NSCAA/adidas Division I Rankings October 7, 2002 Rank School . W-L-T . Previous 1 Stanford University . 9-1-1 . 2 2 Wake Forest University . 8-0-2 . 3 3 St. John's University . 8-1-2 . 1 4 Indiana University . 8-1-2 . 4 5 Southern Methodist University . 9-1-1 . 5 6 University of Maryland . 9-2-0 . 6 7 University of Connecticut . 8-2-0 . 7 8 Loyola Marymount University . 10-0-2 . 7 9 Clemson University . 7-1-1 . 9 10 Bradley University . 10-0-2 . 10 11 American University . 10-2-0 . 13 12 University of San Diego . 10-2-0 . 12 13 University of South Carolina . 7-2-1 . 11 14 Rutgers . 4-2-3 . 13 15 Boston College . 6-2-0 . 15 16 UCLA . 5-1-2 . 17 17 University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee . 7-1-1 . -- 18 Hofstra University . 7-1-1 . 24 19 Coastal Carolina University . 9-0-1 . 25 20 Saint Louis University . 7-2-1 . -- 21 Penn State University . 7-5-0 . 20 21 University of Virginia . 6-4-0 . -- 23 Yale University . 6-1-0 . 19 24 UC Santa Barbara . 8-1-0 . 25 25 Columbia University . 6-2-0 . -- Also receiving votes: Furman, Creighton
I find this very peculiar. Mid-Atlantic Regional Rankings - 10/7/02 1. Rutgers 4-2-3 2. U of Penn 6-1-0 3. Lehigh 6-4-1 4. Pittsburgh 7-3-1 5T. Bucknell 8-2-1 5T. Penn State 7-5-0 National Rankings - 10/7/02 14. Rutgers 4-2-3 21. Penn State 7-5-0 NR. U of Penn NR Lehigh 6-4-1 NR Pittsburgh 7-3-1 NR Bucknell 8-2-1 I guess I'm having trouble understanding how if Penn State is only considered the 5th or 6th best team in their region, how they are ranked nationally in the Top 25 and ahead of the teams ranked 2 thru 4 in their region. I know their are limits to how "accurate" national college soccer rankings can be, but something is really messed up in the NSCAA ranking system for this kind of discrepancy to exist.
Still a lot of East/West Coast bias here with all but 5 schools in the top 20. Could Penn State's rankings be skewed because they play in the Big Ten?
I think Penn State's odd ranking has to do with their strength of schedule. They've played their typical Big Ten schedule (Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern) and played a very difficult non-conference schedule (Maryland, Virginia, American, etc.) so that might explain it. They will travel to Seton Hall, Boston College, and Lehigh later in the month and host Ohio State and Michigan State. Still, I am baffled at how they can be 7-5 and ranked. The Nittany Lions are just not that consistent, they beat Virginia and took Indiana to Double OT but lost to Wisconsin and Richmond. Of their five losses, two have been in double overtime and three have been to ranked foes, maybe that's the NSCAA's justification. The only other ranked to team to have more than two losses is Virginia, and I think that strength of schedule also contributes to their ranking. I can only guess that teams like Penn and Bucknell are not ranked because of who they play. But it's just a guess because I have no clue if the Quakers and Bison play a good schedule or not.
But if that is the case, why does their strength of schedule get accounted for in the national rankings but not the regional rankings? That's what befuddles me. Why would two different standards be used for regional and national rankings?
St John's has only given up one goal in its last 10 matches, and that one was against Wake Forest (a very good team). Nine shutouts in 11 matches is looking very tough to beat. They still have a tough Big East schedule to get through, however. Regardless, I'll pass on the bet...
Some disconnects are simply not worth trying to explain. Meanwhile, I think Penn State's current ranking is part living on laurels, part the inconsistency that Hax points out. Which team is going to show up? The team that plays face up to Indiana for 110 minutes, or the team that can't beat Wisconsin? Having seen Penn State play in person -- see https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=17682 -- I can completely understand their current schizonphrenic performances. Still, if these guys put together a good Big 10 play in, a distinct possibility, they could go into the NCAAs and certainly scare some opponents.
Another thing that I didn't realize until I read the Daily Collegian today was that Brent Jacquette missed the Wisconsin game. He had accumulated 5 yellow cards and the NCAA mandates a suspension after 5 so he sat out. Jacquette is the glue for the Nittany Lions' backline, heck, they're porous even with him. The article mentioned that the defense played horribly without him, no excuse as a good team should rise above missing players, but it might contribute to their lackluster showing in Madison. They truly are a Jekyl and Hyde team though. Chad Severs looks like a future star one minute than disappears the next. PSU's defense pitches a shutout and then concedes 3 goals on another day. They still have time to pull it together, especially because the NSCAA likes them so a tourney bid is probably still possible. But they need to come with the same team every day and not play up or down to their opponent's ability.
I'd put mymoney On Penn State, but we always end up playing (and losing to either Iniana or St. Johns in the tourney!!!! wuzup wit dat?!?!!?
SJU Schedule You'll be there, but UCONN won't. Seton Hall on the 16th. UCONN on the 25th (Nike Classic)
Biased I am extremely biased but if I'm #9 Clemson and I travel to Univ. of So. Carolina, who is #11, and win, then I expect to move up in the polls. The second part of this is that it really doesn't matter. Thank God we have a playoff system that creates one winner and not all this chatter and complaining that the BCS has created with college football...
Well, this ain't gonna help Penn State's ranking, or their chances for making the tournament - they fell to equally mediocre Seton Hall 3-2 Wednesday. http://www.shupirates.com/sports/msoccer/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=1128
Re: SJU Schedule my bad.....but we'll be there for both games. supporters drinking at gantry's before all SJU home games.