Hoopsville Dave McHugh

Will there be a 2020-21 NCAA Division III basketball season? If so what will it look like? What will the post-season look like?

It is on the mind of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, parents, and fans for several weeks, if not months, now. We are finally understanding what it may look like as a number of decisions or proposals are now making their way around Division III.
In this month's podcast, Dave McHugh not only downloads all the things being considered and the likely outcomes, but tries to give listeners an understanding of how much is still unknown despite some things becoming more clear.

McHugh also talks to Texas-Dallas women's basketball coach Polly Thomason for her take. Thomason has been in the Division III Women's Basketball National Committee for several years and is this season's chair of the committee. She also serves on the WBCA Board of Governors. Thomason not only provides her perspective on much of what is going on not only in Division III, but in women's basketball as well.

And of course, there is always the Hoopsville Notebook. Unfortunately, there is some sad news in the Notebook this month, but also news to celebrate especially when it comes to DIII alums making news in the NBA.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

The off season has hit August and with it has come news of Division III Fall Championships being canceled for the same reason Winter Championships were derailed and Spring Championships pulled earlier this year: COVID 19 Pandemic.

The decision came on the heals of a vast majority of DIII institutions curtailing fall sports and many pushing winter sports starts on their campuses until January at the earliest.

What does this mean for the 2020-21 season of college basketball? Specifically what does it mean for Division III? Will there be a basketball season? Will it be a six-week-or-so-sprint? Or is there a way to adjust things?

On the Mid-Summer edition of the Hoopsville Podcast, we try and get some answers to those questions. We talk to one coach who actually has put together a proposal to start the season in January, with some changes to make it work including crowning a champion in April. And we talk to an administrator who also serves on the DIII Management Council to better under stand the decisions made to cancel championships and if shift a season like basketball is even possible.

Plus, we honor the best of the best in the last decade of Division III women's basketball. Gordon Mann joins us to discuss how the 2nd D3hoops.com Women's All-Decade came together (and hints of work on the men's list).

Guests include:
Philip Ponder, Oglethorpe men's coach
Jason Fein, Bates Athletics Director and DIII Management Council member
Gordon Mann, D3hoops.com Senior Editor

And of course, there is always the Hoopsville Notebook. A few things we take note of that have made headlines since the beginning of July. We also tip our hat to a few of those who have always helped the show be it's best.

First, we apologize for the "June Podcast" showing up in early July. Computer problems caused havoc this month. Sadly, it delayed our production plans for several weeks, but we are calling this our June edition all the same.

When the season came to a sudden close, it left a lot of unfinished business on our end. We didn't have national champions to talk to, but we also had a lot of news to cover. This podcast we take some time to do some catching-up with the season's number one men's team and the Jostens Trophy winners - with Gordon Mann and Ryan Scott picking up the interviewing responsibilities.

And we all know the coronavirus has changed everything this year, but how close to home has it hit you? We talk to one coach who experienced it himself first hand while also having his wife be diagnosed with COVID-19 days after giving birth to their first child.

Guests include:
- Matt Airy, Aurora men's coach
- Sydney Kopp, No. 11 DePauw's Jostens Trophy winner (interviewed by Gordon Mann)
- Kena Gilmour, Hamilton's Jostens Trophy winner (interviewed by Ryan Scott)
- Landry Kosmolski, No. 1 Swarthmore men's coach

Oh, did we mention the Hoopsville Notebook? It is a jam-packed notebook this edition. Plenty of notes regarding coaching hires and changes, athletic decisions per COVID-19, Regional Ranking updates, and much more.

Dave also takes the time to say goodbye to Chris Wenzler, Sports Information Director at John Carroll University, who lost his 26-month battle with cancer. This month's show is dedicated in his honor.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

With the number of significant retirements on the men's side of Division III basketball, there is plenty to talk about in the month of May. Thus, we needed a "Part 2" this month.

On this "Hoopsville Podcast: May Edition (Part 2)", we talk about what is arguably one of the most significant retirement classes of coaches in the history of Division III - especially on the men's side of things.

Pat Coleman, Ryan Scott, and Bob Quillman join Dave McHugh to chat about those who retired, the number of wins and the high-level of success they had, and even if trying to have a Mt. Rushmore of DIII coaching who might be considered (some coaches you may have forgotten about are mentioned).

Plus - if not for the number of significant retirements, the biggest news in Division III off-season so far would likely be Eric Bridgeland picking up and moving to Southern California. Bridgeland joins Dave to talk about his Whitman program, the success, and the decision to start anew at Redlands and the SCIAC.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

Just days before the start of the 2019-20 season, Glenn Robinson announced he was retiring from coaching. He was the first domino to fall. Since then, more than 4,000-wins have been taken out of the active record books thanks to the retirements of a number of the division and the sport's best coaches.

In what is the first of a two-part May Podcast, Dave chat with some of those who announced their retirements since the season ended. What drove them to the decision to walk away? What will they remember about their careers (many at a single institution)? And will they still be part of the game?

Guests include:
- Dave Hixon, Amherst men's coach (42 seasons, 826 wins)
- Ken DeWeese, Mary Hardin-Baylor men's coach (21 seasons, 400 wins)
- Carol LaHaye, Randolph-Macon women's coach (38 season, 647 wins)
- Grey Giovanine, Augustana men's coach (21 seasons, 433 wins)

Dave also has a brief idea of what is being discussed when it comes to the coronavirus and the challenges institutions face both on campus and with athletics. Plus, the Hoopsville Notebook has updates on moving the three-point line, Regional Realignment/Expansion, and even the Wild Williams World of Sports.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month. The shows will be audio-only leading up to the start of the 2020-21 when we will restart the video shows.

It has been a few years since Division III found itself at a place where so many important decisions needed to be made along with other events needing time and attention. However, never in NCAA history have we found ourselves with winter championships cut short, no spring sports at all, and more questions than answers for what might happen with fall sports and beyond.

COVID-19 has certainly made it's mark.

However, the coronavirus isn't the only important item in front of Division III that requires attention and decisions. Expanding and realigning regions in all sports is nearing the end of a multi-year process. The NCAA's effort to revamp it's student-athlete rules with "Names, Images, Likeness" (NIL) is at critical juncture, especially in DIII. And with the shutdown of 'March Madness' brought with it a sudden budget deficit.

That's just what Division III is dealing with overall. Individual schools are fighting just to keep the doors open. That could result in cutting sports, teams, or other challenges. That could cause conferences to tackle sudden changes in membership or sports sponsorships.

And of course, student-athletes and their well-being is even more important.

Plenty to be thinking about in Division III even athletes and teams are not competing right now.

On this special Hoopsville Podcast, NCAA Vice President for Division III Dan Dutcher joins Dave McHugh for an extensive, in-depth, and detailed conversation on the "State of DIII." Dutcher talks about how the decisions to shut down winter and spring championships came to be. Plus, how COVID-19 continues to impact the division, NCAA, schools, and conferences around the country. Dutcher explains how this year's DIII budget was impacted and if there will be any impact down the road. And Dutcher discusses how NIL is taking form in DIII along with the latest on Regional Realignment and Expansion.

Hoopsville broadcasts from the WBCA/NABC Studio. All guests are featured on the BlueFrame Technology Hoopsville Hotline. The offseason plan is to do a podcast each month.