Regional Host to be Determined Oct. 24?

UPDATE: UWO BEATS STOUT, WHITEWATER DOWNS RIVER FALLS – STAGE SET FOR  WIAC REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN OCT. 24 AT KOLF SPORTS CENTER

OSHKOSH DEFEATS STOUT IN FOUR GAMES DESPITE 24 SERVICE ERRORS, 35 ATTACK ERRORS, 11 SERVE-RECEIVE ERRORS

So, the team stumbled at Stevens Point. A shocker? Definitely. Humbling? Probably. Did it cost Oshkosh the chance of hosting a regional? Hardly.

Sure, Stevens Point hadn’t beaten Oshkosh since Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” was a crossover radio hit and “Saving Private Ryan” was a box office smash. But the Titans’ first loss to the Pointers since 1998 will not preclude Oshkosh from attaining some season goals.

If the Titans were to beat Whitewater at home on Oct. 24, Oshkosh would win the conference title via the tie-breaker (I’m also assuming UWO beats River Falls and Stout). That would mean the WIAC automatic NCAA tournament bid would go through Kolf Sports Center, where the Titans have only lost once this season – and to the No. 1 team in the nation, no less. In fact, Oshkosh has lost only those three games at Kolf this season.

And no matter what Carthage does the rest of the way, it would be a huge upset if the NCAA selection committee did not reward the WIAC regular-season and tournament champion with a hosting gig. I would go so far as to say that even if Oshkosh (or, heaven forbid, Whitewater) does not win both the regular-season and tourney titles, one those two will host.

Why? For starters, the WIAC is very strong this season. Of the top five Midwest Region teams, four are from the WIAC, according to the Oct. 17 poll. And three WIAC teams have been solid top-20 teams in the AVCA polls, with Oshkosh and Whitewater in the top eight or so all season.

Carthage deserves to be the top-ranked Midwest Region team right now, and that is reflected in the regional poll. Carthage beat Whitewater and Oshkosh this season, afterall. Whitewater is currently No. 2 and Oshkosh No. 3, followed by No. 4 La Crosse and No. 5 Platteville, which will probably have to win the WIAC automatic bid to make regionals.

The committee also considers venues, accomodations and travel expense. And to the chagrin of many prior programs, not always in that order. You can’t do any better than Kolf as a venue and Oshkosh for hotel rooms, although Williams (Whitewater’s site) is also a great venue. Carthage? It offers nothing like the other two in terms of venue. As any map will prove, Oshkosh is not in a good geographic position in relation to Carthage and Whitewater. If the Titans do not win both WIAC titles, the committee could move the regional to Whitewater (Location, location, location ). However, if St. Thomas, Carleton or Bethel is sent to the Midwest Regional – which is very likely – Oshkosh is back in play, even without both WIAC crowns.

A lot of this is down the road, but the first stop along that road is Oct. 24. A win over Whitewater (and assuming Oshkosh doesn’t have another Stevens Point-like hiccup) means Oshkosh has home court throughout the WIAC tourney.

So, all is not lost. I would even argue that the loss to Stevens Point didn’t affect anything except a bruised ego and a greater gap between Oshkosh and Whitewater in the regional poll. But there’s nothing that cures a bruised ego and flagging poll rankings like beating your archrival and the team above you in the polls for the right to host all WIAC tourney matches.

-Ricky Nelson