{"id":27235,"date":"2005-03-10T11:18:28","date_gmt":"2005-03-10T17:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2005\/03\/10\/mens-diii-quarterfinal-previews\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:56:11","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:56:11","slug":"mens-diii-quarterfinal-previews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwproxy.uscho.com\/2005\/03\/10\/mens-diii-quarterfinal-previews\/","title":{"rendered":"Men’s D-III Quarterfinal Previews"},"content":{"rendered":"
Is parity in Division III finally here? <\/p>\n
While there is still a big gap between the “haves” and “have nots” in D-III, this year’s playoff field suggests that there are many more teams with a shot at the playoffs. Only one team in the field, Middlebury, has won a national championship; the defending champs have six under their belt.<\/p>\n
Five of the remaining eight teams — Geneseo, Curry, Trinity, New England College, and Manhattanville — have never won an NCAA playoff game, but at least two will this weekend.<\/p>\n
One team, Manhattanville, is making its first NCAA appearance in just the sixth season for the program. Geneseo has been to the NCAAs before, but this is the first time since 1990.<\/p>\n
Only four of this year’s nine teams — St. Norbert, Middlebury, St. Thomas, and Curry — are return participants.<\/p>\n
Just three teams — St. Norbert, Curry, and Trinity — finished in first place during the regular season.<\/p>\n
While there are some firsts in this year’s tournament, there are also some lasts. This is the last year that there will be nine teams in the tournament; next year, one at-large bid is added for a total of ten. It’s also the last season — at least until 2009 — that the final four will be played at a participating college’s campus, with predetermined sites taking the NCAAs to [nl]Elmira, N.Y., Superior, Wis., and Lake Placid.<\/p>\n
What’s in store this Saturday? USCHO’s regional columnists preview each contest with conversations with each coach. Here’s a summary of each contest with links to the individual previews:<\/p>\n
St. Thomas<\/u><\/b>
\nRecord:<\/b> 18-5-5 (MIAC: 12-3-1, second place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> MIAC Autobid; defeated St. John’s, 2-1
\nNCAA First Round:<\/b> defeated St. John’s, 4-1
\nCoach:<\/b>Terry Skrypek
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> 11
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> 2004; lost in first round<\/p>\n
St. Norbert<\/u><\/b>
\nRecord:<\/b> 24-2-3 (NCHA: 12-0-2, first place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> NCHA Autobid; defeated Wisconsin-Superior, 8-3
\nCoach:<\/b>Tim Coghlin
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> 6
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> 2004; finished second<\/p>\n
Read the Preview by Ryan Mattingly<\/a><\/p>\n New England College<\/u><\/b> Manhattanville<\/u><\/b> Read the Preview by Scott Biggar<\/a><\/p>\n Curry<\/u><\/b> Middlebury<\/u><\/b>#6E New England College at #1E Manhattanville<\/h4>\n
\nRecord:<\/b> 17-11-0 (ECAC East: 11-8-0, fourth place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> ECAC East Autobid; defeated Babson, 6-4
\nCoach:<\/b>Tom Carroll
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> 2
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> 2001; lost two-game quarterfinal series<\/p>\n
\nRecord:<\/b> 21-3-1 (ECAC West: 8-3-1 second place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> Pool B at-large; defeated Utica, 3-1 in ECAC West championship
\nCoach:<\/b>Keith Levinthal
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> None
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> First appearance<\/p>\n#5E Curry at #2E Middlebury<\/h4>\n
\nRecord:<\/b> 19-5-3 (ECAC Northeast: 14-0-1, first place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> ECAC Northeast Autobid; defeated Mass.-Dartmouth<\/a>, 6-1
\nCoach:<\/b>Rob Davies
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> 1
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> 2004; lost quarterfinal<\/p>\n
\nRecord:<\/b> 20-4-3 (NESCAC: 13-4-2, second place)
\nNCAA Bid:<\/b> NESCAC Autobid; defeated Bowdoin, 3-2
\nCoach:<\/b>Bill Beaney
\nPrevious NCAA Appearances:<\/b> 10, 6 NCAA Championships
\nLast NCAA Appearance:<\/b> 2004, NCAA Champion<\/p>\n