NCAA D-III Football teams will only need to compete in five games this season to be eligible for the postseason. (PHOTO COURTESY: Visualunt.com)
By Matt Noonan
The upcoming NCAA D-III sports season will look a bit different than usual due to the ongoing pandemic, which brought an end to multiple winter championships in March, along with numerous spring sports seasons.
Yesterday the Division III Administrative Committee approved the recommendation from the Division III Membership and Championships Committee to allow its various members to compete in fewer contests than usual this upcoming school year – 33 percent less than normal, to be exact – so they can be eligible to contend for a national title.
The reduction of contests will allow each institution to remain in compliance to compete for a championship but also provide flexibility for athletic departments when it comes to scheduling to “seeking relief in the form of waivers.”
“We hope that a reduction in contest minimums will provide flexibility to our member schools as they work to reopen during what is a very uncertain and complex time,” said Tori Murden McClure, the chair of the committee and Spalding president, in Friday’s release. “We understand this won’t fix everything for everyone, but we believe it is the right move at this time and we will remain flexible moving forward.”
The flexibility will certainly help schools when it comes to reopening – it is possible some schools could start earlier or later like a slew of Division I institutions announced this month, including Notre Dame and Syracuse University.
Football teams, including those here in New England, would only need to compete in five contests this fall to be eligible to compete in the NCAA D-III postseason while basketball teams will need to play 12 contests.
As of now, it appears fall championships will occur, but those plans could be altered due to the coronavirus (Covid-19).
There is nothing better than a rivalry, especially on the gridiron. And we have quite a few here in New England, but which one is the best?
Well, we think this list features the best rivalries – 10 to be exact – but if you feel we missed a game (or two), let us know by leaving a comment below. All ideas are welcome!
1. Harvard University vs. Yale University: Hands down, this is the best New England college football rivalry. And while some may think Amherst-Williams belongs in this spot, Harvard-Yale is just as important as The Biggest Little Game in America. The Bulldogs needed two extra sessions this past year to edge the Crimson, 50-43, to claim the 136th edition of The Game. Harvard captured the 2018 meeting, which was played at Fenway Park.
2. Amherst College vs. Williams College: As mentioned above, Harvard-Yale, Amherst-Williams are the two of the best rivalries in New England, but there is nothing better than being in the stands in Amherst or Williamstown in early November to watch this game. The Ephs won their last meeting against the Mammoths by a score of 31-9 and finished their 2019 campaign with their best record under head coach Mark Raymond.
3. Bentley University vs. Stonehill College: The 35th meeting between these two programs was an instant classic. Taking place last October, Falcons won the game on a last-second 32-yard field goal by Grant Buchanan. The win was the Falcons’ second-straight against the Skyhawks, as well as their first against their rival in Easton, Massachusetts since 2011.
4. Maine vs. New Hampshire: The Black Bears may have won the first-ever meeting between these two programs, but the Wildcats have been rather successful since that initial games, especially these past few years. New Hampshire beat Maine twice in the last three seasons, including last fall in their season finale. The winner of each matchup claims the Brice-Cowell Musket, which is named after the former head coaches of the two programs.
6. Coast Guard Academy vs. Norwich University: “The Little Army-Navy Game” is always a must-see, must-watch affair in September, October, or November. The two teams, who entered their previous meeting with identical 2-0 records, first met in 1929. The winner claims “The Mug,” which was donated by The Day with the first award being presented at the conclusion of the third meeting in 1931. Coast Guard currently leads the all-time series, but the Cadets won the most recent contest last September, thanks to an impressive second-half comeback.
7. Dartmouth College vs. New Hampshire: This may not be the most well-known rivalry to current football fans (and players), but the Big Green and Wildcats have met quite a few times over the past few decades. In fact, the first-ever meeting between Dartmouth and New Hampshire occurred in 1901 with the Green and White claiming a 51-0 victory. The two teams last met in 2016 but will meet again in 2021.
8. MIT-WPI: Sure, WPI’s longstanding rivalry may be RPI, but from an in-state (or in-region) opponent, it has to be MIT, right? The Engineers of Cambridge won the first six meetings – both MIT and WPI initially met in 1888 – but since 2001, the Engineers of Worcester have won six of seven contests. The two teams began playing against each other every year since 2015. Last fall, MIT snapped WPI’s six-game winning streak by securing a hard-fought win in double-overtime. The victory was MIT’s first against WPI since 1900.
9. Endicott College vs. Western New England: This always seems to be a must-see, must-follow contest, no matter the records. But for the past few years, this has been the de-facto conference championship game. The Golden Bears have won two of the last three meetings while Endicott captured the 2018 meeting. The win over WNE in 2018 provided Endicott with its sixth victory at home against its rival while snapping the Golden Bears’ 25-game conference winning streak.
10. Southern Connecticut vs. University of New Haven: The Elm City Trophy has resided in New Haven these past few seasons, but the Owls did make things interesting last October. The Chargers have won 24 of the 31 meetings in this series and will attempt to continue its recent momentum against the Owls when they visit West Haven, Connecticut later this year.
The NCAA unveiled its nine-step and three-phase plan that will help institutions across the country to get their student-athletes back on the playing field. (PHOTO COURTESY: Pilot MKN on Visualhunt / CC BY)
By NoontimeSports.com
TheNCAA unveiled a nine-step and three-phase plan on Friday that should help schools in all three divisions with returning their various teams to the playing field. But don’t expect every school and team to return immediately.
The NCAA’s COVID-19 Advisory Panel, which is led by Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline, shared its “Resocializiation in Sports” plan which considers multiple factors with getting student-athletes back on the field from federal recommendations to data and science to input from experts that “puts the health, safety, and well-being of student-athletes and the needs of the membership first.”
“It is also important to take into consideration that there will not be a quick, single day of re-emergence into society,” Hainline said in this afternoon’s release, which can be found on NCAA.org.
“We will re-emerge in a manner that recognizes COVID-19 will be around until there is an effective vaccine, treatment or both. That is why resocialization should be rolled out in a phased way that helps assure sustained low infection spread, as well as aids in the ability to quickly diagnose and isolate new cases.”
As Hainline noted and outlined in the nine-step process, for colleges and universities to be successful with getting their teams and student-athletes back on the field, they must have plans in place for testing, temperature checking, contact tracing, and isolating. Schools would also need an ample amount of protective equipment.
Dan Dutcher, who is the vice president of NCAA Division III, provided some insight into this plan on a brand new “Noontime Nation” Podcast, which can be heard on both iTunes and Spotify.
(PHOTO COURTESY: David Le ’10/Endicott College Athletics)
By NoontimeSports.com
For the past four years, Keith Brown has been a player to watch on the Endicott College men’s basketball team.
The Pelham, New Hampshire native credits the program’s “competitive atmosphere” for making him a better player. “We all wanted to push each other to get better through practices, pick-up games, and (various) weight lifting sessions,” he said when asked about what he enjoyed most about competing for the Endicott men’s basketball program.
And that assistance from both current and past teammates allowed Brown to flourish under the direction of coach Kevin Bettencourt and conclude his career as the first-ever men’s basketball player to net 2,000 points.
We recently spoke with Brown about his final season with the Gulls, as well as his future plans beyond graduation later this spring.
What will you remember most about your senior year?
The friendships my teammates and I established. We are very close friends and did everything together, both on and off the court.
Looking back on the 2019-20 season, what game (or games) will you will remember most? Why these particular games?
There are three games I will always remember from this past season. The first one is when we beat Nichols College on our home court. It was a (great game) with a packed crowd. It was also a great (college basketball) atmosphere.
And the third contest was our ‘Senior Day’ against Curry College. Not only was I able to share the court with my fellow seniors and roommates for the past four years, but I also became the first student-athlete in program history to score 2,000 points.
Once you officially graduate later this spring, do you plan to stay involved with the sport in some capacity? Any interest in coaching?
I haven’t officially decided on what I am going to do after I graduate. I definitely want to remain involved with basketball in some capacity, but I do have an interest in coaching down the road.
What interested you in pursuing a degree in business management? What do you hope to do with your degree after graduation?
It’s a broad degree, in my opinion, which will allow me to do many things. I have been fortunate to gain some real-life experience with four internships, but my plan is to land a job within the sports world.
I am a determined person and believe that I will find the right job that is best for me (after graduation).
Kaleigh Putnam averaged 15.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this past winter for the Endicott College women’s basketball team. (PHOTO COURTESY: David Le ’10/Endicott College Athletics)
A two-time all-conference honoree, including a first-teamer this past winter, Putnam concluded her time with the Gulls by netting 971 points to go with 354 rebounds, 248 assists, and 101 steals.
Earlier this month, we caught up with Putnam to discuss her final season, but also her future plans after graduation next month.
What will you remember most about your senior year?
I will always remember winning the CCC championship. All of our hard work really paid off and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates for what we accomplished.
Being able to spend every day with my best friends and playing the sport I love is something that I will cherish forever. Championship day was just an example of what our program and our team were capable of accomplishing this past winter. Also, being able to say that we were the first Endicott women’s basketball team to win the championship is very, very special to me.
Looking back on the 2019-20 season, what game (or games) will you will remember most? Why these particular games?
First, our championship game (against UNE) will be something that I will remember most. That day was so special and historic. Everyone on the team was well-prepared and came out ready to play. It was really special for everyone to step up and play as well as they did.
The other game was our team’s first-round NCAA Tournament contest against Scranton. Scranton was ranked twelfth in the nation (at the time) and no one in the gym thought we were going to win except us. It was probably one of the biggest crowds that we played in front of (this past year) and one of the most fun games that we played in, as well. We were all playing our best basketball (heading into the game) and everything that we had worked for (throughout the season) had come full circle on that particular evening. We proved (to both) ourselves and others that we can compete on a national level.
What have you enjoyed most about competing for the Endicott women’s basketball team (and program) these past four years?
Engaging with the Endicott community. Everyone at Endicott, from the students to the athletic department and faculty, were all very supportive throughout my career. Everyone was invested in the success of the program and I think that really showed. Without their support, we would not have been as successful as we were this past season.
Making the connections with my teammates and coaches and being able to share the experience of playing basketball with them for four years is something that I am going to cherish forever.
Once you officially graduate later this spring, do you plan to stay involved with the sport in some capacity? Any interest in coaching?
I do plan to stay involved in sports, but not just basketball. I could see myself coaching in the future – I have been coaching with an AAU program for the past few years so I will probably continue with that. I could definitely see myself coaching at the college level at some point when the opportunity presents itself.
What interested you in pursuing a degree in Sports Management? What do you hope to do with your degree after graduation?
The passion and the environment that sport brings out in people is something that I want to be around for the rest of my life. It is what drew me to pursue a degree in sport management.
As for my post-graduation plans, I will continue my education at Springfield College next semester to pursue a master’s degree in Athletic Administration. And after my time at Springfield, I would like to pursue a career within college athletics.
