Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Looking At Some Of The Other Conferences


Thought it'd be only fair if I offer up some picks on the surrounding conferences as I try to gradually expand my coverage.  Let's look first at my home state of Iowa and the IIAC:


1.  Wartburg
2.  Loras
3.  Coe
4.  Luther
5.  Dubuque
6.  Simpson
7.  Buena Vista
8.  Central
9.  Nebraska Wesleyan

Tough to deviate too much from the coaches poll.  Wartburg's run to the Final Four last season was definitely something to remember and no one, including your's truly, gave the Knights even a snowball's chance in hell to advance past the first round; much less make it to the Final Four.  But the two times I saw this squad this last March made me a quick believer in this team.  Head Coach Bob Amsberry is a guy who can flat out coach the living daylights out of you (how I WISH both my LA Rams and UCLA Bruins had someone like him).  A very good backcourt in twin sisters Katie and and Kristie Sommer help make this team tough to beat.  The only downside is that they won't have the ability to sneak up on anybody like they did last year and wearing a big target on their collective backs will be different for them.  I expect both Loras and Coe to be right in the mix as well and so should Luther but the Norse lost some very good players to graduation including Moran Lonning.

Now, let's take a quick look at the WIAC:


1.  UW-River Falls
2.  UW-Oshkosh
3.  UW-Whitewater
4.  UW-Stevens Point
5.  UW-Eau Claire
6.  UW-Stout
7.  UW-Platteville
8.  UW-La Crosse

The WIAC coaches poll went with UW-Oshkosh to win the conference and they're a solid team; no doubt about it.  I went the other way and shoved UW-River Falls to the top spot only because I've seen them play before and I really liked what I saw.  Junior post Taylor Karge and senior guard Brynn Liljander and senior forward Kate Theisen bring a lot of experience to the floor and they could be even better than last year's 23-6 record.

Finally, let's take a look at the UMAC:


1.  UW-Superior
2.  Northwestern
3.  Bethany Lutheran
4.  UM-Morris
5.  St. Scholastica
6.  Martin Luther
7.  Northland
8.  Crown
9.  North Central

The Yellowjackets get the nod here despite the fact that they lost three players to graduation who played a big role in guiding UW-Superior to it's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.  But Head Coach Don Mulhern has more than enough coming back to hope for more than just a good season.  I do expect a strong challenge, however, from Northwestern despite the fact that the Eagles lost three very good players as well to graduation.  This is a team that knows how to score from downtown and seniors Tiffany Stubbs and Emily VanLith along with junior Amy Berglund and sophomore Taryn Tumbleson should make this a fun team to watch.  Bethany Lutheran and UM-Morris are both something of an enigma and although they could have their moments this season I don't think that either of them have quite enough to challenge for the title.    

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