Perry McIntyre honored

The UMass linebacker earned the CAA Defensive Player of the Week after making 11 tackles against Richmond.

UMass suspends Delaire for one game

The CAA elected not to suspend Ryan Delaire, but UMass decided to anyway. 

From UMass' release:

Following
a review of video footage from last Saturday’s game at Delaware (Oct.
15, 2011), the University of Massachusetts Department of Athletics will
suspend (one game) redshirt freshman defensive lineman Ryan Delaire for
the upcoming football game against New Hampshire on Oct. 22 at Gillette
Stadium.
 
Delaire was ejected in the first half of the Delaware game after drawing a personal foul.
 
“After discussions with Head Coach Kevin Morris and a review of the game
footage, we have decided to suspend Ryan for the New Hampshire game,”
said Director of Athletics John McCutcheon.
 

Delaire's status undetermined

UMass is still waiting for a ruling from the Colonial Athletic Association about redshirt freshman Ryan Delaire’s availability for Saturday’s game. Delaire was ejected from the first half Minutemen’s win at Delaware for swinging at a Blue Hen player after a play. It’s unclear whether he had a closed fist or not.
“The situation is still in the review process. Some form of resolution will be determined no later than tomorrow,” said CAA spokesman Scott Meyer.

Julmiste is CAA Special Teams Player of the Week

From the CAA release:

CAA  Special Teams Player of the Week - Jesse Julmiste, KR, Massachusetts
Julmiste logged CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week honors after his kick return efforts in UMass' 42-26 win over Central Connecticut State. The senior scored his second kick return touchdown of the season Saturday against the Blue Devils, running a 90-yarder back with eight-and-a-half minutes left in the contest. On the night Julmiste returned four kicks for 148 yards and also logged two rushes for 24 yards. Julmiste is averaging 32.9 yards per return on the year which leads the league and ranks third nationally.

Kevin Morris at CAA Media Day

UMass picked fifth in CAA preseason poll

Six different teams including the Minutemen got a No. 1 vote. The CAA included UMass in the poll despite the Minutemen being ineligible to win the league because they're in the process of upgrading to FBS status. I'd be amused to know who picked UMass first. I'm not one of the media voters this year, so it wasn't me.

1. William and Mary (12)
2. James Madison (4)
3. Delaware (2)
4. New Hampshire (2)
5. Massachusetts (1)
6. Richmond
7. Villanova
8. Rhode Island (1)
9. Maine
10. Old Dominion
11. Towson

UMass will be in the CAA Preseason Poll, but not in the standings

According to CAA spokesman Scott Meyer, UMass will be in the poll when it comes out Wednesday, but the Minutemen are not eligible to win the league or play in the postseason. The games will count in the standings for their opponents, but UMass will officially be 0-0 in conference all season. Minuteman players are eligible for weekly and postseason awards.

“The overwhelming reason to move them to 0-0 the entire season was more of an indicator to the selection committee that UMass was not holding a spot in our standings, when it wasn’t eligible for postseason,” CAA spokesman Scott Meyer said in an email.

UMass picked eighth; Three players on CAA preseason team

In the recently-downsized CAA, the Minutemen were picked eighth out of 10 teams in the preseason poll that was released at Wednesday's media day in Baltimore. Because Hofstra and Northeastern eliminated their football programs after last season, the league no longer has north and south divisions.
Defending champion Villanova was picked first with 17 of the 20 first place votes from the league's coaches and media.

UMass had three players on the preseason all-conference team. Senior John Griffin, a senior and the league's leading returning rusher was picked at running back while junior tight end Emil Igwenagu joined him on offense.
Junior linebacker Tyler Holmes was selected on the defense

URI leaving CAA football?

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that Rhode Island is considering withdrawing from the Colonial Athletic Association for the 40-scholarship Northeast Conference, a move that would help them financially in both scholarships and travel. The move could save URI football, but would be further damaging financially to UMass football as there are fewer and fewer opponents in the northeast.

CAA Weekly notes

Links to game notes for all CAA Games here:

Kansas State Game notes:

The Wildcats will name their QB today.

...four days til UMass-Kansas State...

Rooster Notes: Fordham whithering further

One of the features I'd like to have on this blog for the summer is a regular day for links to stories about A-10/CAA Football/Hockey East notes. I'm not working from June 11-24, but after that I'm going to pick a day that will feature the links and notes. 

Every Monday or maybe every other Monday depending on how often other outlets are putting out news.

Some of these will be a little dated, but since nobody plays a game again until August at the soonest.

Back when the Atlantic 10 was the Eastern 8, the league had a short-lived mascot called the Hoopster Rooster. It needs to be resurrected if only so I can buy a T-Shirt with the logo on it. I'm naming the summer conference notes blog after the HoopRoost.

Enjoy:

Men's basketball

Dayton's Doug Harris looks at the further decay of Fordham.

The always interesting Tom Timmerman takes a look how Atlantic 10 schools rank across the board in 2008-09 athletic department performance.

There's a handful of good college hoops nuggets in this Charlotte Observer notebook. Among the most noteworthy is that Comcast is adding ESPNU a move that will impact quite a few western Massachusetts and New England residents::

Comcast will add ESPNU to its lineup before the college basketball season, more
than doubling the number of homes in which the college-focused sports
station will be available. Comcast, which will now also carry ESPN360.

Duquesne gave productive walk-on Jason Duty a scholarship.

This is old, but still relevant. New Xavier coach Chris Mack figures to add some intensity to the Xavier-Dayton rivarly.

Oregon State is likely playing at George Washington this season which means the Colonials could get another visit from President Barack Obama, whose brother-in-law Craig Robinson is the coach at OSU:

"Do the five new players realize what's in store for them early next season? ... a trip to the D.C. area to play George Washington U., and if schedules work out perhaps a chance to meet President Obama and the First Lady, who just happens to be coach Rob's little sister."

Dionte Christmas is preparing for the NBA.

Jim Baron is being inducted into the St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame.

Football

Delaware added a linemen from West Virginia.

...three months til football season...

Rhode Island hunting for a new football coach

Darren Rizzi's stay in Rhode Island was short. He's taking an assistant coaching job with the Miami Dolphins.

In this economy, it'll be interesting to see what moves URI makes going forward.

...one day til Palestra...

Picks

Last week: 10-3
Season: 10-3

CAA Picks:

Maine over Monmouth
UMass over Holy Cross
UNH over Army
Virginia over Richmond
JMU over NC Central
Fordham over URI - unless Rhody brings back the option in the rain
Towson over Morgan State
NC State over W&M

Bonus Pick:
Colorado over Eastern Washington

...20 days til The Office...

Around the CAA

Delaware doesn't have a QB determined yet.

JMU is going to use a true freshman at linebacker and lost its No. 2 tailback.

R.J. Toman will try to replace Ricky Santos at UNH.

...six days til college football season...