D3Playbook: Today's Top 10

written by STEVE ULRICH
your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III

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TOP STORY

1. Today's Top 10

NCAA names 2022 Today's Top 10 recipients | NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA
by Lander Eicholzer, NCAA

"Ten exceptional former student-athletes - including two from Division III - will be recognized as the 2022 Today's Top 10 Award winners at the NCAA Convention next week.

The award recognizes former student-athletes for their successes on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipients — who completed their athletics eligibility during the 2020-21 academic year — will be recognized at the Honors Celebration on Jan. 19 during the NCAA Convention in Indianapolis. The awards ceremony will also be streamed via the NCAA Twitter account.

The NCAA Honors Committee, which selects the honorees, is composed of representatives from member schools and conferences, as well as nationally distinguished citizens, including past awardees."

2022Honors-Jose

Eka Jose

School: Washington University in St. Louis
Sport: Indoor and outdoor track and
Major: Anthropology, with a concentration in global health and the environment; biology

Eka Jose was a national champion in the indoor and outdoor triple jump in 2019 and earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women's Division III Field Athlete of the Year for the 2019 indoor season.

2022Honors-Sosa

Kendall Sosa

School: Illinois Wesleyan University
Sport: Basketball
Major: Marketing

Guard Kendall Sosa was named Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division III Player of the Year in 2021, the first player in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin history to earn that honor.

>> Continue Reading

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BlueFrame Games to Watch

WBB: Denison (5-6) at Oberlin (10-1), 5:00
MBB: Ursinus (7-3) at Haverford (7-6), 8:00

ICE HOCKEY

2. Best Game Day Atmosphere

by Joe Connor, special to USCHO.com

“When my last sports travel column was published here in February 2019, never could I have imagined I wouldn’t publish another one – until now.

Good riddance 2020 – yet thank goodness 2021 because fans were back in the stands. And Mr. Sports Travel, too!

The winner of best game day atmosphere on Mr. Sports Travel’s latest journey” goes to…Not a D-I program, my friends. Hands-down, the winner is…the Lakers of Oswego. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario in upstate New York about 40 miles north of Syracuse, 3,000 fans packed the on-campus Marano Center on Nov. 12 as the men rallied to beat Cortland 2-1. I was not only impressed by the passionate student section and alumni base, but also by the rich history of the program showcased on the main concourse. Simply an awesome game day experience not to be missed! Hockeytown = Oswego!"

>> Honorable Mention - St. Norbert. "Banners from the Golden Knights' titles hang from end-to-end inside the cracker box Cornerstone Community Center which somehow manages to cram 2,000 in here. With seating on three sides, this gem has one of the lowest ceilings I’ve even experienced for an intense rivalry. Reminds me of Cornell’s Lynah Rink – what I refer to as the Fenway “Pahk” of NCAA Division I “Cawlidge Hawkey” because “if you like your space, it ain’t your place!” Well, the Division III Award goes to St. Norbert’s men’s team home venue!"

>> Honorable Mention - Norwich. "The uniqueness of Norwich University: Kreitzberg Arena had been on my bucket list for years – and when I finally made the pilgrimage, it did not disappoint. Reminds me of a “mini-Ralph,” very similar to the crown jewel of men’s venues, North Dakota’s Ralph Engelstad Arena, only Norwich’s “upstairs” entry point has a different feel. But it only enhanced my excitement upon visiting this D-III rarity, which is located 50 miles south of the University of Vermont."

>> Continue Reading

COVID

3. Spectator Policies

I wish we didn't need to keep this section going ... but schools continue to make announcements about their spectator policies. Because of that, we will continue to make you - our readers - aware of the changes.

Restricted (41)
These schools are mostly restricting spectators to those within the college community or those on a pass list.

Connecticut (3): Connecticut College, Trinity, Wesleyan
Illinois (6): Elmhurst, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan, Lake Forest, North Central, Wheaton
Indiana (2): Earlham, Manchester
Maine (3): Bates, Bowdoin, Colby
Minnesota (1): Saint John's
Massachusetts (10): Amherst, Anna Maria, MIT, Regis, Smith, Tufts, Wellesley, Williams, WPI, Worcester State
New York (7): Bard, CCNY, Hamilton, Hunter, Ithaca, John Jay, RPI
Ohio (1): Baldwin Wallace
Pennsylvania (5): Arcadia, Chatham, Franklin & Marshall, Ursinus, Washington & Jefferson
Vermont (1): Middlebury
Wisconsin (2): Alverno, Carroll

Must Show Proof of Vaccination or Recent Test (24)
These schools are mostly restricting spectators to those who can display proof a vaccination/booster or a recent COVID-19 negative test.

Connecticut (4): Albertus Magnus, Coast Guard, Eastern Connecticut, Saint Joseph's
Georgia (1): Agnes Scott
Illinois (3): Augustana, Illinois Tech, North Park
Maine (1): Southern Maine
Massachusetts (2): Babson, Springfield
Michigan (1): Kalamazoo
Minnesota (1): St. Olaf
New Jersey (4): FDU-Florham, New Jersey City, Rutgers-Newark, William Paterson
New York (6): Baruch, Hartwick, Nazareth, Oneonta, RIT, Union
Ohio (1): Denison
Pennsylvania (1): Muhlenberg

No Spectators Until Further Notice (86)
These schools are prohibiting all spectators as we understand.

California (3): Chapman, Redlands, UC Santa Cruz
Connecticut (2): Mitchell, Western Connecticut
District of Columbia (2): Catholic, Gallaudet
Georgia (1): Emory
Illinois (1): Knox
Kentucky (1): Transylvania
Maine (3): Maine Maritime, Saint Joseph's, Thomas
Maryland (3): Goucher, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame
Massachusetts (13): Brandeis, Clark, Dean, Eastern Nazarene, Elms, Emerson, Gordon, Mass-Boston, MCLA, Salem State, Simmons, Suffolk, Wentworth
Minnesota (3): Carleton, Macalester, Saint Mary's
Missouri (2): Fontbonne, Washington U.
New Hampshire (2): Keene State, Rivier
New Jersey (3): Ramapo, Saint Elizabeth, Stevens
New York (19): Brooklyn, Farmingdale State, Keuka, Manhattanville, Maritime, Medaille, Merchant Marine, Mount St. Mary, Mount Saint Vincent, NYU, Old Westbury, Purchase, Rochester, St. Joseph's (Brooklyn), St. Joseph's (L.I.), Sarah Lawrence, SUNY Poly, Vassar, Yeshiva
Ohio (3): Case Western Reserve, Hiram, Wilmington
Pennsylvania (21): Alvernia, Bryn Athyn, Bryn Mawr, Cairn, Carnegie Mellon, Cedar Crest, Clarks Summit, Dickinson, Eastern, Haverford, Keystone, King's, Misericordia, Rosemont, Saint Vincent, Swarthmore, Thiel, Valley Forge, Widener, Wilkes, Wilson
Rhode Island (1): Rhode Island College
Tennessee (1): Rhodes
Virginia (2): Mary Baldwin, Marymount

The list is not complete nor comprehensive.

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STREAMING

4. Watchlist

Shane Liegel, Loras

A pair of top 15 mat matchups highlight the Thursday schedule.

No. 12 Central at No. 2 Loras. The Duhawks put their 6-0 dual record on the line against the Dutch (6-2, 1-1) in an A-R-C match. Central 125 Shandon Akeo is ranked third nationally, while 184 Shane Liegel is ranked second for Loras.
No. 14 UW-Whitewater at No. 3 UW-La Crosse. The Warhawks (6-1, 1-1) and the Eagles (6-1, 0-0) square off in a WIAC match. UWW 184 Jarrit Shinhoster is ranked fifth nationally, while UWL 197 Isaac Lahr is top-ranked at his weight.

Also worth watching ...

MBB: Trinity, Texas (11-2, 3-1) at St. Thomas (10-4, 4-1)
WBB: Mary Hardin-Baylor (11-2, 8-0) at No. 14 East Texas Baptist (9-2, 5-1)

NEWS

5. Lightning Round

Congratulations to Geneseo men's ice hockey assistant coach Kris Heeres on receiving the American Hockey Coaches Association's Terry Flanagan Award. The award is presented for an assistant's career body of work.

Spalding University transformed an abandoned 7.5 acre lot into a beautiful new athletic complex they could call home. The new complex — featuring two multipurpose artificial turf fields and one synthetic turf softball field — gave the school a hometeam advantage and beautified a previously abandoned section of downtown Louisville.

Cake and Candles to FDU Florham SID Max Berkowitz who celebrates a birthday today.

PICTURES

6. The Day in Photos

Sul Ross State softball begins preseason practice.

Nikolle Van Strahlen

Nazareth (14-0) remained one of two unbeaten DIII women's ice hockey teams with a 6-0 whitewashing of Stevenson.

Cold winter nights (and COVID restrictions) call for streaming video on the big screen with the PAC Sports Network.