MIAC Power Rankings For Monday 1-9-12

Well, here we go.  Time for my first MIAC Power Rankings For the 2011-12 Season:
1.  UST
2.  GAC
3.  St. Olaf
4.  Bethel
5.  (tie)  CSB & Concordia
6.  Augsburg
7.  (tie)  SMU & Hamline
8.  Macalester
9.  (tie) Carleton & St. Kate's

I don't think there can be much of an argument against the first two spots.  After that, though, it gets a little tricky.  St. Olaf got through a bit of a rough stretch; losing to both UST and GAC but has rebounded nicely with a comfortable home win against Concordia and then picking up that huge roadie "W" at Bethel on Saturday.  The Oles hopes have also been bolstered by the return of Elise Raney off the IR as she had dislocated her knee this last fall but looks as healthy and strong as ever now.  Speaking of Bethel, they were looking VERY good at the first of the year; riding an 8-game win streak but the Royals have suddenly been brought back to earth; losing home games to both CSB and St. Olaf which proved to be a very costly week for Herbie's squad.  They have two "must win" games, IMHO, this week:  at home against SMU on Wednesday and then the little trek down Snelling Avenue at Hamline this coming Saturday, if they are to keep pace with the big names in front of them. 

CSB appeared to be on life-support a mere week ago but picked up that big win at Bethel and then held serve against Hamline at home on Saturday.  This is a very young squad but you can never count a Mike Durbin-coached squad completely out.  Like the Blazers, Concordia is also very young and has been going through its share of growing pains already this season.  Still, I have a feeling that the Corn are going to get better and better as the season progresses and will be a factor down the stretch.  I'm just not sold on SMU as they have a habit of faltering as the season progresses.  Hamline has a lot of exciting young talent on board but they've already lost Cassidy Vogt to injury and they've been wildly inconsistent this season.  Macalester has dug themselves into a canyon already and I don't think even Head Coach Ellen Thompson can get them out of this one.