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What has happened to the womens teams?


MDZip

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I know a lot of people don't follow the women's sports but I still like to see them do well. Cross country and track are pretty much combined with the men's teams and continue to do well and swimming came out of nowhere a few years ago and won the MAC and continue to hold a lofty standard but the flagship programs (volleyball, soccer and basketball) are abysmal right now. Volleyball finished at 3-13, soccer at 1-6-4 (both missed the MAC playoffs) and basketball is sitting just a game from dead last at 2-13 three years after winning the MACC. For years the women were at least mediocre but they are all bottom of the barrel right now. Just puzzling to see the decline in all of them.

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I am no expert on this subject either, but I do go to a lot of Zip women's soccer, swimming and track games/meets/matches.  I am not sure about volleyball, but I think the previous coaching staff was rather high school-esque in their approach to the game and abysmal at recruiting.  I know one of the current player's parents as aquaintences and they seem to be pleased with the new regime but said it will take some time to turn around what he inherited.  

 

Track and field - they just won (today) the indoor MACs over a talented field of 11 other MAC schools, and have been 1st or 2nd in indoor and outdoor the last four seasons.  Jumps are top notch, sprints strong after a few off years, weights are down after two all americans left.  But they recruit so well, and their coaching staff is so solid and productive.  What they have is depth at almost every event.  Swimming and diving is similar, with a team that never finished better than eighth in the MAC transformed into winning four straight MAC titles (they'll wrap up #4 tonight).  Why? A coaching staff that blends hard work and having fun, with smart recruiting.  Peresie arived and trained smart and got total buy in from the women and here we are.

 

Soccer - Wow.  I don't know.  You'd think that with the men's success, and the top drawer facilities and support that they would at least be a .500 club.  I mean, the MAC is tough, with Kent, Buffalo, Miami, Western, Ball State and Toledo strong, but their off-MAC schedule has been pretty easy.  Cleveland State, Robert Morris, Clarion....Coaching may be the answer here too.  I think 4 head coaches in the last 8 years?  And none were really college coaches, more club coaches and there seemed to always be drama on the team.  This Herlihy coach though seems tough as nails and a winner.   Granted Slippery Rock isn't Notre Dame, but the MAC isn't the ACC.  I think her recruiting classes the past two years look promising, but she inherited an empty pantry, so it may not turn around quickly.

 

And speaking of recruiting...track and swimming have recruited internationally....france, israel, spain, england, germany...not a lot but the one's they get are tops.  All are all-MAC and Soeme have ended up NCAA qualifiers.

 

Okay....more thananyone wanted to read, I am sure.....

Edited by ZipsVoice
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  • 1 month later...

http://www.gozips.com/sports/wten/2016-17/releases/20170326se0rm1

 

Tennis is doing very well. Although in their 7-0 sweep of EMU I don't think an American played for either team. Oh well, it's nice that the MAC provides a good place for the Europeans to refine their game, get an education, and experience some USA.

 

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11 hours ago, mes102 said:

Women's soccer was decent under Pfau. But when he left for Houston, the program has never recovered...

No offense mes102, but I disagree...Coach Pfau was a terrible coach, and an even worse recruiter.  He got the women's team into a MAC East Championship, but the league was very very week that season.  He had no connection with the power clubs in Ohio, and his assistant coaches were always involved in behind-the-scenes power struggles.  He treated the players like they were still high school girls, and not women.  Vernon wasn't a lot better.  Watch Noreen, she's going to impress you ....

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34 minutes ago, ZipsVoice said:

No offense mes102, but I disagree...Coach Pfau was a terrible coach, and an even worse recruiter.  He got the women's team into a MAC East Championship, but the league was very very week that season.  He had no connection with the power clubs in Ohio, and his assistant coaches were always involved in behind-the-scenes power struggles.  He treated the players like they were still high school girls, and not women.  Vernon wasn't a lot better.  Watch Noreen, she's going to impress you ....


I think you're overestimating my "praise" for Coach Pfau. The women's soccer program has been so bad, that I was just stating he was decent compared to the rest. I disagree on some of the talent on the roster, but we're on the same page with Pfau's coaching stint at Akron. I do believe Noreen will get the program on track.

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On 3/27/2017 at 11:27 AM, ZippyRulz said:

http://www.gozips.com/sports/wten/2016-17/releases/20170326se0rm1

 

Tennis is doing very well. Although in their 7-0 sweep of EMU I don't think an American played for either team. Oh well, it's nice that the MAC provides a good place for the Europeans to refine their game, get an education, and experience some USA.

 

 

They're now 19-2 and riding an 18 game winning streak!

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Great hustle, Madison!

 

AKRON, Ohio- Akron softball's home debut on ESPN3 on April 4 has brought the team some unexpected publicity.

Pinch running in the bottom of the third inning of the Zips' 4-1 win over Buffalo, freshman outfielder Madison Carter's (Newnan, Ga.) slide into second base made ESPN's "Not Top 10" list Tuesday night and received more than one million views in less than 24 hours.

This morning, Carter will appear on CNN sports with Cory Wire at 8:58 a.m. and 9:58 a.m. and again on Headline News Morning Express at 10:58 a.m.

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