Conference Predictions: MASCAC, MIAA, MWC
With the week coming to a close, it’s time for another edition of conference predictions, taking a quick look at three leagues today: the MASCAC, the MIAA, and the MWC. In case you missed it, I released my Preseason Top 25 ballot for D3hoops.com yesterday, so check out that ballot breakdown if you have a chance.
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Now for some predictions…
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
Pick to Win: Bridgewater State
Framingham State and Bridgewater State were neck-and-neck in the MASCAC title race for much of last season, with FSU finishing just one game ahead of the Bears when it was all said and done. They split the season series, as BSU won the first meeting and fell narrowly in the second, 59-58. When it mattered most in the MASCAC title game, FSU came away with a 74-62 victory, punching its ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
But FSU lost both Flannery O’Connor and Gwendolyn Carpenter to graduation, two significant centerpieces of the Rams’ success. BSU, on the other hand, returns its main offensive catalyst in senior forward Kylie Grassi. She averaged 20.6 PPG last season, and by comparison, no other player in the league averaged above 17.6. She also tallied 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, and is the top returning player in the MASCAC this season. Now, BSU lost three starters, two of whom were guards, with senior forward/center Jessica D’Amours joining Grassi as the Bears’ two returning starters. But transfer guard Haley Burchhardt should help alleviate some of the challenge in BSU’s lack of returning production, as the Utica transfer averaged 27.2 min/game as a sophomore last season. She started 25 games for Utica, tallying 8.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG, and should be very impactful for BSU. Sophie Bradburry is another key addition to the backcourt, as the UMass-Boston transfer put up five double-digit scoring performances as a freshman in 2023-24, averaging 8.4 PPG along with 5.3 RPG.
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Kylie Grassi, Bridgewater State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Ernidia Goncalves, Salem State
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)
Pick to Win: Trine
I really don’t know with this one. Trine brings back the most production of any team in the MIAA, but it certainly seems like it’ll be a tight race between Trine, Hope, and Calvin, all of whom are expected to be Top 25-caliber.
As I said in my ballot breakdown yesterday, where I had Trine ranked 19th, the Thunder bring back two stellar guards in Sidney Wagner and Sierra Hinds. That duo will be key, and Wagner’s presence as an All-American-caliber guard gives me confidence in what Trine can accomplish, even without Abby Sanner in the post. Katie Tate is another notable returner for the Thunder and shot 50.8% from the field last season, averaging 7.4 PPG. All in all, returning four starters from a team that went two rounds deep in the NCAA Tournament is a solid starting for Trine in what will certainly be a difficult league. They beat both Hope and Calvin in last year’s MIAA Tournament, in addition to sweeping Calvin in the regular season and splitting their two games against Hope.
But that was also last season. Calvin had a young team, and with many of those players having improved over the course of last season, I expect that the Knights will be in position to really compete for the league title. The return of senior forward Valerie Dirkse should also help, as she was one of just two on the roster to start all 26 games a season ago. Hope brings back two starters in Jada Garner and Sydney Vis, both of whom played well throughout the Flying Dutch’s Sweet 16 run. Hope is always in the mix, and though the starting lineup may look different from last year, this is a program that put five new starters on the floor a season ago and went 26-4. So I trust they’ll be in that MIAA title race again this coming season.
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Sidney Wagner, Trine
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Valerie Dirkse, Calvin
Midwest Conference (MWC)
Pick to Win: Ripon
The Redhawks always seem to schedule well, and last season, we saw Ripon play Whitewater, La Crosse, Wheaton (IL), Carroll, and Stevens Point, all in the month of November. Ripon also played Platteville and Oshkosh later in non-conference, facing five WIAC opponents in the first two months. Ripon beat both La Crosse and Platteville, and went 14-2 in MWC play. This season, we see a similar non-conference slate, with games against Puget Sound, Wisconsin Lutheran, Carroll, and Trine.
Ripon appears to be in a good spot to repeat as MWC champs, bringing back four starters including Ella Ten Pas, who nearly averaged a double-double (13.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG). The three starting guards—Natalie Rauwolf, Laney Havlovitz, and Bella Opelt—are all back and should provide consistency on both ends of the floor. While not a super high-powered offensive team, Ripon plays very consistent defense and that kept them in contention against several top-caliber opponents throughout last season. I don’t expect that defensive identity to change, especially with four starters back. Also in the mix in the MWC is Knox, and the Prairie Fire have their top two scorers back in Bria Medina and Kylee Callahan. Coming off a 19-8 season in which they beat Ripon once, Knox is Ripon’s primary challenger for that conference title.
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Ella Ten Pas, Ripon
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Ashlyn Wightman, Illinois College
Picks so far → AMCC: PSU Behrend, A-R-C: Wartburg, ASC: ETBU, AEC: Marymount, Centennial: Johns Hopkins, CUNYAC: Baruch, C2C: Christopher Newport, CCIW: Illinois Wesleyan, CCS: LaGrange, CNE: Western New England, MACC: Messiah, E8: Nazareth, MACF: Stevens, GNAC: Albertus Magnus, HCAC: Berea, Landmark: Catholic, Liberty: Vassar, LEC: UMass Dartmouth, MASCAC: Bridgewater State, MIAA: Trine, MWC: Ripon
Up Next: MIAC