Orange & Black Attack

Thoughts on the D-II playoff system

By BRIAN LESTER

Before long, the college football season will be underway and fans will ignite talk of the need for a playoff system at the Division I level.

NCAA Division II doesn't have that problem.

It's championship is decided on the field.

Until recently, however, I never thought about the flip side of having a playoff system.

I'm talking about the physical wear and tear the regular season and postseason can have on players. The year begins in August with preseason camp and is followed by 10 or 11 weeks of football.

For the teams fortunate enough to earn a playoff berth, the grind of the season takes even more of a toll as teams battle into late November and December.

This year's title game will be played on Dec. 18, a little more than four months after the start of training camp.

Still, as tough as a deep postseason run can be on a team, I doubt many D-II players would trade a chance to participate in the playoffs for a bowl game opportunity.

The thrill of having one shot on a Saturday afternoon to survive and advance fuels the adrenaline rush of competing in the playoffs.

And when the tournament is over, more often than not, the best team is going to be crowned the champion. I like it that D-II and the rest of the small-college football world has a playoff system.

And while the physical toll of it can be tough for players to endure, I imagine most would agree that the pain is well worth the opportunity to compete for a championship on the field.

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts on the topic. I'd love to hear them.

Volleyball team earns AVCA academic honor

By BRIAN LESTER

When I did a story on the academic success of athletes at the University of Findlay earlier this summer, I took time to talk to volleyball coach Wick Colchagoff about his team.

The women's volleyball team has always been stellar in the classroom and it should surprise no one that the Oilers have been honored with their sixth consecutive American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.

The streak is tied for the sixth longest in NCAA Division II. UF had a culmative GPA of 3.62 during the last school year and it is worth noting that only 54 other D-II schools in the nation qualified for the AVCA honor. Teams need at least a 3.30 culmative GPA to earn the award.

It isn't easy juggling academics with a demanding athletic schedule. The UF volleyball players have their priorities in order and no matter what happens on the court during their careers, they are in a position to succeed in the game of life.

A brief glimpse at the UF men's basketball schedule

By BRIAN LESTER

I don't have the entire University of Findlay men's basketball schedule just yet, but I can offer up a glimpse of what to look forward to when the Oilers take the floor for the 2010-11 campaign.

UF will open the regular season on Nov. 12 at Croy Gymnasium when it welcomes Wilberforce into town for a non-conference opener.

That night it will gun for its 90th consecutive regular-season win at home and 55th win in a row overall. Games against Cedarville and Malone are also on the non-conference slate.

The Oilers will battle Ohio Valley and St. Joseph's (Ind.) in their Tip-Off tournament on Nov. 19 and 20 at Croy. St. Joe's represented the Midwest Region in the Elite Eight a year ago.

The Oilers also have non-league games scheduled against Illinois-Springfield and they will play out in Arizona in the Trips Sports Classic in late December. I should have the full schedule in a few weeks.

Keep in mind that because the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has expanded to 14 teams this season, UF will play each South Division opponent twice and every North Division team once. Consider this your basketball fix for the moment.

The Oilers will have an experienced team this season behind seniors Nathan Hyde, Jason Wehri, Michael Agunga and Tyler Sparks.

The addition of point guard Kyle Caiola and forward/center Brad Piehl will help significantly as well as the Oilers take aim at contending for an NCAA Division II national championship.

Not to mention that sophomores Aaron Robinson and Jack Smith have a year of experience under their belts. The Oilers should be one of the most talented and deepest teams in D-II basketball. 

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts on the schedule and the season ahead.

Four GLIAC teams make WBCA Academic Top 25

By BRIAN LESTER

All too often education tends to be pushed aside in college sports because winning is simply more important.

Four women's basketball teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference have found a way to mesh winning with academic success, earning spots on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 poll for NCAA Division II.

The University of Findlay is one of the teams on the list. The Oilers were 11th in the poll, boasting a team GPA of 3.506.

UF not only turned in a stellar performance in the classroom but it got the job done in the gym as well. The Oilers had one of their greatest seasons, winning 22 games, capturing a GLIAC South Division title and advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time.

Michigan Tech, Ashland and Northwood also made the top 25.

MTU was first in the poll with a 3.732 GPA. The Huskies were ranked No. 1 in the country for part of the season and played in the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. The Huskies' GPA is actually the highest of any team in any division in the country.

AU was fifth with a 3.551 GPA and won 14 games. It is the third consecutive year the Eagles have been in the top 15.

Northwood finished 16th in the rankings with a 3.466 GPA. Although the Timberwolves only won 13 games, they have 12 players returning next season and should be a tough.

All four teams should be proud of what they accomplished and the league has good reason to be proud of the student-athletes it has competing in it.

Heller expected to return as UF's radio voice

By BRIAN LESTER

Jim Heller told the me the other day that he plans on returning for another season as the radio voice of the Univeristy of Findlay men's basketball team.

It's great news. Heller is a top-notch radio broadcaster and a class act as a person. I respect his work and enjoy the chances we get to chat about UF basketball during the grind of a long season.

Heller is thrilled about his looming return and echoed the same thoughts I have about covering UF basketball.

It's a neat experience. In the seven seasons I've been on the beat, I feel as if I've become a part of the program in some small way because the effort I put forth to cover the team is appreciated by the coaches, the players, the school and the fans.

Head coach Ron Niekamp and long-time assistant Charlie Ernst are as good as they get in the business. They never have a problem going above and beyond to help me do my job as a writer.

The players are always willing to talk after a game regardless of the outcome. And even after their careers are done, they never forget you.

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to do phone interviews with Josh Bostic, Morgan Lewis and Lee Roberts, three of the stars of the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship team. All three had no problem taking a little time to talk about their experiences of playing their first seasons of professional basketball.

They had no obligation to do it, and yet, they never acted as if doing the interviews were an inconvenience or a waste of time.

The same went for Tyler Evans at the Elite Eight in March. The hero of the 2009 national championship game was in Springfield, Mass., for a CBS promotion.

I interviewed him about the experience and asked him to reflect on the 3-point shot he drilled to lift the Oilers to a title in a 56-53 overtime win over Cal Poly Pomona.

The bottom line is the UF hoops program is first-class all the way and it won't be long before another season is underway. I'm looking forward to being a part of it. Heller is as well.

Former Oilers find success overseas

By BRIAN LESTER

A story on the experience former University of Findlay basketball players have had playing ball overseas ran in today's edition of The Courier.

Josh Bostic, Morgan Lewis and Lee Roberts all turned in stellar first seasons as pros and Dustin Pfeifer is still going strong since graduating from UF in 2006.

When I first started covering UF, the thought of players going on to have a basketball career in another country was one that didn't cross my mind.

But it's obvious the door has been opened for UF players to make a living playing hoops in another country. And when you consider the level of talent that the Oilers have had in recent years, it's clear the door isn't going to shut anytime soon.

I mentioned in the story that Roberts is headed to Denmark next season and I'll keep everyone posted on the next stop for Bostic, Lewis and Pfeifer.

Football media day is going virtual

By BRIAN LESTER

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is taking another step into the future. I've been told the league will hold its first ever virtual football media day in August.

It's an interesting idea that will save time and money as there will no longer be a media day luncheon at some hotel or school in Michigan.

You had to figure this was going to happen at some point.

The death of the media guide is also on the horizon as most schools are switching to a digital format. My wife will be pleased with that news because I am starting to run out of room to store all of the media guides I have collected over the years.

I'll have more on the upcoming UF football season another day.

For now, I'm off to Lake Michigan for a vacation. I'll do my best to enjoy it because it won't be long before the grind of another season is underway. As of today, the Oilers are 56 days away from kicking the season off against Tusculum at Donnell Stadium. Game time is at noon on Sept. 4.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

LEC and ODU are good additions to the GLIAC

By BRIAN LESTER

July has arrived and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference officially has two new members. Lake Erie College and Ohio Dominican made their membership official on July 1. The schools will begin playing GLIAC schedules this fall.

Although the two schools have yet to compete in one of the toughest NCAA Division II conferences in the country, LEC and ODU have made an impact just by joining.

They have pushed the league into two new markets in Cleveland and Columbus, which will create more interest in the league and prove beneficial from a recruiting standpoint.

The addition of LEC and ODU also puts the GLIAC a step closer to ultimately expanding to 16 teams. GLIAC officials have told me they would love to get 16 teams as it would allow the conference to split into two divisions in every sport.

The split would cut back on travel and missed class time for the teams, something D-II in general is focused on, and it would help create more competitive balance.

LEC and ODU are going to take their share of punches to the mouth as they adapt to GLIAC competition (that first meeting with Grand Valley in football is not going to be a picnic), but success isn't out of reach in the long run if the programs are built the right way.

The UF men's basketball team is proof, winning a national title only a decade after joining the GLIAC.

Adding LEC and ODU is good for the league, unlike the Cavaliers decision to add Shaq to its lineup last season, which ended with no Bling for the King.

Now the conference has two find two more good additions because the GLIAC will be even better off with 16 teams.

On a side note, UF will face both LEC and ODU in football this year. The Oilers play ODU in Columbus on Oct. 16 and welcome LEC into Donnell Stadium on Oct. 23.

Bostic, Lewis and Roberts shine at next level

By BRIAN LESTER

If you have ever picked up a basketball and played hoops in your driveway or in a park until the sun went down, you probably dreamed of one day playing in the NBA.

Josh Bostic, Morgan Lewis and Lee Roberts had that dream, and while they fell a little short, they have managed to make money playing basketball.

The former University of Findlay stars, the driving forces behind the Oilers' sensational run to an NCAA Division II national championship in 2009, recently completed their first seasons overseas.

And just as they found success while playing for the Oilers, they have risen to stardom at the professional level as well.

Bostic tore it up in Japan for Kyoto Hannaryz, dropping in 21.9 points per game and shooting 46.3 percent from the field. He also averaged 9.7 rebounds per outing, dished out 131 assists and tallied 65 steals.

Bostic told me the other day that he hasn't given up on his dream of playing in the NBA. He is considering playing in the NBA D-League next season, although he hasn't ruled out going back overseas either.

Lewis signed in late February with KR Reykjavik, and out to prove he could play at the next level, he turned in several stellar performances en route to dropping in 20.3 points per outing.

He also pulled down 5.6 rebounds per outing and rang up 18 steals as he helped his team make a deep playoff run.

Roberts played in Germany for Spot Up Median Baskets Braunschweig and clicked for 18 ppg. He averaged 7.9 rebounds per outing, blocked 10 shots and came up with 36 steals.

It is hardly a surprise that Bostic, Lewis and Roberts have made their marks at the next level. They all played hard and worked while at UF and that obviously hasn't changed in the pro ranks.

Not only have they put themselves in the spotlight, but their success has raised the profile of UF hoops and D-II basketball as well.

Note: I will have a full story on the success of UF players at the international level in a week or two.