Category Archives: NCAA Division II

3 things to know about Ferris State’s historic start in the DII Women’s Soccer Championship

November 10, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

Ferris State defeated Ohio Valley 1-0 Saturday to advance to the third round of the DII Women’s Soccer Championship. The Bulldogs’ magical season continues as it picked up the program’s second NCAA tournament win in its history.

This is the Bulldogs’ first trip to the NCAA tournament, and they are certainly making the most of it. They won 2-0 on Thursday against McKendree and now advance to play the winner of No. 1 seed Grand Valley State and No. 4 Walsh. So, who are these history-making Bulldogs?

MORE: 2018 interactive bracket | Print the bracket | Selection show

Ferris State continues to pile up historic wins

The Bulldogs now sit at 17-3-3, rebounding from a 4-0 loss in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game to Grand Valley State to win their last two in a row. The 17 wins is most in program history, and they hope they aren’t done adding to that number just yet.

The previous record was set in 2015, when Ferris State went 14-5-1, missing out on the NCAA tournament with a GLIAC semifinals one-goal loss to Ashland, 4-3. The Bulldogs set the program record with a 4-1 victory on Oct. 30 against Davenport in the GLIAC quarterfinals.

Wins No. 16 and 17 will also go down in the record books. Win No. 16 was the first NCAA tournament victory for the Bulldogs. Win No. 17 ensures that Ferris State remains perfect in postseason play, an impressive start to what it hopes is the start of a long November run.

Single-season goal records continue to fall

This Bulldogs offense has been the most dominant in school history. When Pia Nagel scored the first goal in the Bulldogs’ NCAA tournament history, it was the team’s 47th of the season. That’s one more than the record set by the 2006 and 2007 Ferris State teams. The Bulldogs now sit at 49 goals after Saturday’s second-round victory.

MORE: 6 teams to watch in the tournament

Nagel’s tally was also her seventh game-winning goal of the season. That adds to her single-season record, which she set with her fifth game-winner back on Oct. 10 against Tiffin. The freshman has had a sensational debut, scoring a team-best 10 goals on the season.

Postseason heroes

And how about the red-hot play of junior keeper Alison Chesterfield? She entered the postseason with just three shutouts on the season. Chesterfield has now posted consecutive shutouts and worked hard to get them making 14 combined saves. Her nine saves against Ohio Valley matched her season-high set in a Sept. 2 win over Bellarmine.

MORE: Complete DII women’s soccer championship history

College Football, DII football, Division II football, NCAA, NCAA Division II

DII football: No. 3 West Georgia, No. 5 Valdosta State highlight big final Saturday

November 10, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com, please see the full article HERE)

This is it. The final weekend of the DII football season. With several conference championships and a couple of top 25 showdowns on the bill, there is plenty of action to pay close attention to as Sunday’s bracket selection show awaits.

Let’s take a look at the games that stand out Saturday:

No. 3 West Georgia at No. 5 Valdosta State

Top 5 matchup. Check. Conference championship. Check. No press here at all. Just a whole bunch of playoff implications on the line.

Valdosta State and West Georgia are currently No. 1 and No. 2 in Super Region Two. While neither should have to concern themselves with making the postseason, there is a possible first-round bye at stake. The winner will be the lone remaining undefeated team standing in the conference, all but locking up that No. 1 seed.

The Blazers have the top scoring offense in DII football, putting up a scorching 52.8 points per game. The Wolves are no slouches, as quarterback Willie Candler and running back Devontae Jackson lead the No. 2 scoring offense in the Gulf South Conference at 35.9 points per game. The Wolves also have the top defense in the GSC, so this could be a classic chess match. Whichever coach makes the right move to counter may find his team the victor.

Whatever happens, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect finale to the GSC season. Two of the 10 undefeated teams in all of DII football get to go head-to-head with so much on the line.

MORE: A top 10 shakeup in the latest AFCA poll

No. 9 West Chester at Slippery Rock

This is for all the marbles in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The PSAC Championship game will be nothing less than a thriller.

Both of these teams can put up serious points. The PSAC title bout will feature two of the more exciting quarterbacks in DII football. The Golden Rams A.J. Long is second on the team in rushing (557 yards, six touchdowns), while throwing for 1,767 yards and 18 touchdowns. Roland Rivers III didn’t even claim the starting job for The Rock until Week 3, but he’s been sensational, a perfect 8-0 in his starts while throwing for 1,987 yards and 21 touchdowns. Rivers can run, as well, but he doesn’t have to. Wes Hills has been a beast, piling up 1,113 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He has three-straight 200 yard rushing games and appears to be heating up at the right time.

Slippery Rock is hanging tight at the No. 7 spot in Super Region One. A victory on the big stage will propel them into the postseason. A loss may end it on Saturday.

MORE: DII football Week 10 by the numbers

No. 20 Hillsdale at No. 12 Indianapolis

Hillsdale rose from the unranked just in time to capture the Great Midwest Athletic Conference title last week, taking down undefeated Tiffin in dominating fashion, 48-26. The Chargers challenge themselves by going out of conference to face a top 25 team in the closing week of the season.

Talk about postseason preparation.

UIndy is looking to return to the postseason after a first-round exit to Harding last season. Al McKellar and Toriano Clinton are a dangerous two-headed monster out of the backfield, combining for 1,590 yards and 20 touchdowns. Hillsdale’s quarterback Chance Stewart became the program’s all-time touchdown leader last weekend and hopes there is more in store. He’s already thrown for 2,740 yards and 23 touchdowns, so his first career 3.000-yard season is in his sight.

It’s not often you get a Week 11 top 25 matchup that pits two conference champions against each other. Enjoy this one if you can.

Chadron State at No. 15 Colorado School of Mines 🎥 WATCH LIVE

Both of these teams can put up points with anyone in the country. The Mines offense puts up a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference-best 50.2 points per game, while Chadron State drops 39.1. Last week, the Orediggers fell from the undefeated, upset in the final seconds by Dixie State 52-45. Earlier this season, Chadron State laid down the upset, taking down then-No. 14 Colorado Mesa 38-34.

This is RMAC football.

Chadron State can leave its mark with a win in this one. Sitting at 7-2, they trail the Orediggers and Colorado State-Pueblo (both 8-1) by just one game. The Mines offense is led by some of the best in DII football: quarterback Isaac Harker is No. 3 with 3,201 yards passing, running back Cameron Mayberry is No. 6 with 1,377 yards on the ground, and wide receiver Brody Oliver is No. 8 with 1,067 yards receiving and tied for No. 1 with 19 touchdowns. It won’t be easy for the Eagles, but don’t count them out.

Running back Kevin Coy, Jr. should eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in this one and already has 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Dalton Holst has 20 passing touchdowns. This game should be good old fashioned, explosive RMAC football, and could well come down to whoever has the ball last. The Mines offense is hoping it’s them to keep their postseason hopes alive.

No. 4 Ouachita Baptist at Henderson State

The Reddies are 5-5 and not playing for anything. Anything but bragging rights that is.

Welcome to the Battle of the Ravine. It’s one of the coolest rivalries in all of college football. It’s certainly the closest.

[It is] literally across the street. If the wind is right, you can hit a golf ball from the end zone of Henderson State’s Carpenter-Haygood Stadium to the end zone of Ouachita Baptist’s Cliff Harris Stadium with a driver and 3-iron. The Reddies golf coach has done it. It’s a five-minute walk for Henderson State’s players to that away game, with state police stopping traffic on two-lane U.S. 67, so they can cross. The rivalry drew 12,228 in 2014 in Henderson State’s stadium, which was 1,500 more than every man, woman, child and football fan in Arkadelphia, Ark.”

Last season, the Tigers snapped Henderson State’s record 31-game road win streak with a thrilling 49-42 victory. This year? The Tigers are a perfect 10-0 and No. 4 in the country. You better be sure that Henderson State is awaiting its chance to play spoiler and end Ouachita Baptist’s current win streak.

But wait, there’s more:

No. 13 LIU Post faces off against New Haven for the Northeast-10 title. Both teams are undefeated in DII football play and this clash of the NE10 titans could boost the winner to the top spot should Notre Dame (OH) see an upset in the final week.

No. 24 Tiffin battles a tough unranked Findlay team. Not only did the Dragons drop in the AFCA rankings after their loss to Hillsdale, but they also fell to No. 8 in Super Region One. Their postseason hopes hang on the final score of this one (you can watch on NCAA DII Twitter and Facebook).

MORE: Regional rankings | Programs with the most DII football titles

NCAA, NCAA Division II

DII Men’s Soccer Championship: Keep an eye on these 5 sleeper teams

November 8, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com, please see the full article HERE)

The 38-team field is set. Charleston (W.V.) is back in the mix to defend its DII Men’s Soccer Championship national title, while three of last year’s semifinalists also return to the postseason. The road to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is littered with plenty of familiar faces.

But what about those that may be flying under the radar? Here are five sleeper teams to watch heading into the tournament (in no particular order).

MORE: Interactive bracket | Programs with most DII men’s soccer titles

Ashland

The Eagles are heading into the NCAA tournament playing their best soccer of the year. Though their record is just 8-9-3, they have rebounded big time since a 2-8-1 start to the season. Ashland hasn’t lost a conference match in over a month, going 6-0-2 over that span. The Eagles punched what seemed to be an unimaginable ticket on Sunday, winning their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title since 2010.

Ashland University Eagles@goashlandeagles

This is such an intriguing story. The Eagles are three years removed from not even having a program for three years. Now, they are back in the postseason with the GLIAC’s leading scorer — Justin Libertowski — and the GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year Dimitrios Karousos, who made three saves in a shutout of Northwood for the GLIAC title. Ashland faces a familiar foe in Saginaw Valley State in the first round, a team it lost to during its cold streak and tied down the home stretch. It won’t be an easy task, but Ashland’s strong finish and momentum certainly have them on the radar.

Post

Another group of Eagles making their long-awaited return to the postseason hail from Waterbury, Connecticut. Post returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013, sweeping its way through the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference tournament and upending top-seeded Wilmington 2-0 for the automatic bid.

GoPostEagles@GoPostEagles

The Eagles are led by Sergio Diaz. Diaz quietly had one of the best seasons in DII soccer, earning him CACC Player of the Year honors. Versatile and quick, Diaz finished tied for second in the conference in goals scored with 13 and led the CACC with 18 assists, second-most in DII. Including the tournament, Post closed the season winning eight of its last nine games, with Diaz scoring seven goals and assisting on 11 more during that span. It’s not always the best team that wins a tournament, but sometimes it’s the hottest. Diaz and his Eagles are trending in the right direction.

MORE: The 7 most prolific scorers in DII soccer

Fresno Pacific

The Sunbirds return to the postseason for the first time since 2015. That was when Anthony Velarde, Joao Ravasio, and Eric Sanchez were freshmen. Now the senior offensive leaders of Fresno Pacific look to keep their storied careers going just a little longer with a deep run into the NCAA tournament.

Velarde is having a career year. His 20 assists top DII men’s soccer and his 14 goals are best on the team. Entering this season off a redshirted 2017, Ravasio had a total of four goals and six assists in his two years with the Sunbirds. He has absolutely exploded onto the scene, scoring seven goals with 11 assists. Throw in Sanchez’s and Jose Vargas’ five goals each, and Fresno Pacific put together the highest scoring team in the PacWest and the second-highest scoring team in DII.

The Sunbirds were 1-1 this season against ranked opponents. That lone win came against Cal Poly Pomona, their first-round opponent. Amid a five-game winning streak and with plenty of firepower, expect Fresno Pacific to come out strong and make an opening round statement against a very solid Broncos eleven.

Spring Hill

Beware of the Badgers. You’ve officially been warned. Spring Hill’s remarkable turnaround was completed Sunday with its first-ever Gulf South Conference championship.

SHC Men’s Soccer@SHCMensSoccer

The Badgers joined the GSC in 2014 and won a combined 10 games in their first three seasons. They turned it around last season, going 12-3 and are now heading to their first NCAA postseason behind an almost perfect 17-1 record. Spring Hill put itself to the test early, beating nationally ranked Tampa in Week 2 and rolled on, closing the season on a 14-game winning streak. Alex Lipinski (18 goals, five assists) and Tillman Schober (four goals, 15 assists) lead the way. While the lack of postseason experience would normally hurt a team, the Badgers are on absolute fire right now. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them keep that winning streak going a bit longer.

Tiffin

Yes, it is odd to call a No. 1 seed a sleeper. But this is the highest the Dragons have ever been seeded in NCAA tournament play, and it was also their first year in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Tiffin wasted little time, blanking last year’s No. 1 seed Ohio Valley in the G-MAC Championship, earning the automatic bid to the DII Men’s Soccer Championship.

The Dragons are led by G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Kangni Gabianou, who even contributed two goals this year, one of which was a game-winner. Ramiesh McKnight, Abdoul Magid sy, and Malik Suleman power the offense, combining for 25 goals on the season. Their 15-win season and conference championship earned them a first-round bye where the Dragons await the winner of Ohio Valley and Maryville. It’s never easy to defeat a team three times in one season, so should they face the Fighting Scots in the second round, it becomes one of the premier games to watch.

MORE: Regional rankings | United Soccer Coaches poll

NCAA, NCAA Division II

DII volleyball: Here are 5 teams ready to make a run in the tournament

November 8, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com, please check out the full article HERE)

The DII Women’s volleyball championship is quickly approaching and Concordia-St. Paul is hoping to get the chance to win its third straight title and tenth in the past 12 years.

The season has been a wild one, however, and the No. 1 team hasn’t been safe. Five different teams have reached a No. 1 spot that has changed eight times in the 12 polls this season. This seems like the year the title is up for grabs, with no clear-cut favorite.

We know Concordia-St. Paul has a tough gauntlet in its own Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and then an even more unrelenting Central Region that pumps MIAA powers Washburn and Nebraska-Kearney into the mix. Minnesota Duluth, Northern State, and UNK all have shared time in the No. 1 spot with the Golden Bears to put just how difficult that Region is into perspective. Any school that survives that mini-tournament is considered a favorite. But let’s take a look at five teams outside the Central Region that could push for the national championship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Tampa

MORE: Programs with the most DII volleyball titles

Tampa plays in a tough volleyball conference. The Sunshine State Conference is home to defending runners-up Florida Southern as well as top-25 regulars Palm Beach Atlantic. Led by a duo of sophomores — Katie McKiel (403 kills) and Sorrel Houghton (384 kills) —the Spartans test themselves every time out and have a good record to show for it, going 11-3 against programs currently in the regional rankings. Tampa has two games left, both against regionally ranked opponents, and can make a real statement heading into the bracket selection.

Gannon

Last season the Golden Knights went 32-7 in making their first national semifinals in program history. Gannon lost some big pieces from that team, but the returners have gelled and perhaps are in a better position heading into the 2018 tournament.

Two freshmen —Lauren Sampson and Ashley McClung — pace the No. 1 team in the East Region, but Ally Smith and Ashley Kerestes have performed well as the key returners from last season’s squad. Should the Golden Knights lock down the PSAC championship and finish their season 31-1, they will have to be considered favorites to reach Pittsburgh for the DII Festival.

Cal State San Bernardino

They have certainly battled. Cal State San Bernardino is 8-2 against teams in the latest regional rankings. Seven of those eight wins were straight-set sweeps, with the Coyotes winning 24-of-25 sets against their stiffest competition. They now head to the California Collegiate Athletic Association as the No. 1 seed. The bulk of last year’s squad — including kills leaders Alexis Cardoza and Hailey Jackson and assists leader Jayann DeHoog — are all back. They have the experience and skills to make a deep run this November.

Western Washington

One of those two losses Cal State San Bernardino suffered came at the hands of Western Washington. The Vikings are on a tear, winners of 23 matches in a row. In fact, they have only lost one set since September.

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions are led by who may go down as the program’s greatest player. Abby Phelps is not just the Vikings all-time leader in points, but the GNAC’s, with 1,725.5 total points in her career. She’s also tops in Western Washington history in kills and needs just three to become the GNAC record holder. Phelps has delivered in four years in Bellingham, all that’s left is a national championship trophy.

Tarleton State

The TexAnns finished 15-14 in 2013. Since then, Tarleton State has put up four straight seasons with 24 or more wins, each one earning it a spot in the NCAA postseason. The TexAnns seemingly get better and better every year, and with a wild South Central Region this year, this may be their chance to get to the quarterfinals and make some noise.

Tarleton State’s game is built on balance. Adriana Darthuy leads the team in kills with 306, but three other players have recorded more than 200. Blanca Izquierdo is the TexAnns leader with 635 assists, but Kayla Brannon is right behind with 475. Tarleton State lost its season finale in a bit of an upset. The fire from that loss, paired with the depth on the roster, may help them surprise some people.

MORE: Regional rankings | AVCA rankings | DII volleyball news

NCAA, NCAA Division II

Women’s basketball: North Alabama picks up surprise victory in first Division I game ever

November 7, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com, the full story can be read HERE)

The North Alabama Lions are perfect in their NCAA Division I women’s basketball tenure.

The Lions, who made the jump to the ASUN from Division II this season, went on the road and defeated Vanderbilt 74-71 in its first game as a DI program. North Alabama wasted little time making its mark on the new division, opening up a 28-11 lead in its first quarter of play. Though the Commodores’ Autumn Newby scored 30 points — 20 of which came in the second half — in a late comeback, the Lions were able to stave off Vanderbilt’s surge and walked away 1-0 on the season.

espnW

The Lions have been on the rise since the Wallen triplets took the court for the 2016-17 season. It’s fitting that two of the three —Emma and Ivy — led the way in the program’s historic win. Emma scored 19 points, while Ivy chipped in 13 along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Not only was the night historic for the Lions, but for Emma Wallen as well. Her 179th career 3-pointer capped the opening 12-2 run to start the game and also set the program record for most 3-pointers.

The Lions return to their roots in a matchup against DII Lane this weekend. Their next big test is the NJIT Classic on Nov. 24-25 in Newark, New Jersey against Southeast Missouri State and Western Carolina before they make their official debut in the ASUN Jan. 5.

College Basketball, DII women's basketball, NCAA, NCAA Division II

Division II women’s basketball: 9 impact players for the 2018-19 season

November 7, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com, see the full story HERE)

The road to Columbus, Ohio, for the DII Women’s Basketball Elite Eight is set to tipoff. Last season, Central Missouri claimed the title over a seemingly unbeatable Ashland team in a thrilling finale. Both the Jennies and Eagles enter the season as two of the favorites to get back to the national quarterfinals.

But who are the players that will get them there? Let’s take a look at nine players that can make a big impact on the DII women’s basketball season.

MORE: Expect to see these 10 teams atop the preseason rankings

Jodi Johnson, Ashland

Johnson has some big shoes to fill with two of Ashland’s all-time greats — Andi Daugherty and Laina Snyder — graduating. But if there was any one player to carry that load, it’s Johnson. There was very little she couldn’t do in her breakout sophomore season, taking home consensus Player of the Year honors from every outlet. She can score, averaging 18.7 points per game at a 60.3 percent field goal percentage, and if you leave her open beyond the arc, she will slay you, shooting a new Ashland all-time best 58.1 percent from 3. Johnson can board, ripping down 5.7 points per game and also dish it out (3.8 assists per game). She’s also DII women’s basketball’s best thief, swiping an incredible 3.7 steals per game. Having to pay constant attention to her elevates the game of Renee Stimpert, who will be one of the best floor generals in DII this season. What Johnson can do for an encore to 2018 will be fun to watch.

Morgan Fleming, Central Missouri

The reigning 2018 national champions return a lot of firepower, but it may rest on Fleming’s shoulders to make an impact. Why Fleming? Gone this season is the Jennies’ muscle inside the paint, Kayonna Lee. We know Central Missouri has scorers and sound defense, but replacing the presence down low will be vital. Fleming went on a tear in the NCAA tournament, pulling down 33 rebounds in six games. She will have plenty of help on the boards from Megan Skaggs, but if Fleming’s elevated presence in the postseason carries over into this season, the Jennies will be dangerous.

MORE: Lubbock Christian upsets SMU in exhibition bout

Hailey Tucker, Southwestern Oklahoma State

SWOSU Athletics@SWOSUAthletics

The Bulldogs have a lot of sleeper appeal entering the 2018-19 season. Tucker has some nice weapons at her side like Hayden Priddy and Bethany Franks, who led the conference in rebounding as a freshman, but her presence is vital to the team’s success. She led the Great American Conference in scoring last season with 20.5 points per game while adding 7.5 rebounds per game. At 6’2” and so athletic inside, the attention paid to Tucker makes Franks that much more dangerous down low, and Priddy, who joined Tucker in the 1,000-point club last season, that more threatening as a scorer. This team has as good a Big Three as any, and if Tucker can match her big 2018, they could make program history this season and make the Elite Eight for the first time.

Haris Price, Carson-Newman

The Eagles had a dream season last year, racking up 32 wins and a trip to the Elite Eight. Like Central Missouri, Carson-Newman has a lot of key returners and are in a prime position to make another deep run. Price is the engine that makes the Eagles’ machine roll, a machine that was the third-highest scoring offense in DII women’s basketball season with 90.9 points per game. Not only is she one of the top scorers on a top-scoring team, but she commands the floor offensively and defensively, swiping more than two-and-a-half per game. The Eagles should go far this season, and Price, with players like Mika Webster and Kayla Marosites around her, is poised for a big year.

Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury

The Panthers have been an NCAA postseason regular for quite a few years. Diestelkamp does a little bit of everything that continues to make this team a perennial contender. She’s been a model of consistency the past two years, shooting 51 and 52 percent and pulling down 8.2 rebounds in both her freshman and sophomore year. Last year, Diestelkamp became more of a scorer and that trend should easily continue this season. This is another team with a lot of returners ready for a deep run. The continued progression and ever-steady athleticism of Diestelkamp will lead the way.

Rejoice Spivey, Virginia Union

Virginia Union has become a perennial powerhouse winning 28 games in each of the last three seasons. While Spivey may not finish with the most points or rebounds on this team, she is in a position to make the biggest impact, running the floor for a team that outscored its opponents by 17.4 points per game last season. Spivey was second in DII women’s basketball with 6.9 assists per game, and that experience will be vital in replacing last year’s top scorers Alexis Johnson and Rachael Pecota. If the Panthers want to continue this run of success, a lot of it will fall on Spivey’s abilities as the on-court leader of this offense.

Yazmeen Goo, Alaska Anchorage

The only thing missing from her last name is an “L” because Goo is your quintessential “glue guy”. The Seawolves have better scorers and bigger presences down low who may steal a lot of the limelight stuffing the stat sheets, but a lot of it is from the little things in which Goo excels. Goo had a team-best 132 assists and 89 steals, all while still contributing 8.5 points per game. The Seawolves have been a tough team for the past few seasons, and with Goo in the rotation, nothing should change this year.

Jessica Kelliher, Lewis

HERO Sports WBB@HEROSportsWBB

Kelliher had her best season yet last year as a junior, and that’s really saying something. The 6’0” senior has kept the Flyers near the top of a very competitive Great Lakes Valley Conference. The All-American is a point-scoring machine, entering 2018-19 just 14 points shy of 2,000 for her career. She’s led the GLVC in scoring in each of the past two seasons, and all of DII women’s basketball in 2018, but also completely controls the paint averaging 9.0 rebounds and more than a block per game. Kelliher is a dominating force on a Lewis team that should have a dominating season.

Jada Perkins, Union

Union had a monster 32-win season last year, making it to the national semifinals. The Bulldogs will have to replace some big-time scorers including Chelsey Shumpert who was top five in DII women’s basketball with 23.8 points per game. Perkins may not be the one to dominate the scoring, but she can make an impact across the board that keeps the Bulldogs competitive in 2018-19. That said, Perkins can score, but her strength is pacing the tempo, leading the team in both assists and steals. Union only has two seniors returning after its monster season so Perkins leadership and talent will be invaluable in repeating last season’s success.

Others to watch:

Dana Watts, American International; Riley Fitzwater, Concord; Morgan Greene, Cal. State East Bay.

MORE: 2018 championship bracket | History

Basketball, College Basketball, DII men's basketball, NCAA, NCAA Division II

DII men’s basketball: 5 takeaways from the SCB Hall of Fame Classic

November 6, 2018 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

(From NCAA.com; see the full article HERE)

The DII men’s basketball season kicked off this past weekend at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Former champions and tournament regulars tipped off the season in a two-day college basketball extravaganza.

Last year’s national champions, Ferris State, and defending runners-up, Northern State, were on hand as were the schools from the 2016 DII Men’s Basketball Championship title game. When the final whistle blew, two teams left St. Joseph, Missouri unscathed, ready to kick off their schedules a perfect 2-0.

Here are five takeaways from the Hall of Fame Classic.

MORE: NABC preseason poll

Northwest Missouri State opens 2-0 against DII basketball’s best

The Bearcats downed the 2018 national runners-up and defending national champions on consecutive days. Not bad for a team that lost its all-time leading scorer (Justin Pitts) to graduation.

Northwest Missouri State is alive and well, taking down Northern State 72-70 in an overtime thriller and then Ferris State 100-86 in an all-out 3-point assault. Despite losing some key pieces, the Bearcats are clearly ready to ball.

Joey Witthus, the Bearcats’ top returner, had a strong showing, scoring 15 and 17 respectively and pulling down 14 boards. Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins showed he may be the driving force in a Bearcats run this season, scoring 51 points in his first two games. He added 5.5 assists over the two games to earn MVP honors.

Watch out when the Bearcats get hot. They drained 10 straight 3-pointers to open things up against Ferris State. Northwest Missouri State finished the game 14-for-24 and showed that they are a dangerous team to watch this year.

Tarleton State opens up perfect

Tarleton State heads to the Texan Tip-Off Classic this weekend undefeated. That makes first-year head coach Chris Reisman perfect in his young career. While they have a bevy of people who can score, Josh Hawley played like a total beast.

Hawley, known for his defensive prowess, was filling the stat sheet with points and rebounds this weekend. The junior forward is a perfect 2-for-2 in double-doubles, going for 12 and 14 in the opening two-point win over Missouri Western and then 22 and 13 in the 92-81 win over William Jewell. Hawley is definitely one to keep eyes on in Stephenville, Texas this season.

Northern State has a balanced attack once again

Last year, the Wolves made it all the way to the finals on the heels of a team that could hurt you in a few different ways. While Darin Peterka may have been the go-to scorer, that team was deep in players that can put it in the bucket. Nothing has changed in 2018.

Though they dropped the opener to the Bearcats, Northern State fired back to take down a very tough Queens (N.C.) team 87-74. The Wolves got those 87 points behind six players dropping double-digits. Ian Smith is the star and can do everything well, going for 14 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in the victory, but he has a sound supporting cast. Parker Fox is one worth watching, making it to the free throw line 17 times over two days.

MORE: 11 impact players for the 2018-19 season

Queens should contend once again

Having Lincoln Memorial and Queens in the same league is a treat for South Atlantic Conference fans. The Royals lost a few pieces but showed there is still plenty in the tank for another big run.

Shaun Willett is going to do great things this season. We know that because he already has. Willett left Missouri with a pair of double-doubles, scoring 19 points in each of Queens first two games while pulling down 29 total rebounds. Daniel Carr, whose primary role last year was as a key reserve like Willett, showed little trouble adjusting to the role of starter, scoring 35 points and dishing out 14 dimes. Mark your calendars. The Dec. 8 showdown against LMU in Charlotte is going to be a good one.

Missouri Western’s model of consistency

The Griffons fell one basket short of leaving the Hall of Fame Classic undefeated. It certainly wasn’t Lavon Hightower’s doing.

Hightower, Missouri Western’s senior forward, exploded for 52 points, scoring 26 points in both the Griffons two-point loss and seven-point win. He also grabbed 16 rebounds over the weekend. That’s right, he grabbed eight in each game. His game was particularly helpful against Fairmont’s red-hot Jason Jolly who went for 30 in the Griffon’s victory. Missouri Western is certainly hoping he can keep up that consistency straight through March.

MORE: 2018 championship bracket | History

DII football, Division II football, NCAA, NCAA Division II

DII football: These are the best stats and numbers from Week 10

November 5, 2018 Wayne Cavadi 1 Comment

(From NCAA.com, view the full article HERE)

Three upsets in the top 15. A tremendous amount of rushing yards piled up on the ground. Two teams combining for over 1,300 yards. Conference titles decided.

Yes, indeed, it was just another wild weekend in DII football.

Let’s break down the box scores and look at what stood out in Week 10.

MORE: Week 9 AFCA poll takeaways | Regional rankings

The top 25 by the numbers for Week 10

2

Shutouts posted by the top 25, the same number as last week. For the second week in a row, No. 12 Colorado State-Pueblo’s defense posted a zero, blanking Black Hills State 59-0. No. 5 Minnesota Duluth also handed out a goose egg to Mary, defeating them in dominating 55-0 fashion.

3

Upsets in the top 15. No. 6 Colorado School of Mines nearly pulled off the comeback, but unranked Dixie State answered in the final minute of play to win 52-45. Fort Hays State made its case for the postseason, defeating No. 10 Northwest Missouri State by one point, 17-16. No. 25 Hillsdale upended No. 15 Tiffin 48-26, taking the Great Midwest Athletic Conference along the way.

Three was also the number of running backs who eclipsed the 100-yard mark for No. 8 Tarleton State. Xavier Turner piled up 128 yards and three touchdowns, while Adam Berryman added 114 and three touchdowns with Daniel McCants putting up 107 yards and a touchdown of his own.

MORE: Best mascots and nicknames in DII sports

10

Weeks in a row where Ferris State’s Jayru Campbell has produced at least three touchdowns. For those keeping score at home, that’s every week this season. Campbell threw for 142 yards and two touchdowns this week while rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 40 total touchdowns on the season.

MORE: Best dual-threat quarterbacks in DII football

11

Teams that scored more than 40 points this week, the same exact number as last week. No. 19 Central Washington led the way with 74 points as the top 25 teams combined for 883 total points on the week. No. 22 Indiana (Pa.) had the lowest output, though it was still able to hold on 13-6 over Edinboro.

23

Consecutive wins in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for No. 1 Minnesota State. We’ll just leave this counter up until further notice. The Mustangs didn’t have it as easy this past week, taking down Sioux Falls, 31-21. The Cougars were the last NSIC team to defeat Minnesota State way back on October 29, 2016.

25-2

That’s the Bearcats’ record at home over the past four years, including a run of 21 straight games from the end of 2014 to the end of 2017. The only two losses have come by one-point each to Fort Hays State, this time the 17-16 grudge match.

MORE: Fort Hays State upsets No. 10 Northwest Missouri State, makes a postseason statement

514

Total rushing yards by Central Washington in its 74-28 victory over Southwest Baptist. Two running backs — Cedric Cooper (203) and Michael Roots (140) — broke the 100-yard mark, while quarterback Riley Hennessey chipped in 82 yards and running back Christian Cummings added another 61 to lead the attack. The four combined for nine touchdowns, with Cooper punching in four.

MORE: DII football’s most scenic stadiums

1,318

Combined total yards in Dixie State’s upset over No. 6 Colorado School of Mines. It comes one week after the Mines offense combined to put up 126 points, the most in a DII football game this season. The Trailblazers put up 692 yards, led by quarterback Michael Sanders’ 553-yard day. That set the school record, topping his own mark of 527 he set two weeks prior.

MORE: Dixie State stuns No. 6 Colorado School of Mines in an offensive explosion

Here is a position-by-position breakdown of this weekend’s standout performers in the top 25:

QUARTERBACKS

QUARTERBACK	SCHOOL	STATS
Nick Watson	Tiffin	387 yards, 3 TD
Isaac Harker	Colorado School of Mines	327 yards, 3 TD
Eric Nickel	Kutztown	323 total yards, 5 total TD
Willie Candler	West Georgia	307 yards, 2 TD
Layton Rabb	MSU Texas	300 yards, 2 TD

RUNNING BACKS

RUNNING BACK	SCHOOL	STATS
Cameron Mayberry	Colorado School of Mines	224 yards, 2 TD
Cedric Cooper	Central Washington	203 yards, 4 TD
Ovie Urevbu	Texas A&M-Commerce	195 yards
Michael Roots	Central Washington	140 yards, 2 TD
Vincent Johnson	MSU Texas	135 yards, 3 TD

MORE: Adam Thielen’s college numbers from Minnesota State

RECEIVERS

RECEIVER	SCHOOL	STATS
Marvell Ross	Notre Dame (OH)	186 yards, 2 TD
Laperion Perry	West Georgia	183 yards, 2 TD
Trey Brock	Hillsdale	156 yards, 4 TD
Lex Rosario	West Chester	121 yards, 1 TD
Malik Higgins	Indianapolis	119 yards

Outside the top 25

Tired of hearing about Bowie State’s Amir Hall yet? Too bad, he’s done it again. Not only did he throw for 333 yards and four touchdowns, but he also threw for his 97th career touchdown, the all-time Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association record.

Slippery Rock’s Wes Hills ran for 207 yards this week. That’s three straight weeks with at least 200 yards, a span in which he’s also scored eight touchdowns for the red-hot Rock.

Virginia Union’s Tabyus Taylor and Sioux Falls Gabe Watson continue piling up touchdowns for the race to the most in DII football. Taylor scored two more on Saturday, giving him 19, but that still leaves him four behind Watson who also tacked on two more this past weekend against a very formidable Minnesota State defense.

MORE: The championship heads to Texas | Most DII titles

Ferris State continues to pile up historic wins

Single-season goal records continue to fall

Postseason heroes

Share this:

Like this:

No. 3 West Georgia at No. 5 Valdosta State

No. 9 West Chester at Slippery Rock

No. 20 Hillsdale at No. 12 Indianapolis

Chadron State at No. 15 Colorado School of Mines 🎥 WATCH LIVE

No. 4 Ouachita Baptist at Henderson State

But wait, there’s more:

Share this:

Like this:

Ashland

Post

Fresno Pacific

Spring Hill

Tiffin

Share this:

Like this:

Tampa

Gannon

Cal State San Bernardino

Western Washington

Tarleton State

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Jodi Johnson, Ashland

Morgan Fleming, Central Missouri

Hailey Tucker, Southwestern Oklahoma State

Haris Price, Carson-Newman

Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury

Rejoice Spivey, Virginia Union

Yazmeen Goo, Alaska Anchorage

Jessica Kelliher, Lewis

Jada Perkins, Union

Share this:

Like this:

Northwest Missouri State opens 2-0 against DII basketball’s best

Tarleton State opens up perfect

Northern State has a balanced attack once again

Queens should contend once again

Missouri Western’s model of consistency

Share this:

Like this:

The top 25 by the numbers for Week 10

2

3

10

11

23

25-2

514

1,318

Outside the top 25

Share this:

Like this:

Welcome to my website. Here you can get an idea of my work and find writing samples as well as the DII Nation Podcast.