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Are we close enough yet to throw out our preseason predictions and thoughts? Please? Not going to number them, because I when I look at the GNAC teams, much like how things turned out last year, I see a lot of muddy water, but here's what I think:
Western Oregon - Might dominate. Lots coming back from a team that struggled for a lot of last year, but they have a crafty coach and tons of talent. And they have Omlid on their team. Even when he's bad, he's still so good. The only thing that he leaves as vulnerabilities for other teams in dealing with his presence all over the floor is that he didn't shoot FTs that well last year and is a little more prone to foul trouble because of his defensive style. He should be the preseason POTY.
Western Washington - They also have a lot of talent and athleticism coming back, but that is their standard and they just can never figure out how to be a team of more than individual talent. I think it depends on how strong the rest of the GNAC is as to where they'll end up, but there are far more certainties about their line-up and talent level than most teams that I will list under them here. They may go far in the GNAC, but unless they change things, I don't see them going deep in the region, despite the talent level they have.
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Alaska Anchorage - It sorta kills me to put them here cause they are my arch-rivals, but there is soooo much muddy waters after Western & Western and Anchorage has a pretty good decade+ worth of winning seasons and super competitive teams and they recruited what appear to be a lot of good guards, many from DI ranks. I also put them near the top of the "muddy water" category because, just like Western Washington, it depends more on what other teams do as to where Anchorage will finish. If the GNAC is building again this year and the level of play doesn't go up considerably, they will finish high in the GNAC.
Saint Martins - Wanted to put them higher, but when Ingram signed to go to Hawaii, that gave me pause. I think Pribble is clever and has them trending up. Not sure about much else, but as I alluded to before, I would not be surprised if Chavez becomes a name that is mentioned here this season, but maybe I'm just partial.
Seattle Pacific - Historically have been good, but I wonder if that history walked out the door with Looney. They have good players, but that "hard to crack" system that Looney ran was as big a part of their success as the actual players were, I thought.
Central Washington - Wasn't sure whether to put them before SPU and couldn't decide, but I do love watching their home games streamed. They get it rocking there sometimes, but I wonder about their ability to do more than throw it down at home. It looks like they have some good recruits, so possibly they are too low? Depends on the rest of the league?
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Montana Billings, Alaska Fairbanks, and Concordia - Wild-card city. MSUB had kinda a good recruiting season? Losing Beverly might leave them open for stellar team play that will make them tougher to beat? Fairbanks is VOLATILE from year to year. One really never knows what Durham has brought in and how he can work it. They are typically very, very tough or near the bottom, but rarely in between. You all know what I'm hoping for. I truly have no idea though. Barbarick showed that Concordia could compete last year. Now they are a full DII member, but they did lose some good seniors. Portland should be one of the easier places in the GNAC to recruit to...
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Northwest Nazarene & Simon Fraser - NNU lost their coach, but they still have Maurice Jones, so... Who knows, but it looks like an uphill battle. Simon Fraser hung onto some of their more skilled players through the offseason and were showing some promise last year. It tells you what kind of a league the GNAC was last year when you say that SFU pulled out a couple of wins... Against WOU and SPU! I think they will be better, but whether that adds up to wins or not probably depends on the level of league play in the GNAC this year, more than how much they will actually improve their play.
It's probably too early for this, but if anyone else is kinda chompin at the bit too, I'd be only too happy to see some chatter building here.
Western Oregon - Might dominate. Lots coming back from a team that struggled for a lot of last year, but they have a crafty coach and tons of talent. And they have Omlid on their team. Even when he's bad, he's still so good. The only thing that he leaves as vulnerabilities for other teams in dealing with his presence all over the floor is that he didn't shoot FTs that well last year and is a little more prone to foul trouble because of his defensive style. He should be the preseason POTY.
Western Washington - They also have a lot of talent and athleticism coming back, but that is their standard and they just can never figure out how to be a team of more than individual talent. I think it depends on how strong the rest of the GNAC is as to where they'll end up, but there are far more certainties about their line-up and talent level than most teams that I will list under them here. They may go far in the GNAC, but unless they change things, I don't see them going deep in the region, despite the talent level they have.
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Alaska Anchorage - It sorta kills me to put them here cause they are my arch-rivals, but there is soooo much muddy waters after Western & Western and Anchorage has a pretty good decade+ worth of winning seasons and super competitive teams and they recruited what appear to be a lot of good guards, many from DI ranks. I also put them near the top of the "muddy water" category because, just like Western Washington, it depends more on what other teams do as to where Anchorage will finish. If the GNAC is building again this year and the level of play doesn't go up considerably, they will finish high in the GNAC.
Saint Martins - Wanted to put them higher, but when Ingram signed to go to Hawaii, that gave me pause. I think Pribble is clever and has them trending up. Not sure about much else, but as I alluded to before, I would not be surprised if Chavez becomes a name that is mentioned here this season, but maybe I'm just partial.
Seattle Pacific - Historically have been good, but I wonder if that history walked out the door with Looney. They have good players, but that "hard to crack" system that Looney ran was as big a part of their success as the actual players were, I thought.
Central Washington - Wasn't sure whether to put them before SPU and couldn't decide, but I do love watching their home games streamed. They get it rocking there sometimes, but I wonder about their ability to do more than throw it down at home. It looks like they have some good recruits, so possibly they are too low? Depends on the rest of the league?
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Montana Billings, Alaska Fairbanks, and Concordia - Wild-card city. MSUB had kinda a good recruiting season? Losing Beverly might leave them open for stellar team play that will make them tougher to beat? Fairbanks is VOLATILE from year to year. One really never knows what Durham has brought in and how he can work it. They are typically very, very tough or near the bottom, but rarely in between. You all know what I'm hoping for. I truly have no idea though. Barbarick showed that Concordia could compete last year. Now they are a full DII member, but they did lose some good seniors. Portland should be one of the easier places in the GNAC to recruit to...
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Northwest Nazarene & Simon Fraser - NNU lost their coach, but they still have Maurice Jones, so... Who knows, but it looks like an uphill battle. Simon Fraser hung onto some of their more skilled players through the offseason and were showing some promise last year. It tells you what kind of a league the GNAC was last year when you say that SFU pulled out a couple of wins... Against WOU and SPU! I think they will be better, but whether that adds up to wins or not probably depends on the level of league play in the GNAC this year, more than how much they will actually improve their play.
It's probably too early for this, but if anyone else is kinda chompin at the bit too, I'd be only too happy to see some chatter building here.
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