Author: Kevin Bailey

Current NCDA Chief of Content. Former Captain for Grand Valley State University (#4).

CMU Showdown Preview

This Saturday will involve one of the biggest regular season tournaments in recent memory.  Central Michigan University will host a 5-team tournament entitled the “CMU Showdown”.

In attendance at this event will be five of the top ten teams in the league, including the top four in the current NCDA standings.  While this tournament will be overshadowed by Nationals less than a month later, there still is quite a bit on the line this Saturday in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  Here is an overview of each attending team’s situation heading into this weekend’s tournament: Continue reading “CMU Showdown Preview”

Return to Prominence: The Resurgence of the Central Michigan Dodgeball Program

CMU fell off the collegiate dodgeball map shortly after winning the national title in 2011, but thanks to the dedication of the leaders on their current roster, the Chippewas are once again considered an elite team.

 

cmu-logoIt was the conclusion of the final day of NCDA Nationals, held at Western Kentucky University on April 10, 2011.  Central Michigan had just won the national title over Grand Valley State University in what many still consider the most exciting college dodgeball game ever played.  The National Collegiate Dodgeball Association’s landscape seemed to have drastically shifted. Continue reading “Return to Prominence: The Resurgence of the Central Michigan Dodgeball Program”

Akron Invite (Ohio Dodgeball Cup) Preview

akron-logoOn Saturday March 21, Akron will play host to Kent State, Bowling Green, and Baldwin Wallace in this season’s addition of the Ohio Dodgeball Cup (ODC).  This will also be the last regular season tournament for the 2014-15 season along with the CMU Showdown which takes place the same day. Continue reading “Akron Invite (Ohio Dodgeball Cup) Preview”

2015 Michigan Dodgeball Cup Recap

The temperature was in the negatives in East Lansing, Michigan on February 14th, but inside IM West, the competition was heated as four of the top teams in the nation squared off in the Michigan Dodgeball Cup.  The 2015 MDC was expect to be a classic, and while only one of the matches was decided by a one point margin, the MDC still was an entertaining tournament. Continue reading “2015 Michigan Dodgeball Cup Recap”

“Don’t Forget About the Little Guy”

The following was written by Adam Hynes of Bowling Green State University:

As being a member of the NCDA for a few years now I would like to say that I love this league and the memories it has given me.  I love how competitive each game is and how well diverse the league is.  However there comes a time where teams are sometimes forgotten due to them not having a big name in the league.  Usually if your name doesn’t start with Grand Valley, Central Michigan, James Madison, etc, the league can either forget you or just not know much about you since the bigger names are out there.  When I say forgotten I don’t mean it as the team doesn’t matter or doesn’t exist.  In this article I thought I would share some insight on my beloved team, Bowling Green State University. Continue reading ““Don’t Forget About the Little Guy””

BOTM: 2015 January

tyrell smith

Tyrell Smith (BGSU)

After a strong performance at the Kentucky Invitational, your January Baller of the Month is Tyrell Smith of Bowling Green State University.  Here is an interview I had with Tyrell after the tournament at UK:

 

Kevin Bailey – First off, congratulations on winning NCDA Baller of the Month.  You have been a standout player for Bowling Green State for a few years now.  What do you think is the reason for your individual success on the dodgeball court? Continue reading “BOTM: 2015 January”

Preparing for February 14th

This coming Saturday, two National Collegiate Dodgeball Association tournaments will take place.  The 11th annual Michigan Dodgeball Cup will be held at Michigan State University, while James Madison University will host their 4th Big East Appalachian Super Tournament (BEAST IV).

It’s safe to say that this will be the biggest weekend of dodgeball for the NCDA this season outside of Nationals.  Seven of the top nine teams in the current NCDA (Champ/NHL) standings will be competing this weekend.  It’s easy to see that the results of this weekend will have a huge impact on the NCDA.  Here are a few storylines to follow as we prepare for a fantastic weekend of dodgeball: Continue reading “Preparing for February 14th”

2015 Michigan Dodgeball Cup Preview

MDC TrophyOn Feb. 14th, Michigan State University will host the annual Michigan Dodgeball Cup (MDC).  This event has historically been the toughest regular season tournament of the year.  The 2015 version of the MDC has the makings of an absolute classic tournament with #1 Grand Valley State, #2 Central Michigan, #3 Michigan State, and #11 Saginaw Valley State all set to compete.  I don’t remember a year where the top four Michigan region schools were as close competitively as they are this year. Continue reading “2015 Michigan Dodgeball Cup Preview”

Jonathan Shaw’s OT Article: “My Top Six”

Listed below is the “Overtime Six” written by Towson University’s Jonathan Shaw:

Brent Gromer – JMU

Brent Gromer - JMU
Brent Gromer – JMU

Simply put, Gromer is just an absolute force to be reckoned with. The man has a top 2 or 3 arm in the league, and he compliments it with a highly underrated ability to catch after he throws. I can’t really explain this adequately but if you’re on the sidelines, watch Brent’s eyes after he releases a throw. The time it takes him to survey the court is simply superior to the rest. Add all these factors up, and it is easy to see why Brent is one of my 6 OT picks. Continue reading “Jonathan Shaw’s OT Article: “My Top Six””

Chicago Dodgeball Open Recap

Over the weekend, DePaul University hosted their annual Chicago Dodgeball Open.  This year was a bit different than CDOs in the past thanks in large part to the terrible weather.  A tournament that usually involves five or six teams, only had three teams in attendance.  Central Michigan, Grand Valley State, and host school DePaul competed in a three team round robin.  Wisconsin Platteville could not make the trip due to the bad driving conditions on account of the Blizzard [-Ed., ZM]

The results from the tournament were as follows: GVSU went 2-0, CMU went 1-1, DePaul went 0-2.  Here is my brief recap from this year’s Chicago Dodgeball Open: Continue reading “Chicago Dodgeball Open Recap”

NCDA Mid-Season All-Underrated Team

As a member of the NCDA for several years now, I have noticed that in a lot of cases, the league is a bit of a popularity contest.  If your name has not been mentioned in the past, it is pretty hard to get recognition.  It seems like only the same few players from every team ever get acknowledgement for their effort, instead of a more balanced situation where any player that makes an impact is able to get their name recognized.

A lot of interest is given to the top players in the league, and the annual All-NCDA team, but I am here to give some recognition to those players that seem to fly under the radar even though they are great performers.  Listed below is my 15-man All-Underrated Team for the NCDA. Continue reading “NCDA Mid-Season All-Underrated Team”