MVC Fall Sports

[bubraves4lyfe]

Wow with the summer coming to an end and preseason for the fall sports are just around the corner what do you all think of the Bradley Braves repeating in soccer and then looking to improve in Volleyball with a new coaching staff?

SOCCER SCHOOLS: Bradley, Central Arkansas, Creighton, Drake, Evansville, Missouri State, and Southern Illinois at Edwardsville

VOLLEYBALL SCHOOLS: Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Wichita State

[panther-state]

I'm gonna assume we're talking mens soccer since BU doesn't have womens soccer in the MVC...the dual post with Volleyball threw me off though.

I don't follow college men's soccer so I won't even attempt at that.

With volleyball though, I think this might be a tough season for BU considering that this is a pretty strong volleyball conference and it usually takes more than a season to get acclimated to a new coaching staff (not ALWAYS, but usually), and BU has had a very weak program the past couple of years but ending that 31 conference match losing streak last season shows that things are getting better. I wouldn't be booking any tickets to the MVC Championship match just yet but things will get better for the Braves.

I'm very excited for some MVC volleyball this fall, the conference is looking very good. Illinois St looked very improved at the end of last season and hopefully that will continue, Wichita is a strong program that will contend for a title, as well as Missouri St. and CU. Indy St. and SIU will be okay but I'm just looking forward to those two teams coming to Cedar Falls since last season I thought they looked the best in the MVC in those spandex shorts (Indy St. really, really likes making their girls wear a size or two smaller apparently...not complaining).

I saw that during late October last season the MVC ranked behind only the Big 12, Big 10, Pac-10, ACC and SEC in RPI ranking (not necessarily in that order) with 7 teams in the top 100, 4 in the top 40 and UNI being in the top 20 all season. I never saw how everything looked when the dust settled but that still says alot about the programs in this conference compared to those big conferences and being higher than all the mid-majors.

I think the Panthers have to be favored to win the conference again though, despite losing, arguably one of the schools best players ever, Ellie Blakenship (who ended her career 6th all-time on NCAA digs list...pretty amazing since she won her only Libero of the Year award last season and had no Defensive POY awards ), Beth Dirscher (First team MVC) and Chelseas Saunders (BABE!!!). They will still return 2 time MVC POY Bre Payton (2nd team All-American) and 1st team MVC players Michelle Burrow and Krista DeGeest, to go along with other talented players like Candice Burke and some talented incoming freshman (altough chances are we'll see some redshirts out of most or all of them). And of course, Bobbi Peterson is still running the show

[bubraves4lyfe]

yeah I dont really care about the volleyball team but i was trying to be politically correct.

Hopefully though Bradley volleyball can win more than a half of a volleyball game this year.

[jaysfan24]

Creighton is picking up a lot of hype for this upcoming season including preseason top 10 rankings and a #1 soccer prospect ranking in Ethan Findlay. Should be interesting with the new coach.

http://www.gocreighton.com/ViewArticle. ... =205238617

[Moose39]

Calm down jaysfan24, it's soccer



jk man

[bubraves4lyfe]

I am not too sure about that. The Braves return all but 3 players in which 2 played. If I am not mistaken your number 1 player in ethan finley was unable to find the back of the net in 2 games last year in the span of one week. Tyler Polak is over rated he is good but if you watch when they lost in the tournament last year and Keith Mach scored to knock off the Jays he did not even chase him back after he had gotten beat. I think the valley should be a dog fight this year, or maybe better said a brave bird fight!!!

[panther-state]

:yawn: As much as I enjoy soccer...college soccer is like a school security guard. It's there but does it really matter? No. Sorry boys