My 2013 preseason conference prediction report card: 84 percent

This was my third season predicting each Pool A conference’s winner. I count it as a successful prediction if the team wins the regular season or conference tournament titles.

This year I went 36-for-43 on my preseason conference predictions. An 84 percent is a solid “B” where I come from. Still room to improve. My incorrect picks? HCAC, LEC, MASCAC, NESCAC, NACC, NWC and WIAC. The bad part is that winners from two of those conferences were among the last eight teams playing this year.

The NCAA tournament selection committee and I disagreed on five tournament teams. I was wrong on seven conference predictions. Good thing there cannot be a difference in opinion with conference winners.

Past season predictions: 2011: 31-of-42 2012: 30-of-42

Here were my July 24 predictions (before SID and coach polls) and supporting facts along with prior predictions and supporting facts.

Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference 2010 regular season champ: Pitt-Bradford 2010 tournament champ: Pitt-Bradford 2011 predicted champion: Penn State Altoona 2011 regular season champ: Penn State Altoona 2011 tournament champ: Penn State Altoona 2012 predicted champion: Medaille 2012 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend 2012 tournament champ: Medaille 2013 predicted champion: Penn State Behrend 2013 regular season champ: Penn State Behrend 2013 tournament champ: Penn State Behrend

American Southwest Conference 2010 regular season champ: Texas Lutheran, Hardin-Simmons (West); Texas-Dallas (East) 2010 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons 2011 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas-Dallas (East) 2011 regular season champ: McMurry (West), Texas-Dallas (East) 2011 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons 2012 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East) 2012 regular season champ: Hardin-Simmons (West), Texas Dallas (East) 2012 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons 2013 predicted champion: Hardin-Simmons 2013 regular season champ: Texas Dallas 2013 tournament champ: Hardin-Simmons

Capital Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Frostburg 2010 tournament champ: Frostburg 2011 predicted champion: Mary Washington (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Salisbury 2011 tournament champ: Salisbury 2012 predicted champion: Salisbury 2012 regular season champ: Salisbury 2012 tournament champ: Salisbury 2013 predicted champion: Christopher Newport 2013 regular season champ: Christopher Newport 2013 tournament champ: Christopher Newport

Centennial Conference 2010 regular season champ: Haverford 2010 tournament champ: Franklin & Marshall 2011 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins 2011 regular season champ: Johns Hopkins 2011 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins 2012 predicted champion: Franklin & Marshall 2012 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins 2012 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins 2013 predicted champion: Johns Hopkins 2013 regular season champ: Franklin & Marshall 2013 tournament champ: Johns Hopkins

City University of New York Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Hunter 2010 tournament champ: Hunter 2011 predicted champion: Hunter 2011 regular season champ: Hunter 2011 tournament champ: Baruch 2012 predicted champion: Baruch 2012 regular season champ: Baruch 2012 tournament champ: Baruch 2013 predicted champion: Baruch 2013 regular season champ: Baruch 2013 tournament champ: Baruch

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin 2010 regular season champ: Millikin 2010 tournament champ: Carthage 2011 predicted champion: Carthage 2011 regular season champ: Carthage 2011 tournament champ: Carthage 2012 predicted champion: Elmhurst 2012 regular season champ: Elmhurst 2012 tournament champ: Elmhurst 2013 predicted champion: Elmhurst 2013 regular season champ: Elmhurst 2013 tournament champ: Elmhurst

Colonial States Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Cabrini 2010 tournament champ: Cabrini 2011 predicted champion: Neumann (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Cabrini 2011 tournament champ: Cabrini 2012 predicted champion: Cabrini (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Neumann 2012 tournament champ: Neumann 2013 predicted champion: Cabrini 2013 regular season champ: Cabrini 2013 tournament champ: Cabrini

Commonwealth Coast Conference 2010 regular season champ: Roger Williams 2010 tournament champ: Roger Williams 2011 predicted champion: Roger Williams 2011 regular season champ: Roger Williams 2011 tournament champ: Roger Williams 2012 predicted champion: Roger Williams 2012 regular season champ: Roger Williams 2012 tournament champ: Roger Williams 2013 predicted champion: Roger Williams 2013 regular season champ: Roger Williams, Salve Regina 2013 tournament champ: Roger Williams

Commonwealth Conference 2010 regular season champ: Elizabethtown 2010 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley 2011 predicted champion: Elizabethtown (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Messiah 2011 tournament champ: Lebanon Valley 2012 predicted champion: Messiah (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Stevenson 2012 tournament champ: Stevenson 2013 predicted champion: Stevenson 2013 regular season champ: Stevenson 2013 tournament champ: Stevenson

Empire 8 2010 regular season champ: Ithaca 2010 tournament champ: Ithaca 2011 predicted champion: Ithaca (5th in regular season, DNP in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Elmira 2011 tournament champ: Nazareth 2012 predicted champion: Elmira 2012 regular season champ: Elmira, Stevens 2012 tournament champ: Nazareth 2013 predicted champion: Stevens 2013 regular season champ: Stevens 2013 tournament champ: Nazareth

Freedom Conference 2010 regular season champ: Eastern 2010 tournament champ: Eastern 2011 predicted champion: Eastern 2011 regular season champ: Eastern 2011 tournament champ: Eastern 2012 predicted champion: Eastern 2012 regular season champ: Eastern 2012 tournament champ: Eastern 2013 predicted champion: Eastern 2013 regular season champ: Eastern 2013 tournament champ: Eastern

Great Northeast Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Johnson & Wales 2010 tournament champ: Johnson & Wales 2011 predicted champion: Rivier 2011 regular season champ: Emerson 2011 tournament champ: Rivier 2012 predicted champion: Rivier 2012 regular season champ: Rivier 2012 tournament champ: Emerson 2013 predicted champion: Rivier 2013 regular season champ: Rivier 2013 tournament champ: Rivier

Great South Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Huntingdon 2010 tournament champ: Piedmont 2011 predicted champion: Huntingdon (5th in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Maryville 2011 tournament champ: Maryville 2012 predicted champion: Agnes Scott (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Huntingdon 2012 tournament champ: Salem 2013 predicted champion: Salem 2013 regular season champ: Salem (nominally, as the No. 1 seed) 2013 tournament champ: Agnes Scott

Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Transylvania 2010 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph 2011 predicted champion: Transylvania 2011 regular season champ: Rose-Hulman, Bluffton, Hanover, Transylvania, Mount St. Joseph 2011 tournament champ: Rose-Hulman 2012 predicted champion: Hanover (5th in regular season, 5th in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Mount St. Joseph, Transylvania 2012 tournament champ: Mount St. Joseph 2013 predicted champion: Transylvania (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: Defiance 2013 tournament champ: Bluffton

Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Loras 2010 tournament champ: Wartburg 2011 predicted champion: Wartburg (2nd in regular season, 3rd in tourament) 2011 regular season champ: Coe 2011 tournament champ: Cornell 2012 predicted champion: Wartburg 2012 regular season champ: Wartburg 2012 tournament champ: Wartburg 2013 predicted champion: Wartburg 2013 regular season champ: Wartburg 2013 tournament champ: Wartburg

Landmark Conference 2010 regular season champ: Juniata 2010 tournament champ: Juniata 2011 predicted champion: Juniata 2011 regular season champ: Juniata 2011 tournament champ: Juniata 2012 predicted champion: Juniata 2012 regular season champ: Juniata 2012 tournament champ: Juniata 2013 predicted champion: Juniata 2013 regular season champ: Juniata 2013 tournament champ: Juniata

Liberty League 2012 regular season champ: Skidmore 2012 tourney champ: Clarkson 2013 predicted champ: Clarkson 2013 regular season champ: Clarkson 2013 tournament champ: Clarkson

Little East Conference 2010 regular season champ: UMass Boston 2010 tournament champ: UMass Boston 2011 predicted champion: UMass Boston 2011 regular season champ: Plymouth State, UMass Boston 2011 tournament champ: UMass Boston 2012 predicted champion: UMass Boston 2012 regular season champ: UMass Boston, Western Connecticut State 2012 tournament champ: UMass Boston 2013 predicted champion: Western Connecticut State (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: UMass Boston 2013 tournament champ: UMass Boston

Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Westfield State 2010 tournament champ: Westfield State 2011 predicted champion: Westfield State 2011 regular season champ: Westfield State 2011 tournament champ: Westfield State 2012 predicted champion: Framingham State 2012 regular season champ: Framingham State 2012 tournament champ: Framingham State 2013 predicted champion: Framingham State (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: Westfield State 2013 tournament champ: Westfield State

Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association 2010 regular season champ: Hope 2010 tournament champ: Hope 2011 predicted champion: Calvin 2011 regular season champ: Calvin 2011 tournament champ: Calvin 2012 predicted champion: Hope (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Calvin 2012 tournament champ: Calvin 2013 predicted champion: Calvin 2013 regular season champ: Calvin, Hope 2013 tournament champ: Calvin

Midwest Conference 2010 regular season champ: Monmouth 2010 tournament champ: Beloit 2011 predicted champion: St. Norbert 2011 regular season champ: St. Norbert 2011 tournament champ: St. Norbert 2012 predicted champion: St. Norbert (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Cornell 2012 tournament champ: Cornell 2013 predicted champion: Cornell 2013 regular season champ: Cornell 2013 tournament champ: Cornell

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: St. Olaf 2010 tournament champ: St. Olaf 2011 predicted champion: Concordia-Moorhead 2011 regular season champ: Concordia-Moorhead, St. Thomas 2011 tournament champ: Concordia-Moorhead 2012 predicted champion: St. Thomas 2012 regular season champ: St. Thomas 2012 tournament champ: St. Thomas 2013 predicted champion: St. Thomas 2013 regular season champ: St. Thomas, Augsburg 2013 tournament champ: St. Thomas

New England Collegiate Conference 2010 regular season champ: Daniel Webster 2010 tournament champ: Lesley 2011 predicted champion: Daniel Webster (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Southern Vermont 2011 tournament champ: Southern Vermont 2012 predicted champion: Southern Vermont 2012 regular season champ: Southern Vermont 2012 tournament champ: Southern Vermont 2013 predicted champion: Southern Vermont 2013 regular season champ: Southern Vermont 2013 tournament champ: Southern Vermont

New England Small College Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Amherst 2010 tournament champ: Middlebury 2011 predicted champion: Amherst (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Bowdoin 2011 tournament champ: Bowdoin 2012 predicted champion: Tufts (6th in regular season, 5th in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Connecticut College, Middlebury, Bowdoin 2012 tournament champ: Middlebury 2013 predicted champion: Bowdoin (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: Williams 2013 tournament champ: Williams

New England Women’s and Men’s Athletics Conference 2010 regular season champ: Springfield 2010 tournament champ: Coast Guard 2011 predicted champion: Coast Guard 2011 regular season champ: Springfield, Coast Guard 2011 tournament champ: Springfield 2012 predicted champion: Coast Guard (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Wellesley 2012 tournament champ: MIT 2013 predicted champion: Wellesley 2013 regular season champ: Springfield, Wellesley 2013 tournament champ: Springfield

New Jersey Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Richard Stockton 2010 tournament champ: Richard Stockton 2011 predicted champion: Richard Stockton 2011 regular season champ: Richard Stockton 2011 tournament champ: Richard Stockton 2012 predicted champion: Richard Stockton 2012 regular season champ: Richard Stockton 2012 tournament champ: Richard Stockton 2013 predicted champion: Richard Stockton 2013 regular season champ: Richard Stockton 2013 tournament champ: Richard Stockton

North Atlantic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Maine Maritime 2010 tournament champ: Maine Maritime 2011 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer 2011 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer 2012 predicted champion: Maine Maritime (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer 2012 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer 2013 predicted champion: Colby-Sawyer 2013 regular season champ: Colby-Sawyer 2013 tournament champ: Colby-Sawyer

North Coast Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Wittenberg 2010 tournament champ: Wittenberg 2011 predicted champion: Wittenberg 2011 regular season champ: Wittenberg 2011 tournament champ: Wittenberg 2012 predicted champion: Wittenberg 2012 regular season champ: Wittenberg 2012 tournament champ: Wittenberg 2013 predicted champion: Wittenberg 2013 regular season champ: Wittenberg 2013 tournament champ: Wittenberg

North Eastern Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Keuka (North), Gallaudet (South) 2010 tournament champ: Gallaudet 2011 predicted champion: Gallaudet 2011 regular season champ: Penn State Berks 2011 tournament champ: Gallaudet 2012 predicted champion: Gallaudet 2012 regular season champ: Gallaudet 2012 tournament champ: Gallaudet 2013 predicted champion: Gallaudet 2013 regular season champ: Gallaudet, SUNYIT, Keuka 2013 tournament champ: Gallaudet

Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference 2010 regular season champ: Concordia (Wis.) 2010 tournament champ: Dominican 2011 predicted champion: Edgewood 2011 regular season champ: Dominican 2011 tournament champ: Edgewood 2012 predicted champion: Dominican (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Edgewood, Benedictine 2012 tournament champ: Benedictine 2013 predicted champion: Benedictine (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: Edgewood 2013 tournament champ: Dominican

Northwest Conference (no tourney) 2010 regular season champ: Whitworth 2011 predicted champion: Whitworth 2011 regular season champ: Whitworth 2012 predicted champion: Pacific Lutheran 2012 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran 2013 predicted champion: Puget Sound (2nd in regular season) 2013 regular season champ: Pacific Lutheran

Ohio Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Heidelberg 2010 tournament champ: Heidelberg 2011 predicted champion: Heidelberg 2011 regular season champ: Heidelberg 2011 tournament champ: Mount Union 2012 predicted champion: Heidelberg (4th in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Mount Union 2012 tournament champ: Otterbein 2013 predicted champion: Mount Union 2013 regular season champ: Mount Union, Heidelberg 2013 tournament champ: Mount Union

Old Dominion Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Washington and Lee 2010 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon 2011 predicted champion: Washington and Lee 2011 regular season champ: Washington and Lee 2011 tournament champ: Randolph-Macon 2012 predicted champion: Randolph-Macon 2012 regular season champ: Randolph-Macon 2012 tournament champ: Washington and Lee 2013 predicted champion: Washington and Lee 2013 regular season champ: Washington and Lee, Randolph-Macon 2013 tournament champ: Washington and Lee

Presidents’ Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Thomas More 2010 tournament champ: Thomas More 2011 predicted champion: Thomas More (3rd in regular season, 3rd in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: Geneva 2011 tournament champ: Geneva 2012 predicted champion: Geneva (4th in regular season, 5th in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Thomas More 2012 tournament champ: Thomas More 2013 predicted champion: Thomas More 2013 regular season champ: Bethany 2013 tournament champ: Thomas More

Skyline Conference 2010 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary 2010 tournament champ: NYU-Poly 2011 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary 2011 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary 2011 tournament champ: NYU-Poly 2012 predicted champion: Mount Saint Mary 2012 regular season champ: Mount Saint Mary 2012 tournament champ: Mount Saint Mary 2013 predicted champion: Sage 2013 regular season champ: Sage 2013 tournament champ: St. Joseph’s (Long Island)

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran 2010 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran 2011 predicted champion: Occidental 2011 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran 2011 tournament champ: Occidental 2012 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran 2012 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran 2012 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran 2013 predicted champion: Cal Lutheran 2013 regular season champ: Cal Lutheran 2013 tournament champ: Cal Lutheran

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Colorado College 2010 tournament champ: Colorado College 2011 predicted champion: Southwestern 2011 regular season champ: Southwestern 2011 tournament champ: Colorado College 2012 predicted champion: Colorado College 2012 regular season champ: Colorado College, Trinity (Texas) 2012 tournament champ: Colorado College 2013 predicted champion: Trinity (Texas) 2013 regular season champ: Trinity (Texas) 2013 tournament champ: Trinity (Texas)

St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Greenville 2010 tournament champ: Greenville 2011 predicted champion: Greenville 2011 regular season champ: Webster, Greenville 2011 tournament champ: Webster 2012 predicted champion: Greenville 2012 regular season champ: Greenville, Webster 2012 tournament champ: Webster 2013 predicted champion: Webster 2013 regular season champ: Greenville 2013 tournament champ: Webster

State University of New York Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West) 2010 tournament champ: Cortland 2011 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West) 2011 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West) 2011 tournament champ: Cortland 2012 predicted champion: Cortland (East), Fredonia (West) 2012 regular season champ: Cortland (East), Buffalo State (West) 2012 tournament champ: Cortland 2013 predicted champions: New Paltz State2013 regular season champ: New Paltz State 2013 tournament champ: Buffalo State

University Athletic Association 2010 regular season champ: Emory 2010 tournament champ: Emory 2011 predicted champion: Emory 2011 regular season champ: Emory 2011 tournament champ: Washington-St. Louis 2012 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis 2012 regular season champ: Emory, Chicago, Washington-St. Louis 2012 tournament champ: Emory 2013 predicted champion: Washington-St. Louis 2013 regular season champ: Chicago, Washington-St. Louis 2013 tournament champ: Chicago

Upper Midwest Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: St. Scholastica 2010 tournament champ: Northwestern 2011 predicted champion: St. Scholastica 2011 regular season champ: St. Scholastica, Northwestern 2011 tournament champ: St. Scholastica 2012 predicted champion: St. Scholastica (2nd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2012 regular season champ: Northwestern 2012 tournament champ: Northwestern 2013 predicted champion: Northwestern 2013 regular season champ: Northwestern, Minnesota Morris 2013 tournament champ: Northwestern

USA South Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Christopher Newport 2010 tournament champ: Christopher Newport 2011 predicted champion: Christopher Newport 2011 regular season champ: Christopher Newport 2011 tournament champ: Christopher Newport 2012 predicted champion: Christopher Newport 2012 regular season champ: Christopher Newport 2012 tournament champ: Christopher Newport 2013 predicted champions: Averett (North); Maryville (South) 2013 regular season champ: Averett (North); Maryville (South) 2013 tournament champ: Maryville

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2010 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire 2010 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Platteville 2011 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Platteville (4th in regular season, 4th in tournament) 2011 regular season champ: UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, UW-Eau Claire 2011 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Whitewater 2012 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2012 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2012 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Eau Claire 2013 predicted champion: Wisconsin-Whitewater (3rd in regular season, 2nd in tournament) 2013 regular season champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2013 tournament champ: Wisconsin-Stevens Point

-Ricky Nelson