Ladies and Gentleman, Len Tsatiris!

[ASweet3781]

Is there a state employee just counting down the years to collect his pension more than this guy?

Twas once a top 5 women's soccer program nationally. Now we are not even top 5 in the AAC.

Funny we can be such a strong program in the 80's and 90s when the UConn campus was a train wreck and there were no banners hanging from Gampel. Now the campus is a scenic New England utopia and the basketball programs have made UConn a household name nationally and Len can't even make the NCAA tournament.

Last 2 games a perfect example of the state of this program. Had to win a game to probably make the NCAA's. Len and his team go out and lose 5-0 to 7th place Memphis. That is an ass whoopin. They show up today at home in the AAC quarterfinal against USF. A trip to Disney World on the line. A USF team they lost to 3-2 in OT in Tampa. Man they are gonna be fired up to get the win right? They promptly fall behind 2-0. They even had a slimmer of hope in the 2nd half. They saved a PK down 2-1. That will surely swing some momentum to their side in a hope to tie right? They lose 4-1. This is Len Tsatiris UConn women's soccer in 2013.

It should also be pointed out that many of the league's toughest programs like national power Notre Dame, Len doesn't even have to face anymore. Yet there was still no improvement this year. Even after a close loss to national power Stanford. That's what Len wanted to find out in the season preview he said. He wanted to play the "good" teams to find out where we are. Well he did. And he found out he should have had an NCAA tournament team. And he likely didn't achieve it.

At such an important time in UConn athletics, I see very few UConn coaches/teams outside of basketball really stepping up right now. I see predictability and complacency. When I look at football I see a catastrophe. The only program that has made a genuine leap of progress in recent years I would say is baseball. They went from terrible to a team that can make a nice run here and there. Not bad for that sport in the northeast. Jim Penders has taken the UConn name and combined with motivation has pushed and prodded until there was significant progress. With all the improvements done to UConn's campus and with all the national name recognition/prestige/excellence Jim and Geno have brought, teams like women's soccer, who do have tradition and history, should not be heading backwards. And yet they are.

Don't worry Nancy Stevens. I haven't forgotten about you. I'll save my Ladies and Gentleman when you lose to Maryland, UNC, or Old Dominion again. She is the field hockey coach who has a top 5 team every year but can't reach the title game because she hasn't figured out how to beat field hockey's elite in 24 years.

 

[Adios]

Don't worry Nancy Stevens. I haven't forgotten about you. I'll save my Ladies and Gentleman when you lose to Maryland, UNC, or Old Dominion again. She is the field hockey coach who has a top 5 team every year but can't reach the title game because she hasn't figured out how to beat field hockey's elite in 24 years.

She did become the all-time winningest field hockey coach. That's sort of a title in itself.

 

[dbmill]

She did become the all-time winningest field hockey coach. That's sort of a title in itself.

Not to mention that UConn beat Old Dominion 1-0 in overtime today to win the Big East Field Hockey championship.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Is there a state employee just counting down the years to collect his pension more than this guy?

Twas once a top 5 women's soccer program nationally. Now we are not even top 5 in the AAC.

Funny we can be such a strong program in the 80's and 90s when the UConn campus was a train wreck and there were no banners hanging from Gampel. Now the campus is a scenic New England utopia and the basketball programs have made UConn a household name nationally and Len can't even make the NCAA tournament.

Last 2 games a perfect example of the state of this program. Had to win a game to probably make the NCAA's. Len and his team go out and lose 5-0 to 7th place Memphis. That is an ass whoopin. They show up today at home in the AAC quarterfinal against USF. A trip to Disney World on the line. A USF team they lost to 3-2 in OT in Tampa. Man they are gonna be fired up to get the win right? They promptly fall behind 2-0. They even had a slimmer of hope in the 2nd half. They saved a PK down 2-1. That will surely swing some momentum to their side in a hope to tie right? They lose 4-1. This is Len Tsatiris UConn women's soccer in 2013.

It should also be pointed out that many of the league's toughest programs like national power Notre Dame, Len doesn't even have to face anymore. Yet there was still no improvement this year. Even after a close loss to national power Stanford. That's what Len wanted to find out in the season preview he said. He wanted to play the "good" teams to find out where we are. Well he did. And he found out he should have had an NCAA tournament team. And he likely didn't achieve it.

At such an important time in UConn athletics, I see very few UConn coaches/teams outside of basketball really stepping up right now. I see predictability and complacency. When I look at football I see a catastrophe. The only program that has made a genuine leap of progress in recent years I would say is baseball. They went from terrible to a team that can make a nice run here and there. Not bad for that sport in the northeast. Jim Penders has taken the UConn name and combined with motivation has pushed and prodded until there was significant progress. With all the improvements done to UConn's campus and with all the national name recognition/prestige/excellence Jim and Geno have brought, teams like women's soccer, who do have tradition and history, should not be heading backwards. And yet they are.

Don't worry Nancy Stevens. I haven't forgotten about you. I'll save my Ladies and Gentleman when you lose to Maryland, UNC, or Old Dominion again. She is the field hockey coach who has a top 5 team every year but can't reach the title game because she hasn't figured out how to beat field hockey's elite in 24 years.

I have wondered that myself; but, I spoke to a friend and former UConn women’s soccer player and she basically said the big difference in college today versus 20 years ago is money. After pouring millions into football over the last two decades, many football powers have had to pour millions into women’s sports, especially soccer as it has the second highest attendance for women’s sports after basketball, to stay in compliance with Title IX issues.
Taking a look at the current Top 25, traditional powers such as UNC, Portland, Santa Clara, Stanford, ND are still there; but, there are a lot of new ‘powers’ that I never saw in the rankings (or on the field) 20 years ago, most of which are attached to football powers - #3 Florida St, #4 Virginia Tech, #6 Florida, #10 Nebraska, #12 West Virginia, #13 Texas A&M, #14 South Carolina, #18 Texas Tech, #22 Mississippi
http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1
Heck, the SEC and XII only support women’s soccer, that’s 25 teams, most of which are new (the SEC’s best men’s team, South Carolina, plays in C-USA).

 

[dbmill]

I have wondered that myself; but, I spoke to a friend and former UConn women’s soccer player and she basically said the big difference in college today versus 20 years ago is money. After pouring millions into football over the last two decades, many football powers have had to pour millions into women’s sports, especially soccer as it has the second highest attendance for women’s sports after basketball, to stay in compliance with Title IX issues.
Taking a look at the current Top 25, traditional powers such as UNC, Portland, Santa Clara, Stanford, ND are still there; but, there are a lot of new ‘powers’ that I never saw in the rankings (or on the field) 20 years ago, most of which are attached to football powers - #3 Florida St, #4 Virginia Tech, #6 Florida, #10 Nebraska, #12 West Virginia, #13 Texas A&M, #14 South Carolina, #18 Texas Tech, #22 Mississippi
http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1
Heck, the SEC and XII only support women’s soccer, that’s 25 teams, most of which are new (the SEC’s best men’s team, South Carolina, plays in C-USA).

Money is indeed the big issue here. As is mentioned here, other football schools have been spending money on soccer facilities over the last decade. Meanwhile, UConn has not done much to improve Morrone Stadium over the years, and these days it is looking decidedly on the old side. Probably the last upgrade was the addition of lights about 13 or 14 years ago. What has helped keep the men's program near the top of the heap of the college soccer world is that they are among the leaders in attendance every year, and that helps to create a great game atmosphere. The women's team doesn't have that luxury of playing to big crowds, so playing in what is essentially an outdated facility while other schools have newer soccer facilities really hurts them. UConn is in the midst of fundraising for a new soccer arena, so if and when they get around to actually building the thing will no doubt be a big help to UConn women's soccer.

 

[Vowelguy]

And thus shows the impact of conference affiliation. Eventually the big money trickles down to the other sports programs.

30 years ago, some of the biggest names in womens' basketball were Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, SW Missouri St, Stephen F Austin, and Western Kentucky. And Oklahoma nearly discontinued its program.
Then the big schools woke up and now it's rare for a mid-major to even make the sweet 16.

 

[dbmill]

And thus shows the impact of conference affiliation. Eventually the big money trickles down to the other sports programs.

30 years ago, some of the biggest names in womens' basketball were Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, SW Missouri St, Stephen F Austin, and Western Kentucky. And Oklahoma nearly discontinued its program.
Then the big schools woke up and now it's rare for a mid-major to even make the sweet 16.

Aside from conference affiliation, fund raising for upgrading facilities really took a dive during the Hathaway era. While football is the big driver in conference realignment, I really think the lack of progress with facilities has had an impact as well. Louisville, for example, has been spending money on new and refurbished facilities in in many of their sports for the last decade.

 

[Gurleyman]

Is there a state employee just counting down the years to collect his pension more than this guy?

Twas once a top 5 women's soccer program nationally. Now we are not even top 5 in the AAC.

Don't worry Nancy Stevens. I haven't forgotten about you. I'll save my Ladies and Gentleman when you lose to Maryland, UNC, or Old Dominion again. She is the field hockey coach who has a top 5 team every year but can't reach the title game because she hasn't figured out how to beat field hockey's elite in 24 years.

As others point out, the Title IX revolution in the mid to late 90s hurt us a lot as the huge schools started adding women's soccer. We don't get the stud Northeast recruits we used to - they have a lot more options, especially if they want to play in warm weather (although that doesn't excuse losing Connecticut studs to Penn State, for example).

We were nothing special in field hockey for a long time. Stevens elevated the program again maybe in 2005 or so, and she has gotten them to several Final Fours since. A few years ago, we led #1 UNC 3-0 and the Heels pulled their goalie with 15 minutes left. It was bizarre to see that done that early, but they got a goal soon after and then scored twice in the last minute. Gut-punching loss, but I'm not sure what they do differently from a coaching perspective. Just needed to get a clean look from midfield and score into the empty net, but it never happened.

 

[UConnDan97]

Don't worry Nancy Stevens. I haven't forgotten about you. I'll save my Ladies and Gentleman when you lose to Maryland, UNC, or Old Dominion again. She is the field hockey coach who has a top 5 team every year but can't reach the title game because she hasn't figured out how to beat field hockey's elite in 24 years.

I'm glad she gets to escape your wrath for at least one full year now...

Just kidding. I know you're happy about the win, too. Let's all enjoy being National Champs (and let's all enjoy Duke NOT being national champs)...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

And UConn is going to PK's versus UMBC after a 2 to 2 draw after 2 OT's (had a 1 to 0 lead with 30 minutes left).