Hoopsville

The 19th season of Hoopsville debuts!

Tune in as we talk to the two preseason #1 teams in Division III basketball plus two of the top experts in the division. We also take a look at how the season may unfold and how the opening weekend was just a teaser of things to come. We talk some of the things that we are looking forward to and the question marks we will be considering from now until champions are claimed in March.

Guests on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline include:

- Brian Morehouse, head coach of #1 Hope women's basketball

- Gordan Mann, D3hoops.com Senior Editor

- Pat Coleman, D3hoops.com Editor in Chief

- Josh Merkel, head coach of #1 Randolph-Macon men's basketball

Regional rankings are out or coming ! Yes, we know not for basketball season, but the fall sports especially football are already dealing with some changes that are more than a little confusing. These sorts of things are handled in the same manner across all Division III team sports, so in this bonus podcast, we are talking about the upcoming changes with Pat Coleman, the host of D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast, which is the podcast for Division III football. It’s a little bit of D3hoops.com/D3football.com crossover!

What’s coming? Why are they changing? Whose bright idea was it, and what did they hope would come out of it? Pat and Dave talk about it all in this bonus podcast.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2021-22 when we will restart the video shows.

18.6: Tommies Together by Dave McHugh

He has been the Vice President for Division III since the position was created in 1996. And there are many who wish he remained a bit longer. However, he is now the former VP for DIII.

On this especially edition of Hoopsville, Dave McHugh sits down with Dan Dutcher once again to look back at his career at the NCAA and especially DIII, the NCAA Convention, and much more. It is a bit of a "State of DIII" as Dutcher once again tries to give everyone an inside idea of how things work and why certain decisions are made. But the historic perspective is also so helpful when looking at such interesting times now.

Dutcher, who took early retirement and was one of 60 some-odd individuals to leave the NCAA headquarters recently, talks about his 35-plus years at the NCAA and numerous years guiding Division III. He also talks about what he will do with his time now and the emotions of walking out the NCAA doors for a final time.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests appear on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline.

The Division III basketball season technically started nearly three months ago, but it has taken until the end of January for it to start feeling like the season is really underway. Even so, only about a quarter of the division has played just a single game. Another quarter of the division will never take to the court. And in between is wide gulf of different options.

On the first video-version of Hoopsville this season, Dave McHugh is joined by much of the D3hoops.com crew, Pat Coleman and Ryan Scott, to react to what has been one of the more unique seasons ... to say it lightly.

We react to the challenges schools are facing, what coaches are grappling with on a daily basis - especially beyond games and practices, and why schools are making so many different decisions.

We also discuss what is likely the future of this season's NCAA Championship Tournaments and, more importantly, when the decision on those tournaments will be made.

Plus, will there be a Top 25? No. Well, yes. Kind of. Tune in to learn more on what's coming. Plus a lot more including Dave spinning off Pat's thoughts on those wishing to attend games.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio.

Since March 2020, the NCAA and especially Division III has been on a roller coaster. A ride no one ever predicted or would want to be on. The ride is also not over.

Since March, many in DIII have tried to keep athletics going though through fall seasons the decisions had nearly everyone on the same page. Winter sports have seen more of a multi-pronged approach - depending on the institution, location, type, financial security, mentality, etc., etc., etc.

On this final of a trip of Hoopsville podcasts, we talk to a couple of administrators on the impact the pandemic has made on the division and their institutions. We also talk about different approaches each has taken when it comes to trying to have intercollegiate competition. And we discover why even with the best efforts to move forward, some things are not within one's control.

Yeshiva Athletics Director Joe Bednarsh and Amherst Athletics Director Don Faulstick give us their perspectives in what is a complicated world of restrictions, protocols, testing requirements, and more that are also always changing. Each institution has taken a different path, so far, but it doesn't mean their thinking is all that different. Find out how each is trying to ultimately help student-athletes succeed.

Another place the virus has made a significant impact is to the D3sports.com network. Page views are down a whopping 93%! That ginormous decline has also hurt the financial future of the company. Editor-in-Chief Pat Coleman joins us to discuss the extremely difficult challenge of keeping the websites up and operational and how asking for help from those who frequent the sites seemed like the best course of action.

Plus, Dave gives another in-depth breakdown of where DIII basketball sits in terms of a season ahead and especially possibility of NCAA Championships. And an update on where Hoopsville sits during an unpredicted challenge in front of everyone.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. We hope to start live, video, shows sometime in January.

For much of Division III, there hasn't been any basketball so far this season. Unfortunately for a growing number of schools, there won't be any season. Either because of a school decision or a conference one, more and more coaches are having to tell their teams they won't be playing any intercollegiate games until next season.

Those conversations have to be tough. What can also be difficult is keeping student-athletes engaged or even keep busy as a coach.

In this second of three podcasts surrounding the coronavirus climate in DIII, we chat with a couple of coaches who have programs on the back-burner until next academic year. Emory women's coach Misha Jackson discusses how and why the Atlanta-based institution decided to shutdown winter sports and how it has impacted her team. And Plattsburgh State men's coach Mike Blaine brings his perspective of a shutdown program, but from a conference-wide decision in New York State. You will also hear how both coaches are working with their players, but also trying to be careful about their time and the stress of everything going on in player's lives.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. We hope to start live, video, shows sometime in January.

It has been awhile since we had a show - we apologize. The basketball season technically started as scheduled on November 6, but not a lot of teams took the court thanks to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic. So how are those who are playing getting on the floor?

This marks the first of three podcasts tackling the challenge of COVID-19 for college across the county in Division III. In the trio of shows, we will talk to those who are playing, who have had seasons canceled, and who are making decisions behind the scenes at institutions.

In this first podcast, Dave McHugh chat with two coaches who are currently playing games, Greenville men's coach Dr. George Barber and Hardin-Simmons' women's coach Kendra Hassell. Hear how each program, along with athletic department and institution, is getting their teams on the court in competition. What steps each are taking to play, stay safe from the coronavirus, and even find games to play.

We also get a reminder of The System utilized by Barber at Greenville and the experience of playing four Division I programs in just a week.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. We hope to start live, video, shows sometime in January.

Will there be a 2020-21 NCAA Division III basketball season? If so what will it look like? What will the post-season look like?

It is on the mind of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, parents, and fans for several weeks, if not months, now. We are finally understanding what it may look like as a number of decisions or proposals are now making their way around Division III.

In this month's podcast, Dave McHugh not only downloads all the things being considered and the likely outcomes, but tries to give listeners an understanding of how much is still unknown despite some things becoming more clear.

McHugh also talks to Texas-Dallas women's basketball coach Polly Thomason for her take. Thomason has been in the Division III Women's Basketball National Committee for several years and is this season's chair of the committee. She also serves on the WBCA Board of Governors. Thomason not only provides her perspective on much of what is going on not only in Division III, but in women's basketball as well.

And of course, there is always the Hoopsville Notebook. Unfortunately, there is some sad news in the Notebook this month, but also news to celebrate especially when it comes to DIII alums making news in the NBA.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

The off season has hit August and with it has come news of Division III Fall Championships being canceled for the same reason Winter Championships were derailed and Spring Championships pulled earlier this year: COVID 19 Pandemic.

The decision came on the heals of a vast majority of DIII institutions curtailing fall sports and many pushing winter sports starts on their campuses until January at the earliest.

What does this mean for the 2020-21 season of college basketball? Specifically what does it mean for Division III? Will there be a basketball season? Will it be a six-week-or-so-sprint? Or is there a way to adjust things?

On the Mid-Summer edition of the Hoopsville Podcast, we try and get some answers to those questions. We talk to one coach who actually has put together a proposal to start the season in January, with some changes to make it work including crowning a champion in April. And we talk to an administrator who also serves on the DIII Management Council to better under stand the decisions made to cancel championships and if shift a season like basketball is even possible.

Plus, we honor the best of the best in the last decade of Division III women's basketball. Gordon Mann joins us to discuss how the 2nd D3hoops.com Women's All-Decade came together (and hints of work on the men's list).

Guests include:

Philip Ponder, Oglethorpe men's coach

Jason Fein, Bates Athletics Director and DIII Management Council member

Gordon Mann, D3hoops.com Senior Editor

And of course, there is always the Hoopsville Notebook. A few things we take note of that have made headlines since the beginning of July. We also tip our hat to a few of those who have always helped the show be it's best.