It was quite a weekend with exciting UAA and NESCAC results. It seems the #AVZBoost is alive and well which should be enough motivation for any coach to want to jump on a podcast with me. I am slowly getting through the list of volunteers, but sadly I doubt I will get to you all by the end of the season. We got a late start on podcasting, but next year we will be pros and crank one out each week. For today’s podcast, I am joined by Coach Frank Barnes of Wisconsin Whitewater. He sheds some light on his team as well as the Pool B ramifications. Hope you enjoy. I should have another podcast out later this week. To listen to my last podcast with Coach Billy Porter, click below.
http://www.division3tennis.com/van-zees-vault-podcast-southwestern-coach-billy-porter/
UW-W is considered an “independent” for men only because there are only 3 men’s tennis teams in the WIAC and the conference only sponsors a sport if they have 5 teams participating. UWW, UWL and UWEC are three UW D3 teams offering men’s tennis. This actually allows us to play a great schedule vs anyone we’d like all season long, however, because we only spend one weekend on conference play. The women however are sponsored by the WIAC with 7 teams. In addition to the three teams listed above, UW-Osh, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and UW-Steven’s Point offer women’s tennis.
Why (around the 8 minute mark) does Coach Barnes say UWW is independent? Aren’t they in the WIAC?
The WIAC is a 4-team conference. In order to get an AQ, a conference has to have at least 7 teams, meaning every team in the WIAC can only qualify for the NCAA tournament through Pool B
Also, and I could be mistaken, I think only the UWW Women’s team is affiliated with the WIAC while the men’s team is not technically in that conference (so Independent)