St. Mary's Joins NEAC

D3Playbook DECEMBER 13, 2019 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers.

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1.  St. Mary's Joins NEAC   The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced that St. Mary’s College of Maryland will join the conference beginning in the 2021-22 academic year. The addition of the Seahawks will bring the NEAC to nine core members in 2021-22. The NEAC’s Presidents’ Council and Board of Athletic Directors voted unanimously to approve the application for conference membership from St. Mary’s College. The Seahawks will join core members Gallaudet University, Lancaster Bible College, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, SUNY Morrisville, and Wells College in 2021-22. >> Quotable: “We are excited to welcome St. Mary’s College to the NEAC as a full member beginning Fall 2021. Throughout the application process, it was evident that St. Mary’s College of Maryland is dedicated to providing its student-athletes with a well-rounded, high-quality Division III experience. We felt strongly that the ideals of St. Mary’s College and their vision for the future aligned with that of our membership." - NEAC Interim Commissioner Stephanie Dutton. >> Quotable II: “St. Mary’s College looks forward to renewing rivalries with schools such as Gallaudet University and Penn State Harrisburg and forging new rivalries with additional schools in the conference. This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Seahawk athletics.” - Scott Devine, director of athletics and recreation at St. Mary’s College >> Go Deeper

2.  Football Semifinal Preview    It's Semifinal Saturday in Division III football - LIVE on ESPN3. Here is our preview (all times EST)   #5 North Central (12-1) at #4 Muhlenberg (13-0), 12 p.m. The Cardinals and the Mules meet in a classic contrast of styles. NCC averages 53.2 points and 565.2 yards per game - both second in Division III. 'Berg allows 9.6 points and 243.2 yards per contest - good for third and ninth, respectively. Cardinal QB Broc Rutter has thrown for 4,135 yards and 49 TDs. Mule QB Mike Hnatkowsky has tossed for 3,363 yards and 45 scores. Muhlenberg DE Frankie Feaster is tied for third nationally with 14 sacks on the season. LB Ben Wong, a first-team Academic All-America choice, leads North Central with 77 tackles. >> The Defense Which Fuels Muhlenberg's Drive (Joe Sager, D3football.com) >> North Central Refuses to Lose (Pat Coleman, D3football.com) >> Live Stats  |  Live Audio (WONC 89.1 FM)  |  Watch on ESPN3 #8 Saint John's (12-1) at #7 UW-Whitewater (12-1), 3 p.m. This is the fourth meeting between the schools with each contest coming in the NCAA playoffs. SJU won the first game in 2002 and UWW has won three straight, including a 37-7 win in 2008. The Johnnies are second in D-III in passing (373.7) and 15th in scoring offense (42.3). QB Jackson Erdmann leads the country in passing yardage (4,698), while WR Ravi Alston has 1,311 receiving yards. The Warhawks are fifth in the country against the run (58.7), 15th in scoring defense (15.3) and 20th overall (278.5). LB Mackenzie Balanganayi was named D3Football.com West Region Defensive Player of the Year. Offensively, UWW is led by OL Quinn Meinerz, a first-team AFCA All-American. UWW is 109-4 over the last 15 years playing at Perkins Stadium. >> Saint John's Has Recipe for Success (Adam Turer, D3Football.com) >> Brand Helps Warhawk D-Line Make a Splash (Brian Lester, D3Football.com) >> Live Stats  |  Audio (KOOL 106.5 FM) (WBHR 660 AM) |  Watch on ESPN3

3.  Best of the Decade  We continue our "Best of the Decade" series with a look at the champions, runners-up and final four finishers in swimming and diving.   Champions: Denison (5), Kenyon (4), Emory. Runner-Up: Denison (4), Kenyon (4), Emory (2). Top Four Finishes: Denison (10), Kenyon (10), Emory (9), Johns Hopkins (6), MIT (3), Williams (2), Kalamazoo. Champions: Emory (10). Runner-Up: Kenyon (5), Denison (3), Williams (2). Top Four Finishes: Emory (10), Denison (10), Kenyon (10), Williams (9), Johns Hopkins. >> Monday: Wrestling.

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4. Academically Speaking The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) has released its 2019 Academic All-America teams for football and volleyball. UW-Whitewater LB Matt Anderson was honored as the Academic All-American of the Year in football, while was Calvin MH Sarah DeVries was recognized as the Academic All-American of the Year in volleyball. A biology major with an emphasis in pre-biomedical professions and a 4.0 GPA, Anderson has started all 12 games and is currently second on the team in tackles (77), including seven for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also has two forced fumbles and an interception for the Warhawks, who advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the second consecutive season in 2019. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Anderson is a three-time member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Scholastic Honor Roll, a member of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Dean's List and a recipient of the Chancellor's Scholarship. >> Watch more on Anderson >> Academic All-America football team DeVries, a nursing major, has been selected as the recipient of the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year award for Division III volleyball. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native holds a 3.82 cumulative GPA at Calvin. A first team selection this year to the Division III Academic All-America Team, DeVries is now a two-time Academic All-America® honoree. She was also a member of the first team in 2018. DeVries was named the 2019 Team Snap/AVCA Division III National Player of the Year last month, receiving the award for the second-consecutive season. She is the fifth individual to be named National Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. A three-time AVCA All-American, she was named the 2019 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Most Valuable Player in November. >> Watch more on DeVries >> Academic All-America volleyball team

5. Weekend Preview   Ice Hockey (M) - USCHO UW-Eau Claire (A/H vs. UW-Stevens Point) Trinity  Geneseo  Norwich  Augsburg (vs. Aurora; vs. Trine) Salve Regina  Adrian  Hobart  U. of New England  Oswego  Ice Hockey (W) - USCHO Plattsburgh  Middlebury  Norwich  Gustavus Adolphus (vs. #7 UW-River Falls) UW-Eau Claire (H/H vs. Concordia-Moorhead) Adrian  UW-River Falls (at #4 Gustavus Adolphus) Elmira  St. Thomas  Hamline  Basketball (W) - D3hoops.com Tufts  Scranton  Bowdoin Hope (vs. Albion) Amherst  Mary Hardin-Baylor (at Rhodes) Wartburg (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan) DePauw (at Chapman) St. Thomas MN  George Fox  Basketball (M) - D3hoops.com Swarthmore Emory  Wittenberg (at Bridgewater; at Eastern Mennonite) Middlebury  St. Thomas MN  Nebraska Wesleyan (at Wartburg) Marietta  Randolph-Macon  Washington U. UW-Platteville (at Bethel) Wrestling - NWCA Wartburg (at Cornell College) Loras (vs. #18 Millikin) Augsburg (vs. Southwest Minnesota State) Wabash Johnson & Wales Mount Union (vs. Adrian, UW-Oshkosh, Defiance, #25 Olivet) Baldwin Wallace (vs. Defiance, #25 Olivet, Adrian, UW-Oshkosh) UW-La Crosse Coe North Central (vs. Lakeland)

6.  Comings and Goings CAPITAL - Cody Hurley named head men's tennis coach. CARROLL - Emily Ho named head women's golf coach. COAST GUARD - Dan Rose named athletic director. HAMPDEN-SYDNEY - Adding indoor and outdoor long distance track. The Tigers will compete in distance events of 800 meters and above. HIRAM - Jack Mrozinski Jr. named head football coach HOUGHTON - Brandon Gettig and Michael Ritter named assistant baseball coaches; Taylor Trowbridge named assistant softball coach; Bill Sortore, Paul Kosek and Dave Gross named assistant track and field coaches IOWA WESLEYAN - MD Daniels named head football coach. SHENANDOAH - Emma Rogers named assistant women's lacrosse coach TEXAS LUTHERAN - Carl Gustafson announced his retirement as head football coach. Ricky Matt named head football coach. WESTERN NEW ENGLAND - Anthony S. Caprio announced his retirement as president, effective June 2020. WIDENER - Stephen Berger named assistant men's and women's golf coach WILKES - Greg Cant named president. WILLIAM PATERSON - Sandy Ferrarella her retirement as head women's volleyball coach. WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE - Matt Janus named interim head football coach. WITTENBERG - Kelley Hubbell will step down as head field hockey coach

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