It will be interesting to see how the rankings fall out this week. The preseason polls were a 'little' off (well maybe a lot off in some cases!!). Santa Clara and Portland ought to take a dive but I doubt it--ditto Florida--and they probably will. It's always amazed me how the benefit of the doubt works for certain teams--while others less favored can lose a close game and get slammed. Which is, of course what makes all of this so much fun!
The rankings are out. NSCAA: http://www.nscaa.com/rank/20020902/D1W/0/index.html Soccer America: http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562132129 The NSCAA rankings look pretty screwy to me. I guess it will take a couple weeks for things to shake out.
Yow, I had to defend Michigan being ranked in the high teens in the pre season polls, but I don't think they deserve to be #9 like the NSCAA has them. Florida was a good win, and they did beat BYU after BYU knocked off Portland. Michigan still plays Penn State and Notre Dame, so we'll see as the season goes on. I'm used to the football polls which aren't as fluid it seems. I guess it will all even out in the end.
Maybe it's a first for FSU but not for the NSCAA. In DIII I've seen teams drop in the polls after beating ranked teams and go up after losing to unranked teams - no foolin'. But, generally, the NSCAA poll over-reacts to the latest result without too much regard for strength of opponent. (At least that's my observation - too big a drop for Santa Clara, for example, on the basis of a loss to a top 10 team.). I don't put too much stock in any of the polls unless they all agree. If they all agree, then it must be right. This week's SoccerTimes ranking is out, but I still don't see anything from SoccerBuzz.
Buzz: http://www.soccerbuzz.com/2002rankings/rank090202.htm Just basing these on scores is a joke. A friend sent me a tape of the Clemson game and Georgia was right there with them into OT. If they had had some more healthy players it could easily have been a W for Georgia. Florida on the other hand got flat out beat in 2 games--but they still remain ahead of Georgia in the Buzz regional poll. Go figure. Do Buzz polls count for anything in the big picture?? Or are they just for fun? I won't even start in about the teams with good rankings and 2 push over wins. I guess it all evens out in the end. XYZ is right--if they all agree......
I'll start, then, using the DIII poll. In this week's DIII poll, Emory has somehow jumped to #6 (from 23 in the preseason poll) "On the basis of WHAT?" I might ask. They defeated Hardin-Simmons and Rhodes, neither of which is ranked either this week or in the pre-season poll. Emory WAS a legitimate top 10 team last season, but they lost quite a few key players to graduation. I can't see them jumping to #6 in the nation by beating unranked teams. Maybe it's because Emory was 17-1-1 last year. I'm never going to figure out how, with one of the best records in the country, and a top 10 ranking, they were left out of the national tournament. Now I can't figure out how they're ranked #6.
Pay no attention to the SoccerBuzz poll. It's meaningless. I mean they have UConn unranked, when UConn is in or near the top ten in the other polls. Nebraska was unranked in the Buzz poll to start the year. UGa, based on their results thus far, prob. should be ahead of Florida, a lot of teams should. Maybe they base it on the fact that Florida has never lost to UGa. I guess when they play later this year, we'll find out who is better.
Re: Re: Rankings I stand corrected. Hardin Simmins was #14 in the pre-season poll. I still don't see how a team goes from 23rd to 6th by beating #14. But, then, at this point in the season, it's nearly all guesswork anyway.
Re: Re: Rankings Who even votes in the SoccerBuzz poll? The SoccerBuzz staff only. But who is that? SoccerTimes at least has a pretty respectable list of voters in their poll.
I don't know exactly how the various polls are compiled. I have noticed over the past two years that the Soccer America rankings seem to be closest to reality, as least as I see it. The NSCAA poll often seems out of whack, as XYZ noted, teams will jump a dozen spots on the basis of beating a couple of easy teams. Any thoughts? (Maybe I just refuse to believe that Texas A&M is #3)
"The NSCAA poll often seems out of whack, as XYZ noted, teams will jump a dozen spots on the basis of beating a couple of easy teams. Any thoughts?" I agree I think the NSCAA plays favorites too much even in their regional polls they have things way off. I used to think the NSCAA was the most respevtable poll but now I think Soccer America is followed by Soccer Times and Soccer Buzz is the only poll that I think is under the NSCAA poll. There are just things that never make since in the NSCAA polls.
I think you meant sense, but since you were talking about Soccer Buzz I can understand the momentary light headedness!
Just got back from the game, great game. For the first half, the Gators looked like the Gators of old, they totally dominated. Even though they only had 3 shots on goal, they made them all count, leading 3-0 at half. Credit a very good UConn team with not giving up, they fought hard and played very well in the 2nd half. They scored early in the 2nd to make it 3-1 and from there, they seemed to gain the momentum. Florida wasn't as together, their passes weren't as crisp, they seemed to lack some chemistry and communication. With about 21 minutes left, UConn scored to make it 3-2. UConn had some chances late in the match, but credit the defense and esp. Jordan Kellgren who had a solid match. This gives me hope that Florida will continue to be good not only this year, but in years to come. They are extremely young and I liked what I saw out there tonight, esp. in the first half.
No Albin-Jones??? This statement, at the Soccer Ratings Site, says it all: "2002 Ratings - Unfortunately Soccer Information Systems, now in partnership with the NSCAA has yet to follow their historically generous practice of providing me with the match results. No data, no ratings. Please accept my humble apologies for my inability to continue providing this service to the soccer community." I wonder if this is because the NSCAA has been embarassed at how badly their rankings compared to his?
Rankings for Sept. 9: NSCAA: 1 North Carolina 2 Stanford 3 Santa Clara 4 Texas 5 UCLA 6 Penn State 7 California 8 Texas A&M 9 Michigan 10 Virginia Soccer America: 1 North Carolina 2 Stanford 3 Texas 4 Santa Clara 5 UCLA 6 Portland 7 California 8 Virginia 9 Penn State 10 Texas A&M
Soccer Times Poll Soccertimes.com has reported it's poll. Top several the same then lots of variance. Take your pick. www.soccertimes.com/ncaa/top25/women.htm Its fun, its early, I think parity is here and there will be lots of upsets to come.
Re: Soccer Times Poll The parity results in a grouping of about four and within those the parity is evident 1. UNC 2. Teams ranked 2-5 3. Teams ranked 6-25 4. Everyone else Anything happening within those groups wouldn't be an upset. The "parity" that everyone sees is really within and between groups #2 and #3. I think you could effectively argue the places where groups #2 and #3 diverge, but the principle is the same. I'll bet Albyn Jones's ratings supports this concept once they come out. As long as UNC gets 2-3 Youth and/or Full National team players each year, while no one else does, there is no parity at the top. Last years' final was a definite aberration because Santa Clara was the better team. I know that there are pretenders to #1 in that second tier who could make a case for parity and play UNC close (e.g. UCLA), probably even win a game, but I don't see anyone who could take two out three matches with UNC. It's almost boring to see little change at the top. Let's see what happens this weekend, but a single game is a single game and winning one doesn't prove parity.
Soccer Buzz's poll continues to befuddle. UConn wasn't ranked last week, but they move into the poll after losing to Florida. Nebraska, also loses to Florida and MOVES UP 3 spots, meanwhile the Gators remain unranked. No consistency whatsoever in that poll. Oh well. http://www.soccerbuzz.com/2002rankings/rank090902.htm