Have been putting this off a bit longer than I would have liked although the recovery from my surgery back in early September played a part in it. That and the misfortunes of both my LA Rams and UCLA Bruins this fall haven't helped matters either. Plus the fact that it's USC week as well. Anyway, it's time to get down to business and break out that slightly cracked/scratched proverbial crystal ball and unleash some guesses as to how this brand-new season is going to shake out. So let's get to it.
Title Contenders:
1. GAC
2. Concordia
I keep these two at the top - and rightfully so given what they accomplished this last season and what they have coming back. Naturally, the smart money rides on GAC again and we got a bit of a preview of what to expect from them last night after they rolled past UW-Stout down in St. Peter (11-15). The thing with the Gusties - at least to me anyway - is that you don't really have one or two players who stand out. Rather, this is a true collective team effort with a lot of players contributing to the overall success of this team in their own special way. You've got junior point guard Kylie Baranick who's as steady as they come at running the show and can also slay you from downtown and play great defense on the other end. Then you've got willowy senior combo guard/forward Emma (not evil) Kniefel who loves to drive and penetrate into the paint for scores along with fellow senior forward Izzy (Izzy Izzy, you're making me dizzy) Quick who can use her length to grab rebounds and wreak havoc on defense and senior guard Syd Hauger who always seems to be in the right place at the right time on either end of the floor. Head Coach Laurie Kelly also has the luxury of having a great pair of players for duties down low that she can rotate when and where she has to in lanky junior forward Morgan Kelly and fellow junior forward Rachel Kawiecki. Throw in a pretty solid supporting cast of seniors Riley Queensland and Lexi Schermann and you've got one helluva good team that can not only run roughshod through the conference but could (and probably should) do similar beyond. I know it's only November and it'd probably be unfair to place a whole lot of pressure on this group but the core returning group knows this may very well be their best shot at making a big run in the postseason and they've got the goods to do it.
Concordia is a tougher team to figure out here and the fact that they dropped a tough one against UW-Whitewater last Friday night and followed that up by getting run out of the gym by host UW-Stevens Point this last Saturday afternoon certainly doesn't bode well for the Cobbers in the big picture. Yet, I feel like I at least have to give this group the benefit of the doubt here given that we're still in November and a lot of things can still happen. Unlike GAC, this team does tend to lean on one player but there's good reason to do that as senior guard Emily Beseman proved that last year time and time again as she more than once came to the rescue of her team when they were in deep trouble. IMHO, she's arguably the best player in the MIAC and the Cobbers will likely lean on her again for point production. But Head Coach Kim Wagers also surrounds Beseman with pretty good backcourt mates as well in fellow senior guard Maddie Guler and junior guard Carlee Sieben. And you've got strong junior forward Makayla Anderson who can be a load to handle down low with her quick moves. The supporting cast is pretty solid as well with sophomore guards Taylor Safranski and Molly Musland along with junior forward Greta Tollefson. To me, the real disappointment is the absence of junior Symone Beld who had a promising year last season. However, Wagers may have an answer for that with 6'2" freshman post Maci Wheeldon who hails from the Fargo-Moorhead area (Fargo Davies HS). You may remember that it took this Concordia team a bit to hit its stride last season and obviously they haven't hit it yet but there's no reason that the Cobbers shouldn't at least be in the conversation as a title contender.
Battling For The 3rd Spot:
3. Hamline
4. CSB
5. Bethel
If you're looking for a team that can provide flash and pizazz and light up the scoreboard, you need look no further than the Hamline Pipers and you should expect to see that scoreboard smoking this coming season as Hamline has a variety of ways of coming at you. They're led by electric senior forward Lydia Lecher who can not only get up and down the floor but can do a lot in the halfcourt as well with all the moves she has at her disposal. Providing help along the way is fellow senior guard Michaela Stamer who's not afraid to mix it up down low with bigger bodies if she has to. What's really cool about this team and you can bet that new Head Coach Joshua Hersch really appreciates is that you've got a group of up-and-coming players who are now an integral part of the Piper attack in junior guard Kate Trachsel, sophomore guard Camille Cummings and fellow sophomore guard Sophie Stork. The supporting cast is solid too with sophomore combo guard/forward Josie Wiebusch and junior forward Kate Van Helden providing some much-needed depth off the bench. So there's no doubt that Hersch has a lot to work with here. The bigger question in my mind is can they find improvement on the defensive end where there were obviously issues last season which may have cost them a few games. If they can strengthen up that end, this may be the team that has the best chance of upsetting the apple cart and getting themselves into position to do something really big. Of all the three teams I've listed in this group, Hamline is the one team that I trust the most.
At the same time, you cannot count out this CSB team either and Head Coach Mike Durbin obviously has enough weapons in his arsenal to at least be in the conversation and have a decent chance of grabbing that third spot as well. One of those weapons would be junior guard Sophia Jonas whom Durbin will rely on heavily this season for scoring production. Then you've also got senior guard Carla Meyer who's as tough as they come in the MIAC. Lanky junior forward Olivia Boily has improved her game over the summer and will be a much-needed threat down low for the Bennies as well. But the gnawing issue for this CSB team has been consistency. This is a team that reeled off five straight wins back in January this last season and promptly followed that up with three straight losses. So, if the Bennies are to take that next step forward - and they definitely have the capability of doing so - they've got to find some consistency along the way.
To me, the team in this particular group with the most questions and the most to prove is Bethel. This is a team that stumbled out of the gate last year; found some solid footing in January but then went into a total tailspin down the stretch; losing nine of their last ten games. Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer is now back on the sideline after missing most of last season on medical leave but he's got an incredibly young team that's littered with sophomores and freshmen. The good news is that senior guard Anna Garfield is back and the Royals will lean heavily on her for point production and guard Colette Duininck is one of those aforementioned sophomores who had a promising freshman season and with a year's worth of experience under her belt, that should help make the Bethel backcourt known for its defensive prowess that much better. But again, just so many questions about this team that need to be answered here. Yet I'd probably be selling them short if I didn't at least have them in the conversation.
Fighting For That Sixth Playoff Spot:
6. St. Kate's
7. Augsburg
Things were looking good for St. Kate's coming down the home stretch last season before two losses to close out the regular season dashed their MIAC Playoff hopes. They lost a lot to graduation obviously but Head Coach Don Mulhern's cupboard isn't exactly bare either. They return perhaps one of the more under-appreciated players in the conference in senior guard Karis Zezza but a trio of younger players bolsters Mulhern's starting line-up as well: Junior forward Rachel Randleman, fellow junior forward Greta Schimnowski and fellow junior forward Sydney Elliott along with lanky sophomore forward Emme Golembiewski. But there's also a fresh face on this Wildcat squad who's primed to add a big scoring dimension to this team in freshman guard Hattie Fox who hails from Osceola, WI. As always, this team can be extremely dangerous and lethal when they're clicking on all cylinders. But again, as it always seems, depth and the injury bugaboo has haunted this team more than once. Still, I think Mulhern has enough for his squad to be in the mix here and if they can find some consistency coming down the stretch, this could be a team to keep your eye on.
Augsburg slipped badly last year and the stretch from mid-January to mid-February proved to be a killer for the Auggies. However, hopes are seemingly somewhat renewed on the east side of Minneapolis as Head Coach Ted Riverso has his primary weapon back and presumably healthy again in senior forward Anja Smith who can seemingly do it all on both ends of the floor with that unique "takeover" ability that few players possess. Riverso's backcourt appears to be strong as well with speedy senior guard Kalena Myers and fellow seniors Samaiya Buchanan and Katie Manecke. A supporting cast of senior forward Moriah McLendon and sophomore guard Wakinyela Bear and fellow sophomore forward Amira LaDuke will provide needed relief off the bench. But there's still a lot of questions surrounding the youngsters and whether this team can shake off the struggles it went through last season to get itself back into the conversation. You just never know quite for sure what you're going to get from this team and we may have to wait until perhaps mid-January to get a better idea of where they're headed. Still, a heckuva lot of talent on this team and you can't dismiss that.
Bringing Up The Rear:
8. Macalester
9. St. Olaf
10. SMU
11. St. Scholastica
Macalester may very well be the biggest mystery team in the MIAC. The Scots finished 7-18 last year overall but finished reasonably strong winning three of their last four games. And Head Coach Katie Kollar has been hitting it hard on the recruiting front as well. Given this and what they have on the roster this year would suggest that Macalester should be even better this year. How much "better" does that mean? Hard to tell right now but they're probably the last team you want to play if you go in with the attitude that you think you're going to get an easy W. Players to keep your eye on here would include junior guard Jessica Sabbagh and fellow junior combo guard/forward Peyton Starks (the latter who had a big game in their win against Lake Forest last weekend).
St. Olaf shocked everybody last year (including yours truly) by making an unpredictable run to snare that sixth MIAC Playoff spot last season. But the Oles arguably had the biggest losses of all to graduation and, on top of that, Interim Head Coach Jasmine Borgmann has now been given the keys to lead the Oles this season. A trio of juniors to keep your eye on here: forward Sophia Kormann (the former Maple Grove standout who has the unenviable task of replacing Rachel Kelly down low), guard Sarah Tangen and combo guard/forward Paige Yagodinski who can be deadly behind the arc with her unorthodox shooting style.
Down in Winona, Head Coach David Foley has the unenviable task of trying to replace graduated senior Brooklyn Paulson - and finding some consistency along the way as well. However, a promising crop of newcomers does provide some hope for the future. Players to keep your eye on here would include junior guard Izzy Goettelman and lanky sophomore forward Riley Schiernbeck out of Ida Grove, IA who had a solid outing a couple of nights ago against Northland.
Along the shores of Gitche Gumee up in Duluth, things can only get better for a St. Scholastica team that found wins hard to come by last season. But Head Coach Jason Schmitz and his squad have already got off on the right foot this season with a win over Crown earlier this month and even though you have to take those so-called "baby steps" in a tough conference like the MIAC, you can bet the Saints are going to be ready to battle each and every outing. Players to keep your eye on here would include senior guard Katie Vaske and sophomore guard Lexi Imdieke.
So there you have it. This should be another fun season with unpredictable twists and turns along the way. Feel free to fire away with thoughts......
