 1 when the Jumbos roll into town and this Continental team comes to play with a chip on their shoulder.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/HamCollFootball/status/1033556077172994053

As a non-football player I have to say that catching a punt doesn’t look particularly difficult. However, it clearly is, evidenced by how many muffed punts there are by people whose job it is to catch punts. I know how good it feels to get out of conditioning at the end of practice, so this definitely hits home a bit. This right here is what a team looks like, so let’s see if they bring this type of intensity every Saturday this year.

Everything Else:

Hamilton always seems to find themself in a weird place. They’ve been pretty consistently better than the CBB schools but worse than everyone else in recent years. There wasn’t a whole lot of turnover in their starting lineup on both sides of the ball, and they’ve got some true stars in their lineup who are ready to lead. Kenny Gray ’20 continues to get better and I think he has a chance to be in the same conversation as elite NESCAC quarterbacks such as Mark Picirillo from Wesleyan and Ryan MacDonald from Tufts. A difference maker in this lineup is going to be running back Mitch Bierman ’21 who split carries in the backfield during his rookie season. He proved to be a monstrous red zone threat, as he still finished 6^thin the conference with 6 touchdowns. If he can adjust to a larger workload, this will provide a much-needed rushing attack to complement the powerful arm of Kenny Gray.

Mitch Bierman ’21 is going to be the x-factor for this offense.

Their defense has players who have proven that they belong among the NESCAC’s best, but they haven’t quite been able to put it together as an entire unit. Guys like Cole Burchill ’19, Colby Jones ’19, and Alex Ganter ’20 are going to have to step up more than they have in the past, as they now have several years of experience under their belts. There isn’t really a whole lot to say about the Continentals other than they need to be better against the leagues tougher opponents. Wins over Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby have become commonplace for them at this point, so their season will be defined by how they fare against teams like Middlebury and Tufts, against whom they have come up just short over the past few years. Kenny Gray and co. have a chance to make some noise, so we’ll see if they’re ready to finally change the way things have gone recently.

Who can take those rings off their fingers? Trinity College Season Preview

Trinity College 2018 Football Preview

2017: Record 8-1

NBN Projected Record: 6-3

Projected Offensive Starters (*6 returning):

QB: Jordan Vazzano ‘21

RB: Max Chipouras ‘19*

WR: Koby Schofer ‘20*

WR: Jonathan Girard ‘21*

WR: John Spears ‘19*

TE: Teddy Allmendinger ‘20

T: Austin Baiardi ‘20*

G: Alex Wukovits ‘20*

C: Steve O’Reilly ‘19*

T: Sam Bowtell ‘19

G: Matt Covel ‘19

Projected Defensive Starters (*7 Returning):

DB: Matt Patry ‘20

DB: Matt McCarthy ‘21

S: Chandler Colberg ‘19*

S: Sameir Madden ‘19*

LB: Dago Picon-Roura ‘19*

LB: Shane Libby ‘19*

LB: Sean Smerczynski ‘19*

DL: Corey Jean-Jacques ‘19*

DL: Nick Rose ‘19*

DL: James Christiano ‘21

DL: Devyn Perkins ‘20

Projected Special Teams Starters (*2 Returning):

K: Eric Sachse ‘19*

P: Ian McDonald ‘20*

KR/PR: Colin Beaulieu ‘21

Offensive MVP:

Max Chipouras ‘19

Seasoned NESCAC vet Max Chipouras will look to continue his dominance of the conference into his senior year. A former NESCAC Rookie of the Year and a two-time 1st team selection, Chipouras already has more hardware than some entire teams in the NESCAC.

There is no doubt that he will be featured early and often for the Bantams this season and I doubt that this will be the year that the conference figures him out. Chipouras will be supported by an offensive line that lacks neither experience or talent. Not only will defenses struggle to get Chipouras to the ground, they will struggle to get to him at all.

Defensive MVP:

Corey Jean-Jacques ‘19

Another former 1st team selection, something that the Bantams are far from lacking, Jean-Jacques returns for a final year of terrorizing quarterbacks. Last season the defensive linemen recorded 4.5 sacks as well as 9 tackles for a loss. Jean-Jacques is the cornerstone of an experienced defensive line for the Bantams, which helped them to a conference-low 9.8 points allowed per game. Trinity also allowed less than 100 rushing yards per game, the only team in the NESCAC to do so. Jean-Jacques is one of 7 returning starters for the Bantam defense who should only improve upon their dominance from last season.

Biggest Game: Saturday, November 3rd at Home vs. Amherst

Amherst was able to stifle the Bantams perfect season last year, handing them their only loss 28-20. I’ve got no doubt that Trinity has revenge on their mind and has circled this date on their calendar.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/TrinFootball/status/978251755401211905

They’re cocky but they can back it up. Gotta respect the rings.

Everything Else:

Everybody wants to know–Can Trinity get it done without stud QB Sonny Puzzo ’18?

The biggest question by far this year for the Bantams is about the quarterback position. At this point, it looks like Jordan Pizarro, a transfer from Rhode Island, will be the guy for the job. While Pizarro has the D1 pedigree to his advantage, other quarterbacks such as David Ryan and Brad Whitman are certainly not out of the question. The biggest thing that Trinity has going for them is their abundance of returning starters. Between offense, defense and special teams; the Bantams are returning 15 starters from their NESCAC championship squad last season, many of whom were decorated with All-NESCAC awards at the end of the year. Their top receivers Koby Schofer and Jonathan Girard will be returning this year and whoever their quarterback is will be grateful to have their talents at their dispense. There’s absolutely no doubt that Max Chipouras will be making a significant impact as he has every other year he’s been on the field. The vast majority of their shut-down defense is returning, meaning that the best defense (Editor’s Note: I still think Amherst has the best defense) in the conference should only be stronger and less relenting. Overall, Trinity has been, can be and will be an absolutely dominant force in the NESCAC this year and it will take nothing less than an incredible performance to take them down this year. My projected record for them is 8-1.

Editor’s Note: As you may have noticed, we have three writers projecting teams to have 8-1 seasons, which doesn’t make much sense. Spencer, Andrew, and I disagree which team, Amherst, Wesleyan, or Trinity, will win the NESCAC, but luckily, as supreme power, I can overrule them. Our official projected records have Amherst at 8-1, Wesleyan at 7-2, and Trinity at 6-3. I’m not quite as good as Vegas at setting the win total for the season, but we’ll see how it all plays out in the coming weeks.

One Strong Leader, One Strong Goal: Wesleyan University Season Preview

2017 record: 6-3

Gotta love this atmosphere, and the Cardinals are going to bring it in Middletown.

NBN 2018 projected record: 7-2

Projected offensive starters (*5 returning):

QB: Mark Piccirillo ‘19*

RB: Sean Penney ‘21

WR: Evan Hull ‘19

WR: Hallvard Lundevall ‘20

TE: Ryan Earle ‘19*

OL: Bryce Jenkins ‘21

C: Joe Wilson ’19*

RG: Jacob Edlebeck ‘21

LT: Ryan Schutta ’20*

RT: Terence Norton ‘19*

Projected defensive starters (*6 returning):

DB: Ben Thaw ‘20*

DB: Eli Blair-May ‘20

S: AJ Lanton ’22

S: Pat Leone

LB: Brandon Morris ‘19*

LB: Will Kearney ‘20

LB: Malcolm Fox ’21

DL: Jude Lindberg ‘19*

DL: Taj Gooden ‘21*

DL: Grant Williams ‘19*

DL Bobby Nevin ‘19*

Projected special teams starters (*2 returning):

K: Pat Wolfe ‘21*

P: Sam Han ‘20*

Offensive MVP:

Mark Piccirillo ‘19

If you study the most successful college quarterbacks from the past decade, who do you have on your list? I have Tim Tebow, Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, and Lamar Jackson just to name a few. What do all these quarterbacks have in common? They’re all incredible athletes who ran option plays in college. After Eagles coach Doug Pederson introduced the world to the run-pass option (RPO) last season, RPO has established itself as common lingo. Mark Piccirillo, Wesleyan quarterback, has been running one of the most successful offenses in the NESCAC for the past three seasons. Even though he doesn’t amaze spectators with size, he makes up for it will intelligent reads. The offense is run fast, which is predicated on great conditioning and understanding what the defense is giving you. Piccirillo led the league in both yards per game and touchdowns; however, he threw ten interceptions. With a touchdown to interception ratio of two to one, Piccirillo slipped behind the likes of Sonny Puzzo (Trinity) and Jared Lebowitz (Middlebury) in that statistical category. As his offensive counterparts become more comfortable with Piccirillo, the turnovers will likely be cut down. Piccirillo’s meager 8.0 yards per attempt shows that the offense is comfortable taking what the defense gives them. Exploiting linebacker on slot receiver matchups underneath and in the flat is a major reason for all of Piccirillo’s passing yards a season ago. Piccirillo noted the following about his mental state entering his final season at Wesleyan: “I’d say personally to prepare for this season I’ll be watching a lot of film on opponents early into game weeks to really get enough mental reps on what I have to do and go into practices with the mindset that every day is game day. Also just really get a lot of reps with my receivers every day to have the chemistry to make plays on Saturdays. And the number one thing is playing with high confidence every place. This year I see our team going out on game days with a lot of energy flying around and being positive. I love what I see from the younger guys on the team that’ll have a big impact on bettering the team.”

Piccirillo is a front runner for NESCAC POY in 2018

Piccirillo’s mental state is what you want in a quarterback and leader. So much of sports is failing, moving on, and responding in a positive way. Piccirillo’s interceptions last year is a source of losing confidence. As a leader, nevertheless, he seems to have taken charge of the offense. One of the most important pieces of Wesleyan’s offense graduated last year. Wide receiver Mike Breuler invigorated fans with his flying catches in traffic and overall dependability. Breuler had a phenomenal junior campaign, leading the team in catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns, and earning first team all NESCAC honors. The wideout ended his senior year by earning NESCAC offensive player of the year, breaking Wesleyan and NESCAC single season records in yards and catches, and finished second in the country in yards per reception and third in total yards per game. It’s clear that losing Piccirillo’s top target from the past few years will hurt Wesleyan’s offense. The question for Coach DiCenzo and the coaches is who is going to fill Breuler’s void. There won’t be one guy who can possess the chemistry that Breuler and Piccirillo shared. It’s going to take multiple players to fill Breuler’s shoes. Joe Scancarella is a sophomore receiver to watch this year. He doesn’t have the size that Breuler has, but he great hands. He made an impact as a freshman with one touchdown. He’s quick, and is a matchup nightmare for bigger, slower linebackers.

Defensive MVP:

Brandon Morris ‘19

Wesleyan is returning some core pieces on defense. Senior linebacker Brandon Morris led the NESCAC in tackles per game. Defensive linemen Taj Gooden and Jude Lindberg return as well to an interior presence, which will wreak havoc for opponent offensive linemen. Besides Wesleyan’s loss of Breuler, play on the road has to be another point of concern. A perfect record at home coupled with a sub five hundred record on the road is something the Cards will desperately look to correct. Whether it’s mental or physical, the Cards will travel to play Tufts and Williams on the road, both hostile environments. Wesleyan dominated the time of possession, leading the league. As John Madden would say, without the ball, it’s hard for the team to score points. Wesleyan has to continue to emphasize winning the time of possession this season if they want to succeed. I think that Mark Piccirillo will be the ultimate difference maker for the Cards. He will bring them over the top to bring them a NESCAC championship.

Biggest game: 9/15 vs Middlebury:

The first game of the season is Wesleyan’s biggest. Middlebury beat them last year, so a 1-0 record to start the season is a necessity to win a NESCAC crown. Wesleyan isn’t such a young team anymore with Morris and Piccirillo leading the team. Wesleyan can prove to the league with an opening day win that they’ll here for the long haul.

Best tweet: https://twitter.com/GKessFilms/status/1035619516498288640

A fly messing with Picc! Wow.

Everything else:

Who else is looking forward to seeing this glorious field next Saturday?

As the dog days of training camp come to an end, and the strange combination of jubilation for another year of a college social life and fear of problem sets, exams, and papers churns in our stomachs, we have to remember what we’ve waited for since February: football. NESCAC football fans have waited even longer, however, too see their alma mater on the gridiron. There are many question marks that come to my mind as both a writer and a fan when considering how teams will perform this season: will there be two poles like last year with Trinity, Middlebury, and Amherst at the top, while Colby and Bowdoin rounded out the bottom? Will young teams like Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts dethrone Trin at the top? Wesleyan, Williams, and Tufts all showed promise last season, but only one team is returning a four year playmaking starter at the quarterback position. Only one team was second in the entire conference, behind Middlebury, in total offense; only one of those teams had a 65% touchdown efficiency in the red zone, ranking second in the league behind Trinity. The team that I keep referring to, and will make the leap from a successful 6-3 2017 season to an outstanding 8-1 2018 (one more win than Colby and Cam gave these boys) is the Wesleyan Cardinals.

Stay the Course: Bowdoin Football Preview 2018

Stay the Course: Bowdoin Football Preview 2018

2017 Record: 0-9

Projected Record: 1-8

Projected offensive starters (*4 returning)

QB – Noah Nelson ’19*

RB – Nate Richam ’20*

WR – Greg Olson ’21*

WR – Michael Cloppse ’20

WR – Chandler Gee ’20

TE – Robert Millett ’21

C – AJ Mansolillo ’19*

OL – Jacob Palmer ’20

OL – John Galusha ’20

OL – Justin Winschel ’21

OL – David Monti ’21

Projected defensive starters (*6 returning)

LB – Liam Dougherty ’21*

LB – Harrison Craig ’21

LB – Joe Gowetski ’20

DB – Cameron Rondeau ’19*

DB – Jack Whiting ’19*

DB – Owen Gifford ’21*

DB – Matt Williams ’20

DL – Robert Caputo ’19*

DL – Yuejay Reeves ’19*

DL – Nat Deacon ’20

DL – Tomasi Fakatoumafi ’22

Projected specialists (*3 returning)

K/P – Michael Chen ’20*

KR/PR – Owen Gideon-Murphy ’21*/Matthew Williams ’20*

Offensive MVP: Wide Receiver Greg Olson ’21

No not Greg Olsen, All-Pro tight end for the Carolina Panthers. I’m talking about Greg Olson, future All-NESCAC wide receiver for the Bowdoin Polar Bears. Olson was stuck behind a couple of senior wide receivers last year, but still managed to have an impact when he saw some action, mustering 17 receptions for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. This is his year to break out, as he’ll be the team’s go-to option out wide. At 6’3”, 210lbs, Olson has the physical tools to be an elite NESCAC receiver, and he’ll benefit greatly from a year of collegiate experience under his belt as well as the loss of the only two guys ahead of him from last season. Expect Greg Olson to have a big year, as he’ll try to do his best Greg Olsen impression and help Bowdoin turn the ship around this season.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Liam Dougherty ’21

Dougherty stepped on campus in Brunswick last fall and immediately made an impact. As a freshman, he led the team with 53 tackles and played significant minutes in all 9 games. Now that he’s had a taste of what NESCAC football is like, he’s poised to have a huge sophomore season. Given his size at 6’, 210lbs, it will be important for Dougherty to be able to defend smaller, quicker guys when he drops back into coverage. If Bowdoin continues to employ their aggressive defensive approach, I’d look for Dougherty to see an increase in his sack numbers. Now that he’s found a role in this Polar Bear defense, Dougherty will only continue to get better and will be one of the scariest threats in the league for opposing offenses.

Biggest Game: November 10th @ Colby

Bowdoin is currently riding the longest active losing streak in the NESCAC, having lost 17 in a row. Their last win was the final game of the 2015 season against none other than the Colby Mules. Not only is this game part of the CBB rivalry, but if the Polar Bears can’t get their act together, they could go into this game riding a 25 game losing streak. They haven’t come within 10 points of the Mules since the last time they beat them, so the revenge factor will be strong in this one.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/CoachKyleMac1/status/1031909466466398208

I love this tweet for a few different reasons. Coach McAllister clearly wants to show off that he knows how to use GIFs, but I’m not really sure how this one is relevant to the tweet itself. I’m also interested in where he came up with the hashtag because it’s got a good ring to it, but I did some research and didn’t see that particular hashtag used anywhere by any of Bowdoin’s other football coaches or their official team Twitter. I’ll let it slide because I like the sound of it, but he couldn’t have at least used the right “too?” Hopefully the incoming freshman class is as excited as Coach McAllister because throwing grammar to the wind is very un-NESCAC. Power move.

Everything Else:

The Polar Bears have had a rough couple of years, but there are a few reasons to feel better about this upcoming year. First of all, they return a ton of guys who got solid time last season. The majority of players who start and get significant time are underclassmen, so they will only continue to develop and improve. They also welcome impact freshman Tomasi Fakatoumafi ’22 from the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii who will join the team as a defensive end. Fakatoumafi has a college-ready body and will certainly see significant game action right out of the gate. He’ll be a valuable addition to a defensive line that has really struggled as of late, allowing over 60 more rushing yards per game than any other defense in the conference.

Another cause for excitement is the starting quarterback battle that is currently taking place. Noah Nelson ’19 and Griff Stalcup ’21 split time under center last season, partly as a result of injuries to each of them. This year it’ll be a battle between them as neither one played well enough in their opportunities last season to officially win the starting spot. The water got muddied even more when the Polar Bears landed transfer Austin McCrum ’20 from Division I Lafayette College. None of these guys have a clear advantage over the others, so it’ll be a true three-horse race for the starting job.

The addition of Austin McCrum gives Bowdoin quarterback depth that they haven’t had in recent years (Courtesy of Maine Journal Tribune)

Bowdoin isn’t undergoing any major personnel or scheme changes, but they have struggled in recent years playing with very young lineups. Coach Wells encourages his team to stay the course and trust the system they have in place. They’ll continue to develop the youth that they have and hopefully with a bit more experience under their belt, they’ll be able to start seeing the success that they haven’t seen over the last few seasons.

Up Tempo: Bates Football Preview 2018

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Up Tempo: Bates Football Preview 2018

2017 Record: 2-7

Projected Record: 3-6

Projected offensive starters (*8 returning)

QB – Brendan Costa ’21*

RB – Jaason Lopez ’21*

RB – Peter Boyer ’19*

WR – Marcus Ross ’19*

WR – Ty Baum ’19*

WR – Derek Marino ’22

C – Jack O’Brien ’20*

LG – Dan Marino ’19*

LT – Phil Simplicio ’20

RG – Marty Guinee ’19*

RT – Yanni Falaras ’19

Projected defensive starters (*8 returning)

CB – Coy Candelario ’19*

CB – Kevin Claflin ’19*

DB – Joe Frake ‘19*

DB – Devin Clyburn ’21

DB – Jon Lindgren ’20*

LB – Bobby Dee ’19*

LB – Connor Suraci ’20

LB – Chase Fulton ’19*

DL – Calvin Johnstone ’19

DL – Walter Washington ’18*

DL – Connor DeSantis ’19*

Projected specialists (*1 returning)

PK – Karim Darwiche ’21

P – Justin Foley ’19*

KR/PR – Christian Sanfilippo ’21/Jon Lindgren ’20

Offensive MVP: Quarterback Brendan Costa ’21

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Costa is going to be the biggest make-or-break player for the Bobcats this season. He finished his freshman season as the NESCAC’s 2nd leading rusher, trailing only 3-time All NESCAC honoree Max Chipouras of Trinity. He can definitely run, but with Bates switching to the “Air Raid” offense this season we’ll find out if he can throw. In 2017 he threw for the fewest yards per game of any starter – although they ran the triple option, which certainly does not lend itself to throwing the ball. However, he also completed only 47.8% of his passes, last among starters in the conference. We know that Costa can do damage with his legs, but he’ll have to prove that he can use his arm if the Bobcats want to snatch a few more wins this season.

Defensive MVP: Safety Jon Lindgren ’20

(Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

This kid was the biggest 2017 All-NESCAC snub and I’ll tell you why: he compiled 75 tackles last season, good for 7th in the conference. I know, it’s not good when your safety is leading the team in tackles. But 75? That’s legit. Now you’re probably thinking, “Oh, well if he had that many tackles then he must not be very good in coverage right?” Wrong. Lindgren led the NESCAC with 12 pass break ups. I will admit that he didn’t have any interceptions but come on, how are you going to hold it against him that he has bad hands? He’s playing safety for a reason. Anyways, the point is that Lindgren is a stud with outstanding defensive instincts and a knack for finding the play. He’s ready to lead a defense that returns the majority of its starters and will have to do more than they have in recent years to keep the Bobcats in games. Stay tuned to see if he learned how to catch over the summer.

Biggest Game: November 10th vs. Hamilton

Normally I’d pick one of the CBB games as the biggest game of the year, but the Bobcats have had no trouble in recent years securing that trophy. The biggest struggle as of late has been the season’s final game against the Continentals. Hamilton has been stuck between the top tier of the conference and the three Maine schools, always able to snag that last win against Bates to stay one spot ahead in the standings. This year the Bobcat offense will need to step it up, as they have only been able to score 21 points against the Hamilton defense in the past 3 years combined. That’s not good. Circle this one on your calendar, folks.

Best Tweet:

https://twitter.com/Coachcap77/status/1034816725299224581

If you don’t follow Coach Capone on Twitter, I highly recommend it. He has absolutely mastered how to use this app and is taking full advantage of that fact. If there was ever a football team who definitely feels the JUICE, it’s the Bates College Bobcats. This tweet gets me FIRED UP for a (mostly) new coaching staff, a new offense, and a new season. Stay hot, Coach Capone.

Everything Else:

Out with the old, in with the new. Bates welcomes Malik Hall as the 20th head coach in program history. With him he brings new offensive coordinator Custavious Patterson and a new-look offense that probably shouldn’t be new-look because it’s what literally everyone else does, but is still very exciting for Bobcat fans. This will surely make games light-years more fun to watch, and will hopefully start putting up big numbers on the scoreboard. Brendan Costa ’21 is in position to have a huge season, as he’ll work to get on the same page as his wide receiving corps. They’ll return running back Jaason Lopez ’21 who played well in somewhat limited time last season, also catching a number of passes out of the slot. Freshman Derek Marino (younger brother of senior offensive lineman Dan Marino) has a chance to make a big impact at wide receiver in his rookie season. The defense returns top defensive backs Jon Lindgren ’20, Coy Candelario ’19, and Joe Frake ’19 who saw a ton of action last season. Chase Fulton ’19, Bobby Dee ’19, Pete Daley ’19, and Connor Suraci ’20 will anchor a solid group of linebackers who also have a lot of experience.

Coach Hall comes from the University of Pennsylvania where he served as the team’s defensive line coach (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

If the Bates offense can have a better year (and it looks as though they can), then the defense will get some valuable rest and will likely see some improvement given how many of their starters are returning. The coaching change has brought some very positive energy to the boys from Lewiston who really needed it. The Bobcats led Wesleyan at halftime last season, and have played Hamilton and Tufts close in recent years. They’re in striking distance of teams just ahead of them and it looks things seem to be going well (if Coach Capone’s reports are true). This could be the year that they finally make a leap and steal a few more wins.

Next Year Starts Now: Way Too Early 2019 NESCAC Baseball Power Rankings

2019 NESCAC Baseball Preseason Power Rankings:

After it was all said and done, Amherst showed everyone why you can’t count them out. Facing elimination against Middlebury, Amherst won some close ballgames to survive and advance, combining clutch pitching and hitting all the way to a NESCAC title. As the Harry Roberson and Max Steinhorn era comes to a close at Amherst, it was nice from a personal perspective that these guys won it all. With those guys leaving, however, it is tough to think that Amherst will be in the same position next year. While coaches Brian Hamm and John Casey will never put out a losing team onto the field, a product of superior coaching, recruiting, and pedigree, they have a tough task to replace their best hitters. Casey arguably has a harder task, needing to replace the meat of his lineup, but will likely have some hot shot recruits coming in to fill that void. As these guys graduate and move on to the real world, teams filled with underclassmen will start to rise. Middlebury, and Wesleyan of the west division were filled with strong underclassmen, while Trinity looks to be the most promising out of the East.

1). Wesleyan:

With sometimes inconsistent hitting, Wesleyan’s NESCAC success will rely on the control and success of their pitching staff.

Wesleyan had to play a perfect game against Tufts to stay alive in the tournament and they revealed some weaknesses in their pitching staff as a result. Despite some stellar offensive numbers (.298 team AVG), the Cards struggled against quality pitching down the stretch. At times they looked overmatched in the NESCAC tournament, seeing their true advantage of starting pitching fail to execute when it counted. Mike McCaffrey and Kelvin Sosa, two of the most talented pitchers in the league, went 5.1 innings, allowing 11 runs and 13 BBs in the NESCAC tournament, leading to an early exit. They have the offensive depth and starting pitching to go a long way, but they need to compete better in big games and show that their bullpen can keep the score close if their starters don’t got deep into outings. The Cards are young, though and just might have the talent to go all the way. Alex Capitelli, Danny Rose, Kelvin Sosa, and Mike McCaffrey are just a few of the names the Cardinals are returning.

2). Middlebury:

Colin Waters is a wild card for 2019, putting up solid numbers as a sophomore and coming on only at the end of this year. Not playing football could turn him into one of NESCAC’s best arms.

Middlebury came close to making the playoffs, but a weak start to the season made any road to the postseason a long shot if not impossible. Getting swept by Wesleyan in one of the early serieses gave Midd absolutely no momentum and a 2-4 record at the halfway point. The squad stopped underachieving around three-quarters into the year, but by then, it was too late. They were hampered all year by injuries too as highly touted recruit Michael Farinelli and starting pitcher Spencer Shores both went down with Tommy John surgery after the preseason. Shores, a hard throwing righty with jerky mechanics and a wipeout slider, saw tons of success at the beginning of 2017 and if he can get healthy, the Panthers should have a formidable pitching staff. Anchoring that pitching staff is Colby Morris, one of the NESCAC’s top arms and Colin Waters who really came on at the end of the year, dominating Union in a 5-3 victory and shutting down Amherst in relief. 1B Kevin Woodring (1st Team All-NESCAC Nose Tackle for the football team) went down with a knee injury against Williams and did not return the rest of the way, and has the potential to lead the league in HR. They also have the NESCAC defensive POY, Brooks Carroll at SS, First-Team All-NESCAC 2B Justin Han, and a breakout hitter in Hayden Smith. The ceiling is high for this team, but as always the question will be: Will they put it all together?

3). Trinity:

Trinity has solid starting pitching and their offensive is anchored by the powerful Koperniak.

Trinity must be kicking themselves after such a heartbreaking change of events at the end of the regular season. The Bantams started off the season so strong, winning the series against Tufts and Bowdoin and sweeping Colby, setting themselves up for an early playoff clinch with a 7-2 record. With Tufts underachieving, Bates not hitting, and the rest of the east not playing well all together, it seemed like a playoff spot for Trin was locked up. Losing three tight games in a row to Bates, however, killed the Bantams season. The potential returns, though: no weekend starter for Trin was a senior, so they’ll be back. Alex Shafer dominated all year and is in the conversation for pitcher of the year, Erik Mohl had a down year but could return to his All-NESCAC form. C Alex Rodriguez needs to step up though, seeing his stellar freshman numbers collapse in his sophomore campaign. Hopefully a second stint in the NECBL will help him find that talent once again. Matt Koperniak broke out and garnered both All-NESCAC and All-Region honors and will be their on field leader in 2019. With their new field, good coaching, and likely some talented recruits coming in, the Bantams will be an exciting team to watch come next spring.

4). Tufts:

Tufts didn’t surprise anybody by winning the East division regular season title, proving our preseason rankings correct. Although they made it to the tournament, they lacked pitching dominance like they have enjoyed in their previous eras, seeing their #2 and #3 starters combine for a paltry 4.05 K/9. Despite sub-3.00 ERAs from both of these players, Brent Greeley and Spencer Langdon, their strikeout numbers reveal that they can’t generate swings and misses and rely on good defense and a bad BABIP (batting average on balls in play) from opponents. Well, it might not get much better, as their corner infielders Tommy O’Hara and Nick Falkson graduated. Their seniors represented a 4x First Team All-NESCAC honoree in 3B Tommy O’Hara, the 2018 NESCAC POY Malcolm Nachmanoff, and the 2017 NESCAC POY Nick Falkson which is tough for even the legendary coach John Casey to replace. RJ Hall will lead the staff to a number of wins, but they might not have the offense to dominate like they usually do. One thing to count on is that they will lead the league in hit by pitches by about 50.

5). Williams:

Williams had a tough season without their ace Johnny Lamont. He’s an elite pitcher, although even he wouldn’t have been able to solve all of the Ephs’ pitching problems. Williams simply lacked ‘stuff’ on the mound this year and their offense wasn’t deep enough to make up for it. Kyle Dean will likely move back to the bullpen next year where he saw success as a freshman, and Lamont should help balance out the staff. Jack Bohen will need to be more consistent for his team to have a chance to win NESCAC weekend games. Kellen Hatheway and Jack Roberts had talent sure enough, but got off to slow starts and never got back to the All-NESCAC level that they were at in the past. Hatheway will surely figure it out (unless he gets an internship this summer) and is still an elite DIII defender, with arguably the most range in the conference. Losing is never fun, and the Ephs’ playoff drought is getting longer and longer, so they will assuredly come back next year with a new sense of energy especially with their ace returning.

6). Amherst:

Nick Nardone is one of the lone powerful bats remaining in Amherst’s lineup.

What a run it was for the Amherst Mammoths. They won 5 straight to head to the New York Regional, and while they exited after a quick 0-2 performance, they lost both games by one run, competing and showing that they deserved to be there. Ultimately their offensive depth was an issue as Max Steinhorn, Ariel Kenney, and Harry Roberson were far more dangerous than their other hitters, but they had the best all around team in the conference. Their pitching, both starting and relief, performed when they needed it to, and some unlikely offensive heroes stepped up in big spots. Bolstering the lineup in 2019 will be first year standout Joseph Palmo, whose wide batting stance is surprisingly balance and consistent, offering a contact heavy and line drive approach. He, along with Severino Simeone and Nick Nardone, should lead the Mammoth team who desperately needs to retool after losing some of their program’s all time best players. Andrew Ferrero finally pitched up to his potential too, and with Zach and Davis Brown, they could easily keep most of their NESCAC opponents at bay to compete for another title.

7). Bates:

Bates, underwhelming in most statistical categories, somehow got into the playoffs again. I don’t know what’s in the water up in Lewiston, but once you make the playoffs, nobody could care less about your stats. What it came down to was doing what Middlebury couldn’t–winning with their season on the line and coming from behind to take tight ballgames. A .237 team average is one of the worst in the ‘Cac, but the Bobcats beat out other teams with better team averages to see their season continue. What was especially huge was how they saw a future ace emerge as Nolan Collins threw the ball extremely well in tight spots. The sophomore posted a 2.75 ERA, and was the go to pitcher for Bobcats in must win games, knocking off Tufts in their final series to clinch a trip to Hartford. No hitter posted above a .267 average with most hitters barely hitting their weight though and that is a recurring issue. It will be tough for the Bobcats to get in again with that hitting, but Zach Avila was a breakout player who could see continued success in the NESCAC along with second year starting catcher and All-NESCAC honoree Jack Arend. I counted them out before, so it’s hard to predict what they’ll do next year. All I have to say is it ain’t over until all 12 games are played.

8). Bowdoin:

Bowdoin either needs to have a stellar recruiting class coming in or Lopez needs to be the ace that the Polar Bears were missing in 2018.

The Bowdoin Polar Bears’ end of year record was solid at 7-5, but they lost out on a playoff bid in tiebreaking fashion to Bates. I’m sure that they want to get revenge on Bates for making the playoffs two years in a row, seeing their season end exceptionally early. Like in the west, Bowdoin has a lot of young guys in All-NESCAC honoree Eric Mah and Connor Lee who led the team in hitting. Those two will put up another good year at the plate in 2019, as the team will be bolstered by all around athlete Brandon Lopez. Lopez started off the season terribly and looked as if his velocity dropped from previous years, but turned it around back to back gems against Colby (not a huge confidence booster) and Southern Maine. The game against Southern Maine really gives the Polar Bears some momentum moving forward as the ranked Huskies dominated all the other NESCAC teams they played (Bates, Colby, Amherst). Brett Osterholtz and Colby Lewis will need to step up to make the starting staff more formidable, but if they do, look for Bowdoin to compete for a playoff bid again next year.

9). Hamilton:

Hamilton Baseball’s 2021 class showed a lot of potential, leading to an exciting offseason for the young program.

Hamilton, as usual, is competitive at times with the league’s best but also finds a way to come up short. The West division is no cake walk with perennial winners Wesleyan and Amherst, but Hamilton showed to both teams that they should be respected. They won the series against Wesleyan and took one game from Amherst after losing the first two in heartbreaking fashion. The team is young, and didn’t return too many starters, putting out a product much better than most expected. Matt Zaffino raked all year, garnering the NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors—ending the season with a .359 average. If they can figure it out in close games, Hamilton could potentially make the playoffs next year. They need to keep games close to give the ball to their lights out closer Ian Nish, and have to improve on their defense and offensive execution.

10). Colby

Colby had a tough year and there’s no way around that with a 1-11 NESCAC season. It doesn’t look like it’ll get much better next year either. The Mules’ best hitter and my former classmate Matt Treveloni is graduating (congrats, Trev), and the east is far more variable than the West. Tufts is always a good team, however they didn’t dominate like they have in the past few years and aren’t likely to improve without their three best hitters. The other teams in the East–Bates, Bowdoin, and Trinity are likely to improve though, and the Mules will have a tough task ahead of them without any cake-walk serieses. If pitchers throw strikes for the Mules next year (and they find a new starting pitching staff or it Taimu Ito returns to this 2017 form), they could be 4-8 in conference, but to be better, they’ll need to find some more offense.

It was a great year. Teams that seem to always get the job done, Amherst and Tufts, made it to the finals and two great coached teams playing each other is every baseball fan’s dream. In the end, Amherst proved to everyone why the game always requires twenty-seven outs, cranking out stellar performances in must win games like it was easy. The highlight of the regular season was the way that the East division came down to a three team tiebreaker, showing that no matter how many games are played, everything still seems to come down to the wire. Thank you to all the players and coaches that make the season so enjoyable! See you next spring.

-Andrew

Ring Chasing: NESCAC Baseball Playoff Preview

Finally, we’re in the NESCAC playoffs. It’s the usual suspects from the west: Amherst and Wesleyan. Coming out of the east, we have the same teams as the 2017 season. Both Bates and Tufts put up impressive second half records to allow them to make the playoffs. Amherst similarly barely made the tournament, while Wesleyan has limped its way in. All teams have the ability to win the conference—making it a fight to the bitter end. Let’s look at the game one matchups:

Game 1, Wesleyan vs Tufts (Hartford, CT):

This game is a rematch of the 2014 NESCAC final. Tufts comes into the tournament smoking hot. Tufts is one of the best hitting NESCAC teams in the past few years. The ‘Bos are either first or second in all major hitting statistical categories. They lead in HBP (like they do every year) and on base percentage, which shows all nine guys are willing to get on any way possible. They open it up by leading the league in homers and hits. Malcolm Nachmanoff is the run away candidate in the player of the year race with a .432 avg and seven big flies, leading the ‘Bos at the plate. Not far behind him is 10th-year senior Tommy O’Hara, who has been a staple in the Jumbos lineup for quite some time. R.J. Hall will likely be the game one starter. He has logged the most innings, and couples that with a 2.81 ERA. Right behind Hall are Brent Greeley (2.31 ERA) and Spencer Langdon who leads the ‘Bos starters with a 1.66 ERA. Tufts has no glaring weaknesses with a potent lineup, and dominant staff. They might be in trouble if a starter gets knocked out early though as no reliever has below a 4.00 ERA. Tufts isn’t invincible. If teams can get to Tufts’ bullpen, they have a serious chance of winning.

Ryan Earle needs to be a power threat like that of Tufts’ three headed monster in Hartford.

Wesleyan crawls into the playoffs with numerous injuries on the year. The Cards have had their fair share of big wins such as sweeps against Midd and Williams, but disappointments as well. Losing a series against an evenly matched Amherst squad, and losing two games to one against an underachieving Hamilton team are low points. For Wesleyan’s standards, I’m sure that these results are disappointments, but they showed important aspects of the team. Southpaw Kelvin Sosa is on track to win rookie of the year; McCaffrey has the best K/9 in the league. There are certain x-factors in the lineup like Danny Rose who is one of the top hitters in the conference. His short swing coupled with good bat speed allows him to launch baseballs to the right center gap. The biggest x-factor for Wes, I believe, is Tanner Fulkerson. The Colorado native was named NESCAC player of the week with an outstanding performance against Trinity last weekend. Andrew Kauf and Jake Alonzo have provided great gloves and bats for the infield as well. If I were writing a stock report, Wesleyan sophomores would definitely be stock up. People forget that infielder Jonny Corning is out for the year with a shoulder injury (albeit in his non-throwing arm). Fortunately, this talented class has stepped up all season. If all the sophomores perform, Wesleyan’s lineup can almost match Tufts.

Pat Clare and Alec Olmstead are going to have huge roles as the weekend rolls on for Wes.

The bats make the matchup exciting, but expect a 5-4 or 6-3 game. If Sosa goes, and messes up Tufts’ rhythm (shimmy-shimmy), I think the Cards will take it.

Prediction: Wesleyan 5-4

Game 2: Bates vs Amherst (Hartford, CT):

Amherst got into the playoffs by the skin of its teeth. Having to beat a hot Midd team twice in a row on the road is no easy task, but Amherst accomplished it. Amherst is a good team, but they shot themselves in the foot a bit with a poor performance against Hamilton. Like I always say, Amherst will make the plays down the stretch in close games. A guy like Harry Roberson has been through it all at Amherst. He may not carry himself like a physically imposing player, however, his role in Amherst’s record books doesn’t lie. Roberson has picked it up after a slow start to the season. After hitting in the mid-.200’s to begin the year, he has clawed his way up to a .303 average. Although Davis Brown had been their go-to game one starter, Andrew Ferrero has become their top guy, and with a 2.72 ERA, he is depended on to get the outs in critical scenarios. Ariel Kenney and Max Steinhorn are also anchors in the lineup with averages in the high .300’s, pacing the team that leads the league average and hits. Amherst will put up a good fight one through nine and there’s no easy out in that lineup.

Connor Russell needs to be sharp to give Bates a chance.

Let’s stop criticizing Bates. Yes, the team average isn’t good. It’s pretty bad. At .244, the Bobcats are ranked eighth in the league in team average. Even if they can’t hit on paper, they’re good enough to find themselves in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They’re making the plays when they need to. Nolan Collins has been throwing the ball really well recently and dominated Tufts two weeks ago to clinch their spot in the postseason. The righty leads the starters with a 2.98 ERA while the other starters are merely average. With ERA’s in the 4’s and 5’s for the rest of the staff, Collins will be relied upon to carry the staff the rest of the way. Another key factor to Bates’ recent success is the coaching of Jon Martin. Coming from Vassar to Bates for 2017 season, Martin has brought Bates to the playoffs for two consecutive years. The talent of Bates is average for the NESCAC, but Martin has made the Bobcats a perennial contender. They started off the season slowly, but Martin guided them to a berth, while simultaneously shocking Trinity. Offensively, Justin White has the best average on the team (.381) with very few at bats and Zach Avila has had some big hits, but there aren’t a ton of threats in this lineup. In order to have a shot, the bats are going to need to come alive this weekend.

The game will be low scoring for sure, but I can’t bet against Amherst here.

Prediction: Amherst 2-0

Who’s Hot Heading into the Postseason? NESCAC Baseball Playoff Stock Report

Well it’s finally here. It felt at times as if we were never going to have four NESCAC playoff teams but one of the more riveting regular seasons in recent memory just ended. The playoff chase closed with Amherst beating Middlebury in a de facto playoff game, clinching the West Division for the Mammoths and ending Midd’s remarkable last gasp postseason surge. Here’s who has the most to be excited about (or nervous about) heading into championship weekend.

Stock Up

Amherst’s Bullpen

Zach Horwitz was the player of the game for Amherst against Middlebury.

Needing to take 2 out of 3 against Middlebury, in Middlebury, the do or die weekend did not start off as Amherst would’ve liked after a 7-0 loss in Game 1. No disrespect to LHP Sam Schneider ‘18, whose 8.2 IP of 3 run pitching in the Game 2 win definitely deserves some credit, but the story of the weekend for Amherst was their bullpen in Game 3. After SP Sam Brown was chased from the game in the 3^rd inning, it was just about lights out from there. 4 pitchers out of the pen combined to hurl 6.1 IP and allow just 3 ER, including closer Mike Dow who earned the ever so rare 3 inning save to close out the game and send the Mammoths to the playoffs. While obviously you want to be clicking on all cylinders heading into the postseason, it is great news for Amherst to know that they have the depth of reliable arms in the bullpen that they do, especially in a tournament format as hectic as double-elimination. Ferrero and Schneider are a great duo to have for sure, but to know what your contingency plan is should give Amherst fans great confidence for Friday.

The Pitcher of the Year Race

Morris and the other NESCAC pitchers are in a tight race this awards season.

If you didn’t see Spencer’s more detailed article you can catch it here (https://nothingbutnescac.com/?p=6140), but this one is really shaping up to be a complete toss-up. I would agree with both of his picks in each division, but you’re going to have to read the article to find out who we like. Anyways, this year’s Cy Young race really comes down to team success vs. individual success. How strong is RHP Colby Morris’ case against that of Kelvin Sosa, where Morris (1.68) has an ERA almost a run better than Kelvin Sosa (2.54), leads the league in IP (64.1), and is among a host of guys tied for the league lead in wins at 5. Morris also holds a staggeringly low 0.93 ERA in conference play, which is obviously another factor to take into consideration. But do you give it to a guy whose team didn’t make the playoffs? We all know the NESCAC is notoriously favorable towards individuals on successful teams, so will we see that again? And with the pitchers from the East, is it just a battle between the three-headed monster in Somerville of RJ Hall, Brent Greeley, and NESCAC ERA leader (1.66), Spencer Langdon? Hall has a higher ERA than the rest of the candidates (2.81), but has been the ace of the league leading Jumbo team. Greeley and Langdon boast awesome ERAs, both below 2.5, but have trouble getting swings and misses with only 15 and 24, respectively, so can they compare to Morris’ 53 and Sosa’s 49? Obviously, in the official NESCAC awards only select one pitcher of the year, but they have five candidates to choose from. Clearly you get the point, there are a lot of different things to judge in a year where no 1 or 2 pitchers have really dominated across the board all year like we have seen in years past.

Stock Down

Bates’ Upset Chances

I don’t know what the pulse is like in the clubhouse in Lewiston, but it can’t feel great heading into the NESCAC tournament as the clear underdogs having lost 5 of their last 6. Any momentum from their incredible sweep of Trinity has clearly not materialized, and they’re going to need to hit the refresh button before this weekend and hope to find it, otherwise it’s going to be a short trip to Hartford. They very nearly lucked out and drew Wesleyan instead of Amherst (yes I think Amherst is the better team), but instead they get the Mammoths on Friday, a team that is no stranger to the second week of May.

NESCAC At-Large Bids

Putting this in this week’s Stock Report is kind of a cop out and more of a reflection of the fact that there obviously is not much going on around the league now that 4 teams are left playing, but I think we can safely say that whoever comes out on top this weekend at Trinity will be the lone team representing the NESCAC in the NCAA Tournament this year. There has not been a NESCAC team even receiving votes in the d3baseball.com poll since Tufts slid out in the first week of the season. Obviously there are a lot of factors that go into this, such as the depth in the conference that forces the league to beat up on each other, and teams not prioritizing mid-week non-conference games (rightfully) over their divisional series at the weekend, to name the two biggest. Regardless, it would be great to see more NESCAC teams make noise at the national level, but that won’t be happening this year.