08-07-2018, 11:05 AM
Women’s soccer ranked #1
08-07-2018, 01:05 PM
The men are preseason #1 too - https://www.soccerwire.com/notes/ncaa-di...-rankings/
"We have an unwritten rule around here not to do anything stupid."
-Casey Jacobsen, Feb 3, 2000
The men are preseason #1 too - https://www.soccerwire.com/notes/ncaa-di...-rankings/
"We have an unwritten rule around here not to do anything stupid."
-Casey Jacobsen, Feb 3, 2000
08-07-2018, 03:39 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-07-2018, 03:45 PM by DenverCard.)
If preseason football rankings are criticized for putting too much weight on the previous year's performance, such rankings are the epitome of vigorous research in comparison to these soccer ranking. Three of the top four women's teams in the 2018 list were in the "final 4" at last year's college cup; the fourth of the final four, South Carolina, was relegated to a preseason ranking of 5th. The men's: top two for 2018 were last year's finalists, three and four in the 2018 rankings were the semifinal losers, and 5-7 were quarterfinal losers.
From my semi-informed position, if I were betting, with respect to the women, I'd gladly take Stanford and UCLA against the field even as soccer results don't always reflect the better team winning. I think those two teams have to be the overwhelming favorites. So I guess I don't quibble with the preseason rankings, after all.
Regarding the men, I fear that Stanford will struggle (compared to their lofty recent history) this year. They lost a stellar senior class last year, one of whom is playing in the MLS (Corey Baird), and at least three others who are playing, and doing quite well, in the USL (the minor league of the MLS) -- Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Foster Langsdorf, and Nico Corti. Another senior who had a year of eligibility, and who scored the game-winner in the NCAA final (Sam Werner) chose to not return. A very highly regarded freshman, Carson vom Steeg, transferred to UCSB to play for his father (the reason for which is unknown to me), and a freshman recruit (Ben Mines) chose to turn pro and is playing in the ASL.
Stanford had the #1 recruiting class a year ago, and many redshirted last year. Stanford's fortune depends on that group meeting their recruiting rankings. My prediction: 3rd in the PAC-12 (actually six teams) and an early exit from the NCAA tourney. But two years ago I made a similar prediction after Stanford lost a lot of talent, and they won the second of three NCAA titles. So I will probably, and hope to, get burned again in underestimating Jeremy Gunn and his boys.
From my semi-informed position, if I were betting, with respect to the women, I'd gladly take Stanford and UCLA against the field even as soccer results don't always reflect the better team winning. I think those two teams have to be the overwhelming favorites. So I guess I don't quibble with the preseason rankings, after all.
Regarding the men, I fear that Stanford will struggle (compared to their lofty recent history) this year. They lost a stellar senior class last year, one of whom is playing in the MLS (Corey Baird), and at least three others who are playing, and doing quite well, in the USL (the minor league of the MLS) -- Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Foster Langsdorf, and Nico Corti. Another senior who had a year of eligibility, and who scored the game-winner in the NCAA final (Sam Werner) chose to not return. A very highly regarded freshman, Carson vom Steeg, transferred to UCSB to play for his father (the reason for which is unknown to me), and a freshman recruit (Ben Mines) chose to turn pro and is playing in the ASL.
Stanford had the #1 recruiting class a year ago, and many redshirted last year. Stanford's fortune depends on that group meeting their recruiting rankings. My prediction: 3rd in the PAC-12 (actually six teams) and an early exit from the NCAA tourney. But two years ago I made a similar prediction after Stanford lost a lot of talent, and they won the second of three NCAA titles. So I will probably, and hope to, get burned again in underestimating Jeremy Gunn and his boys.
(This post was last modified: 08-07-2018, 03:45 PM by DenverCard.)
If preseason football rankings are criticized for putting too much weight on the previous year's performance, such rankings are the epitome of vigorous research in comparison to these soccer ranking. Three of the top four women's teams in the 2018 list were in the "final 4" at last year's college cup; the fourth of the final four, South Carolina, was relegated to a preseason ranking of 5th. The men's: top two for 2018 were last year's finalists, three and four in the 2018 rankings were the semifinal losers, and 5-7 were quarterfinal losers.
From my semi-informed position, if I were betting, with respect to the women, I'd gladly take Stanford and UCLA against the field even as soccer results don't always reflect the better team winning. I think those two teams have to be the overwhelming favorites. So I guess I don't quibble with the preseason rankings, after all.
Regarding the men, I fear that Stanford will struggle (compared to their lofty recent history) this year. They lost a stellar senior class last year, one of whom is playing in the MLS (Corey Baird), and at least three others who are playing, and doing quite well, in the USL (the minor league of the MLS) -- Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Foster Langsdorf, and Nico Corti. Another senior who had a year of eligibility, and who scored the game-winner in the NCAA final (Sam Werner) chose to not return. A very highly regarded freshman, Carson vom Steeg, transferred to UCSB to play for his father (the reason for which is unknown to me), and a freshman recruit (Ben Mines) chose to turn pro and is playing in the ASL.
Stanford had the #1 recruiting class a year ago, and many redshirted last year. Stanford's fortune depends on that group meeting their recruiting rankings. My prediction: 3rd in the PAC-12 (actually six teams) and an early exit from the NCAA tourney. But two years ago I made a similar prediction after Stanford lost a lot of talent, and they won the second of three NCAA titles. So I will probably, and hope to, get burned again in underestimating Jeremy Gunn and his boys.
From my semi-informed position, if I were betting, with respect to the women, I'd gladly take Stanford and UCLA against the field even as soccer results don't always reflect the better team winning. I think those two teams have to be the overwhelming favorites. So I guess I don't quibble with the preseason rankings, after all.
Regarding the men, I fear that Stanford will struggle (compared to their lofty recent history) this year. They lost a stellar senior class last year, one of whom is playing in the MLS (Corey Baird), and at least three others who are playing, and doing quite well, in the USL (the minor league of the MLS) -- Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Foster Langsdorf, and Nico Corti. Another senior who had a year of eligibility, and who scored the game-winner in the NCAA final (Sam Werner) chose to not return. A very highly regarded freshman, Carson vom Steeg, transferred to UCSB to play for his father (the reason for which is unknown to me), and a freshman recruit (Ben Mines) chose to turn pro and is playing in the ASL.
Stanford had the #1 recruiting class a year ago, and many redshirted last year. Stanford's fortune depends on that group meeting their recruiting rankings. My prediction: 3rd in the PAC-12 (actually six teams) and an early exit from the NCAA tourney. But two years ago I made a similar prediction after Stanford lost a lot of talent, and they won the second of three NCAA titles. So I will probably, and hope to, get burned again in underestimating Jeremy Gunn and his boys.
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