Josh Miller is aiming to lead the Crusaders to new heights in head coach Frank Marcinek's 27th season. Photo courtesy Susquehanna University Athletic Communications

By Ryan Scott
D3hoops.com

On 325 acres of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania sits a school of 2200 students, founded by Lutherans more than 100 years ago. The athletic tradition is almost as old. Susquehanna fielded its first football team in 1892; Amos Alonzo Stagg coached there.

"We have a strong football tradition," says men's basketball coach Frank Marcinek. "I like to say we're a well-kept secret: great academically, beautiful campus, great facilities, and great people."

Marcinek would know; he's spent 30 of the last 32 years on the Susquehanna sideline, first as an assistant, then, for the last 27 seasons, in the lead role. It's been a very successful coaching tenure, 368 wins thus far, but also a career somewhat below the radar. Marcinek has won conference titles and been to the NCAA Tournament, but he's never had a 20-win season.

"We may not have had Scranton success," says the coach, "But we've been at or near the top of the league every year. In my time we've had only one bad team."

This year will not be another. Already out to a 7-0 start, the Crusaders have their sights set on a Landmark conference championship and that automatic bid to the NCAAs.

"The first goal is to get the conference championship," says senior captain Josh Miller, "I was hurt my sophomore year and we lost in the conference championship game. We lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals last season. We want to win the conference; from there on, only time will tell."

Time will tell for Susquehanna. The schedule includes seven games against teams who made last year's NCAA Tournament, including matchups with Trinity (CT) and Johns Hopkins in December.

The first big test came at home against pre-season conference favorite Catholic, where Susquehanna won 87-81 in a game they led throughout.

"They were a strong team last year," says senior guard Brandon Hedley. "They brought back everyone this year so we knew what we were facing. I guess we were just more prepared."

The Crusaders return most of their roster as well, adding transfer Dalton Reichard to run the point and impact freshman, Tyler Hoagland, to back him up.

"We actually played the last two years without a point guard," says Marcinek.

Adds Miller, "Dalton really allows Brandon [Hedley] and Steve [Weidlich] to get out on the wings. He's a pass-first point guard, too, which is really good for our offense."

The wider D-III audience may not know much about Susquehanna, with flashier names like Scranton and Catholic stealing Landmark Conference headlines, but there's a sense that the school likes it that way. Both Hedley and Miller noted Susquehanna wasn't really on their radars for college, but were sold with campus visits and conversations with Marcinek.

"I have so much respect for him," says Miller, "He's seen it all on the court, off the court. He knows what he wants from his players. He does a great job of preparing us to win the game."

And win they have. In addition to Catholic and Misericordia, two of those tournament teams previously mentioned, Susquehanna handed Lycoming its only loss on the season. But even with a quick seven wins, giving Marcinek that 20-win season won't be easy.

"I keep telling myself," says Marcinek, "we may have a better team this year, but our record might not be as good because the depth in the conference is much better this year."

Juniata won only six Landmark games last season, but are undefeated so far this year, even knocking off Scranton on Saturday. New coaches at Goucher and Moravian have those teams playing better.

"Drew is playing without their best player," adds Marcinek, "When he returns they will be very tough."

It's the long view that will keep this team on track, recognizing that big goals require attention to detail and the next game on the schedule.

"Focus and trust," says Hedley. "We have to make sure we don't get too high in our highs or too low in our lows."

"It's a long season," says Marcinek. "No one is giving us any trophies today. I'm happy with where we're at, but I'm certainly not satisfied."

On the court the teamsis more diverse than in previous years.

"We've got really good balance.," says the coach, "We were a live-and-die by the three-point shot team. This year we're more balanced, we drive the ball a lot better. Danny Weiss has emerged as a really good post player."

The Crusaders have won games by shooting well and they've won games by rebounding well. In one game, against King's on November 22, they did both... and won by 32. If they can consistently put both weapons together the rest of the season, everyone will know who Susquehanna is.

Some might say 27 years is a long time to build a foundation, but Marcinek has really learned to enjoy the ride.

"I had opportunities to leave. I was offered a few jobs. I always asked how those compared to Susquehanna and they were never as good."

2016 might be the year it all pays off. If so, it will be a true team effort.

"We have championship type kids," says Marcinek, giving the credit away, "That's what builds a championship culture and a championship team. There are no egos here."

What might come off as coach speak from others seems more than genuine from Marcinek, one of the most interesting and honest interviews I've done in my time covering D-III hoops. There is a real sense of purpose and also a humility that emanates from coach and players alike, perhaps reflective of the school itself. Marcinek expresses this well in his description of the program:

"We've been good, some years very good; this year I hope we can be great."

Scranton women don't miss a beat

It's an understatement to say there was some turmoil in the Scranton athletic department last summer. The process of replacing the legendary coach Mike Strong led to a year of interim coaching, a new athletic director, and finally the hiring of Trevor Woodruff as women's head coach just before classes began this year.

The players don't seem to have noticed the changes. Despite losing three starters to graduation, including All-American and fourth all-time scorer Meredith Mesaris, the Lady Royals came out of the gate undefeated. Now sitting at 6-0, Scranton is being led by a new trio. Junior Alexix Roman is leading all scorers with 20 points and 8 rebounds per game; senior Noelle Alicea (12ppg); and junior Sarah Payonk, averaging a double-double and the most recent recipient of the Landmark Player of the Week award.

Recruiting didn't seem to suffer either, with six freshmen on the roster, including Bridgette Mann, who's started every game thus far. Hopefully more of these young players will develop as the season moves along, since the bench has not been deep thus far and the Landmark presents some formidable obstacles.

Hoops with heart

Many Division III basketball teams participate in charitable and community endeavors, but I wanted to highlight two that came to my attention from the Mid-Atlantic Region this week.

St. Mary's senior Tanner Brooks spent time at the Banica Mission this summer, a Catholic mission in the Dominican Republic. Since he's been home, he's collecting shoes to send back to people who need them. St. Mary's basketball has joined the effort, giving free admission to December games in exchange for a pair of shoes.

The Goucher women added 11-year-old Willow Job to the roster as part of TEAM Impact, an organization that matches athletic teams with children facing life-threatening and chronic illness. The event consisted of a press conference where Job signed the same leadership pledge each Goucher player signs before the season.

Still undefeated

Along with the Susquehanna men and Scranton women, a number of Mid-Atlantic teams remain unbeaten. On the men's side Juniata is 7-0 while Christopher Newport and Swarthmore are both 6-0. For the women, York, Muhlenberg, Albright, and Mary Washington are all at 6-0.

Milestones

Apologies to Jessica Porada of Ursinus, she finished last season with 999 career points, so it has been seven games since she broke the 1,000 point mark with her first bucket of the season. Kievanna Lacey of Marymount also hit 1,000 points and Alexis Wright from Moravian grabbed her 1,000th rebound. Look for more milestones as the season goes along (especially since the NCAA finally made it easier to track).

Chime in

We are always on the lookout for good Mid-Atlantic region stories. I'm especially interested in statistical milestones and behind the scenes successes – these aren't always as easy to find in headlines and box scores. Contact me at ryan.scott@d3sports.com or @ryanalanscott on twitter.

Around the Mid-Atlantic was written by Ryan Scott during the 2015-16 season. He now writes Around the Nation.