Sorry, improvement? They went 0-9-1 in the ACC last year. Syracuse currently 0-8-1, so they will match their record last year when they lose at BC this week. They have gone 2-40-5 in the ACC under the current staff. By going winless two years in a row they are getting worse. A 118 RPI still means they are nowhere near to getting an at large. Please tell me if you see a P4 program with a worse conference record over five years than that. It’s historically awful. But I wouldn’t place all the blame on the staff. I just think that’s a place that will never win. Consider this. They have only won TWO games in five years once they get past mid September. So the last 6-7 weeks the kids know they’ll be slaughtered. Probably pretty hard to keep those kids motivated and out of the bars during October as the losses pile up.
The largest “barrier” that exists are a supply and demand variation. Men’s Soccer: 212 NCAA Division 1 teams 31 Power 4 programs (including programs like Kentucky, who play in non-p4 conference for soccer) Women’s Soccer 353 NCAA Division 1 teams 69 Power 4 programs FIFA estimates put the numbers of male youth players at 120 million, and female youth players at 7 million. So - there are a lot less female recruits for many more programs. It is quantitatively more difficult for women’s programs to sign the top players.
Yes, but all women's programs are subject to this dynamic. My question is why Syracuse specifically should be a place where you can't win in women's, even as the men's team wins a national title. One would think that, as a Power 4 program with a significant presence across the college athletic landscape, they would be one of the institutions best situated to excel, or at least be competitive. To use another comparison: Maryland women have fallen on hard times since Brian Pensky left, but I don't think anyone would say that it's just not a place where you can win - and Sasho's success is one of the primary pieces of evidence that it's a place set up for success.
I’m certainly not claiming that Maryland or Syracuse can’t be or shouldn’t be competitive. There’s a lot of factors that go into that, but what is non-debatable is this: If every power-4 program (both men’s and women’s, respectively) is trying to attract the top 50 recruits every year, that means 69 programs are trying to to recruit the top 50 recruits on the women’s side whereas 31 programs are trying to attract those top 50 recruits on the men’s side. Can it be done effectively on the women’s side, absolutely! I’m just pointing out that there is a LOT more competition for those same top recruits on the women’s side.
Anyone else old enough to remember last year's Hot Seat list that included NDSU and Montana? Well, I hope no one's disappointed that both teams finished 1st in their respective conferences. Now they just need to win their respective conference tournaments. I think Montana has a better chance of progressing from the Big Sky tournament than NDSU has in the Summit League. (Speaking of the Summit League, I'm pretty sure that there's going to be a change at St. Thomas.)
I remember doubting NDSU on here last year. Good for them to have such an amazing season. Montana should win the conference tournament. NDSU has to get through SDSU or Denver again. Not going to be easy. What’s the inside info on st. Thomas?
No inside information, just my spidey sense. It's been a tough transition to DI for the Tommies. Since making the move from D3 to DI they're overall record is 18-36-12 (6-23-5): 2021 - 4-12-1 (2-7) 2022 - 6-8-3 (2-6-1) 2023 - 3-7-5 (1-5-2) 2024 - 5-9-3 (1-5-2) Given the success that the program consistently had at D3, I'm sure that the expectations we're a little higher for the coach and the program.
Are there any stats out there that can show another div 3 program transitioning to div 1 in women’s soccer to compare. I would think it is not easy making that jump. It would take time. Shoot there have been good div 2 programs that went div 1 that struggle even today years later.
OPEN: Oregon State (interim) UC Riverside (interim) Loyola Chicago (interim) Cal Poly (retirement 6/9) North Carolina (interim; retirement 8/9) Mississippi Valley State (8/25) Niagara (8/27) Maryland (10/10) Kansas State (10/28) FILLED: Duke - Kieran Hall (Duke associate head; filled after Fall 2024 season retirement) San Francisco - Pinder Nijjar (interim; 9/17)
Well now that Kansas State is officially open. Who do you think are some of the top candidates for that job?
Kansas State needs to hire one of these coaches that have produced results in difficult places and / or have taken bottom dwellers to new heights. The name that comes to mind now is Sharif Shaber from USC Upstate, certainly has to be a hot commodity this hiring cycle. He made Upstate a champion which everyone thought would be impossible.
If I was Kansas State AD and I wanted to be serious in women's soccer I would go get Ryan Higginbotham from TCU. He's the associate head coach there and been in the Big 12 for a long time. Basically runs the show at TCU anyway so would have no problem stepping into the head coaches role. Built TCU up into a power player. Probably breaks up TCU as well. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone.
Fair comment but I was also taking into account the relative success that some of the other programs have had on their transition.
100%. absolutely. One of the best mid-major coaches in the game. Signed an extension through 2027 so I wonder what his buyout is? Quick Look at his roster and he has almost everyone coming back next year but if they win the conference tournament, it would be a no brainer to go to greener pastures.
Duquesne appears to be open with an interim coach right now https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/202...ens-soccer-never-looked-back/#google_vignette
Al Alvine is still listed on the website. Could be something more than an opening. No statements made or appearances of a move away from listed coach.
In that article posted above "“I’m proud of the girls that they never looked back,” interim head coach Dave Gray stated" but you are correct as might not be open as no official response from the program but several people have told us it is.
Dave Gray has been interim through a good chunk of the season. So, something has taken place. Temporary or permanent, we do not know yet. Something will come up on it.