If true that should mean the Sunshine Slam - an 8-team event with two four-team brackets and an on-campus game. I don't know whether we'd be a host team or visiting team for the campus game. Stony Brook is the only team officially in that field right now and they're a visiting team.
I can't find anything about the Boardwalk Battle, also in Daytona.
Just looking at last years Sunshine Slam field, we’d likely be in the Stony Brook bracket side if true.
Last year’s Beach Bracket - Clemson, Penn State, Fordham, San Fran.
Last year’s Ocean Bracket - IPFW, Radford, Chicago State, Drexel.
Seems to be divided between mid-major and P6.
I'd like to think we're closer to Fordham and San Fran than Chicago State and Radford.
San Fran had a NET ranking of 64 this past season (108 before). Fordham is coming off a pretty bad season with a NET of 239, but was at 134 (while coming from the A10) the previous season and prior to being named to the field.
Radford is coming off of a 161 Net Ranking, 185 for Drexel, and 156 for IPFW. Chicago State is atrocious at 358. Given we just completed a 179 NET rankings season, our reality is likely the Ocean Bracket.
CMU was also in the 2023 Ocean Bracket field with Milwaukee, Stetson, and Siena.
It's less about NET results and more about our status as a program. We have recently bought home games with Chicago State and Radford. If we scheduled San Fran and/or Fordham, I would expect those to be home/homes.
NET rankings indicate the status of our program, far more than a few buy games. Furthermore, those rankings are on par with recent Ocean Bracket participants than it is MWC, WCC, and A10 schools. Over the last 3 seasons, we’re 16-16, 19-14, and 20-13, out of the MAC with no marquee non-conference wins or conference titles.
Do you really believe the Sunshine Slam organizers could sell a Clemson and its fan base on Ohio being in their four team bracket for a destination tournament?
The status and results of our program in recent years, is exactly why our tourney fields have and will continue to be just ok — because we have been just that. There’s no draw to anyone besides this board. Start winning MAC titles and rip off a 20+ win seasons in a row and that changes.
I don't think Clemson and Penn State fans are exactly packing their bags to see Fordham and San Francisco either. San Francisco has a pulse now as solidly the third best program in the WCC behind Gonzaga and St. Mary's. Fordham hasn't been to the tournament since 1992. Meanwhile, we have a bit of a brand as a mid major (helped by a winning FBS football program) that has sprung multiple NCAA tournament upsets in recent memory. If placement in the better bracket is about what's the better draw for attendance and TV viewership, we come out on top CLEARLY over Stony Brook, Milwaukee, Radford, Stetson, Chi State, CMU, Fordham, and arguably San Fran.
I appreciate your fanhood and optimism, but again, I think this is more of a bias statement than factual in the present moment.
San Fran has won 20 or more games in 5 out of the last 6 seasons (including 4 straight) from when the Boals era started in more premier conference and has finished higher in Net Rankings. We've won just 20 more game twice in that span.
San Fran just won 23 and 25 games back-to-back years. In that span San Fran has
beaten St. Mary's and non-conference schools like Minnesota, Vanderbilt, St. Louis.
Our tournament wins from 5 and 13 years ago isn't a draw to anyone today. It's why Akron with its recent MAC titles is in a pretty solid destination tournament field and we're unlikely to be.
You got me with being more of a draw than Stony Brook, Milwaukee, and Stetson, and Chicago State. However, it's hard to make the argument over schools with higher Net Rankings. Like I said, we start winning more moving forward and this all changes.
Last Edited: 5/29/2025 1:12:10 PM by FJC31