Roger Williams

D3 Lacrosse: 2018 Women’s Midseason Report

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NS D3Lax Midseason Report

By Matt Noonan (@MattNoonan11) 

Welcome to April, New England D3 Lax fans! We have officially made it to the mid-way point of the 2018 season – crazy, right?

With just a few weeks remaining before conference tournaments begin, let’s take a spin around the New England landscape and check-in on every conference.

Stay connected with Noontime Sports lacrosse by following us on Twitter: @Noontime_Lax

Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC): Endicott College and Roger Williams meet in an important Wednesday afternoon showdown – the winner of this game will most likely be the front-runner for the top seed in the CCC Tournament. Endicott will look to bounce back following a tough loss to Tufts University, while the Hawks will look to extend their winning streak to four games.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Roger Williams. The Hawks boast the best overall record in the CCC and should find a way to not only get past Endicott this afternoon, but also their remaining league foes.

Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC): Despite an early season setback to Colby-Sawyer, the Mount Ida College Mustangs have been on a roll, winning eight-straight. They will face Johnson & Wales in two weeks – that game will most likely decide the regular season winner.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Mount Ida – let’s go Mustang City!

Little East Conference (LEC): Plymouth State should remain the favorite in the LEC, but don’t be shocked if Keene State catches up to them. The Owls are currently riding a four-game winning streak, as of early Wednesday (Apr. 4th) afternoon, and will certainly be read for their showdown with Plymouth State in a few weeks.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): As much as I want to pick Keene State, I think Plymouth State will find a way to win the regular season crown.

Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC): Westfield State was my initial pick earlier this season, but I certainly wouldn’t overlook Framingham State, which is one of four teams that currently boasts a 1-0 league ledger. The Rams face a tough task this weekend against a talented Bridgewater State squad that is also 1-0 in MASCAC play. A win for Framingham State could certainly be a momentum boost for the Black and Gold, but the Bears should find a way to slow down their rival.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Bridgewater State. The Bears have done quite well outside the conference and should be the team to beat in late April/early May.

New England Collegiate Conference (NECC): At the moment, the race for the regular season crown is wide open, but perhaps this is the year Southern Vermont wins it all? The Mountaineers have appeared in the NECC playoffs the past three seasons and should certainly be a team to watch over the next few weeks.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Southern Vermont. The Mountaineers scored their first win of the season earlier this week over Newbury College and should be able to gain some momentum over the next few weeks, especially with a win over Becker College on Saturday, April 7th.

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC): Middlebury College is clearly the favorite, but don’t count out the following: Amherst College, Trinity College and Tufts University. All three teams certainly has what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the Panthers, but this maybe the year the Panthers win the conference and go deep in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Middlebury College. As much as I would like to pick Trinity or Tufts, I think the road to a NESCAC crown will go through Vermont.

New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC): Babson College scored an impressive win recently over Springfield College, which could help them claim the regular season crown. The Beavers still need to a few more wins to sew up the top seed – one game to circle will be a conference tilt with Coast Guard Academy next Saturday, April 14th. The Bears have been a great story this season, winning eight of nine contests thus far, as of early Wednesday (Apr. 4th) afternoon.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Babson College. The Beavers’ win over Springfield College last month was exactly what the Green and White needed to set themselves up for a successful final few weeks of the regular season.

North Atlantic Conference (NAC): As of now, it appears New England College is the front-runner, but make sure to keep an eye on Castleton University and Husson University over the next few weeks. This conference maybe run currently by NEC, but come tournament time, anything this possible!

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): New England College. The Pilgrims are averaging close tp 15 goals per game – they currently average 14.90 markers per contest. Their offense could provide challenges for Castleton or Husson, but a match-up in the final against Colby-Sawyer could be an interesting one.

D3 Lacrosse: 2018 Men’s Midseason Report

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NS D3Lax Midseason Report

By Matt Noonan (@MattNoonan11) 

Welcome to April, New England D3 Lax fans! We have officially made it to the mid-way point of the 2018 season – crazy, right?

With just a few weeks remaining before conference tournaments begin, let’s take a spin around the New England landscape and check-in on every conference.

Stay connected with Noontime Sports lacrosse by following us on Twitter: @Noontime_Lax

Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC): It should come as no surprise that Endicott College and Western New England remain the top two teams in the CCC. Both squads will meet on Saturday (Apr. 7th) in a pivotal regular season match-up. The winner will most likely be the top seed in the upcoming postseason tournament.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Western New England. The Golden Bears seem to be the team to beat in the CCC this spring and should take care of business on Saturday against the Gulls. Maybe they get tripped up down the stretch by Roger Williams or Salve Regina, but the Golden Bears are my pick to win the regular season crown and host the 2018 CCC Tournament.

Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC): This is an interesting conference to watch – there really isn’t a favorite. Lasell College captured the GNAC crown last season, but appears to have rebounded from a difficult start. The Lasers boast a 2-0 ledger in league play and can really push ahead for good with a win this weekend over Mount Ida College. The Mustangs are certainly in contention for the regular season crown, as well as Johnson & Wales, Norwich University and Rivier University.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Despite a slow start, I still like Lasell College, especially if they can find a way past Mount Ida this weekend.

Little East Conference (LEC): Keene State will remain the favorite in the LEC, but it will be interesting to watch a few teams over the next few weeks, including UMass Dartmouth, which is riding a three-game winning streak. The Corsairs will meet the Owls this weekend in New Hampshire.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): Let’s go with … Keene State! The Owls will secure the top seed. Sure, they may get tripped up once (or twice?) down the stretch, but they will be the team to beat in the LEC postseason.

New England Collegiate Conference (NECC): Dean College appears to be the team to beat in the NECC. They currently boast a 5-3 overall ledger and will begin conference play this Saturday, April 7 when they host Mitchell College at 1 p.m.

All three NECC teams will qualify for the tournament later this month, but as of now, it appears the Bulldogs have the upper hand against Mitchell and Becker College.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): The Dean Bulldogs should most likely be the team that hosts the championship game on Saturday, April 28.

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC): As expected, the NESCAC has been a fun conference to follow this season – a majority of their team’s have continued to appear in our weekly Top 10 poll.

My guess, as of now, is Amherst College will find a way to secure the top seed, but I wouldn’t rule out Tufts University or Wesleyan University. All three teams will meet over the next few weeks, which will help determine the regular season champion.

Keep an eye on Bowdoin College, Connecticut College and Williams College over the next few weeks, as well.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): I think Amherst College is the team to beat in the NESCAC this season. They remain our top team in the latest Noontime Sports Top 10 Poll and will most likely be the squad that hosts the semifinals and championships next month.

New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NESCAC): Coast Guard Academy has been the team to watch – can they continue their March momentum this month against MIT and Springfield College? Their mid-week match against the Pride in two weeks will most likely determine the top seed in the NEWMAC.

Springfield has enjoyed another successful regular season campaign, as well. They boast a solid 6-3 ledger, which includes some non-conference wins over SUNY Cortland, Nazareth and Union College.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): I think Coast Guard Academy will find a way to get past Springfield to secure the top seed in the NEWMAC.

North Atlantic Conference (NAC): Once again, New England College appears to be the favorite – I am not sure if Castleton University will catch the Pilgrims, but we shall see.

NEC has rebounded from an 0-4 start with seven-straight wins, including some non-league victories over University of New England, Mount Ida and Norwich University.

Regular Season Champion (Prediction): The New England College Pilgrims will finish its conference slate undefeated and secure the top spot in the NAC playoffs.

D3 Hoops: Noontime Sports Women’s Basketball Final Top 10 Poll (March 20th, 2018)

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NSBasketballTop10NEW

By NoontimeSports.com (@NoontimeSports) 

Another season of New England D3 Basketball concluded this past weekend with Amherst College claiming its second-straight NCAA championship as they defeated Bowdoin College in the final game of the 2017-18 season.

The Mammoths concluded their season without a single blemish for the second-straight year – Amherst has not dropped a single contest since March 2016. The Purple and White concluded the year as our top team in our final Noontime Sports poll, while the Polar Bears and Tufts University rounded out the top three positions.

As always, stay connected with us on Facebook and Twitter for more New England D3 Basketball news and notes throughout the offseason. Additionally, toss a follow to our new basketball Twitter handle (@Noontime_Hoops), too!

Women’s Basketball Top 10 – Final 2017-18 Poll 

1. Amherst College 

33-0, 10-0 NESCAC

2. Bowdoin College 

29-3, 9-1 NESCAC

3. Tufts University

26-5, 8-2 NESCAC

4. Saint Joseph’s (Maine)

28-2, 16-0 GNAC

5. Univ. of New England 

23-6, 16-2 CCC

6. Roger Williams 

23-6, 15-3 CCC

7. UMass Dartmouth

24-4, 14-0 LEC

8. UMass Boston

25-4, 12-2 LEC 

9. MIT

18-10, 10-6 NEWMAC

10. Smith College 

20-6, 13-3 NEWMAC

ON THE RISE: Springfield College (20-9, 12-4 NEWMAC), Westfield State (19-8, 11-1 MASCAC), and WPI (22-6, 13-3 NEWMAC)

D3 Hoops: Noontime Sports Women’s Basketball Top 10 (Monday, Feb. 26th)

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NSBasketballTop10NEW

By NoontimeSports.com (@NoontimeSports)

With another week of New England Division III women’s basketball in the books, it is time to unveil this week’s Noontime Sports Top 10 Poll for Monday, February 26th, 2018!

This week’s poll – similar to the past 11 polls this season – is produced by the Noontime Sports College Basketball committee, which is made-up of athletic communication directors, coaches and media members here in New England.

Women’s Basketball Top 10 | Monday, February 26th, 2018

1. Amherst College

27-0 | NESCAC

Last Week: No. 1

2. Tufts University

23-4 | NESCAC

Last Week: No. 3

3. Bowdoin College 

24-2 | NESCAC

Last Week: No. 2

4. Saint Joseph’s (Maine)

27-1 | GNAC

Last Week: No. 5

5. Univ. of New Eng.

23-5 | CCC

Last Week: No. 7 

6. MIT 

18-9 | NEWMAC

Last Week: NR

7. UMass Dartmouth 

24-4 | LEC

Last Week: No. 4

8. UMass Boston 

25-3 | LEC

Last Week: NR 

9. Roger Williams 

23-5 | CCC

Last Week: No. 8 

10. WPI 

22-6 | NEWMAC

Last Week: No. 10 

On The Rise: Husson Univ. (19-9|NAC), Smith College (20-6 | NEWMAC), Wesleyan University (17-8|NESCAC) and Westfield State (19-7|MASCAC)

D3 Hoops: Thursday Night Conference Tournament

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CONF TOURN SCOREBOARD

By NoontimeSports.com (@NoontimeSports)

With another evening conference tournament play in the books, it is time to unveil the Thursday Night Conference Tournament scoreboard!

Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) 

  • Men’s Basketball: No. 1 Nichols 89, No. 4 Roger Williams 75
  • Men’s Basketball: No. 3 Endicott 86, No. 2 Gordon 70
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 1 Univ. of New England 77, No. 4 Western New England 60
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 2 Roger Williams 58, No. 3 Endicott 50

Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC)

  • Men’s Basketball: No. 1 Albertus Magnus 97, No. 4 Lasell 86
  • Men’s Basketball: No. 2 Johnson & Wales 80, No. 6 Suffolk 74
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 1 St. Joseph’s (Maine) 78, No. 5 Albertus Magnus 65
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 3 Suffolk 73, No. 2 Emmanuel 68

Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)

  • Men’s Basketball: No. 4 Fitchburg State 90, No. 1 Salem State 81 (OT)
  • Men’s Basketball: No. 2 Bridgewater State 102, No. 3 MCLA 93
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 1 Westfield State 105, No. 4 Worcester State 80
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 2 Framingham State 71, No. 3 Bridgewater State 50

New England Collegiate Conference (NECC)

  • Men’s Basketball: No. 1 So. Vermont 71, No. 4 Lesley 51
  • Men’s Basketball: No. 2 Becker 78, No. 3 Mitchell 73
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 1 Newbury 61, No. 4 Elms 53
  • Women’s Basketball: No. 3 Becker 75, No. 2 Mitchell 50