Here is a breakdown of each team's class size:
Note: Upper means Sr, RS-Sr, Jr & RS-Jr. Under means So, RS-So, Fr & RS-Fr
Total | Upper | Percent | Under | Percent | |
Akron | 28 | 6 | 21% | 22 | 79% |
BG | 24 | 7 | 29% | 17 | 71% |
Buffalo | 24 | 6 | 25% | 18 | 75% |
NIU | 23 | 8 | 35% | 15 | 65% |
WMU | 27 | 15 | 56% | 12 | 44% |
WVA | 29 | 10 | 34% | 19 | 66% |
"So?", you say, "just having a lot of underclassmen doesn't necessarily mean they have talent". Well, here is a breakdown of each team's starters this past season:
Note: Starter means having started in at least 10 matches this year (or, in the case of WVa, it means having played in at least 15)
Total | Starter | Upper | Under | |
Akron | 28 | 11 | 4 | 7 |
BG | 24 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
Buffalo | 24 | 10 | 2 | 8 |
NIU | 23 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
WMU | 27 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
WVA | 29 | 12 | 5 | 7 |
It's not that I think the young Bulls won't be playing better soccer in the next couple years, I definitely think they will. It's just that I look around the MAC, and see a few other young teams. I think the conference as a whole will be stronger in the coming years, and that will make climbing to the top of the MAC much more difficult. Challenge, accepted (I hope, we'll see...).