SUPPLEMENT NO. 1
SUPPLEMENT NO. 36
DI C/C Cabinet 9/07
REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/COMPETITION CABINET
BRACKET/FORMAT SUBCOMMITTEE
1. ACTION ITEMS.
a.
Wrestling.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet direct the Division I wrestling committee to submit a preliminary draft of its selection procedures (selecting 220 at-large wrestlers) at the February 2008 meeting.
(2) Rationale. The subcommittee has reviewed the wrestling issues over the past two years. The wrestling committee has shown its commitment to a new selection process incorporating the selection of 220 at-large wrestlers and the gradual elimination of historical data from its criteria.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
b.
Track and
Field Realignment.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet direct the Division I track and field subcommittee to once more review its regional realignment and incorporate the following directives approved by the Bracket/Format Subcommittee:
(a) The
cabinet accepts the alignment of the new East and
(b) The
cabinet directs the track and field subcommittee to maintain the current
alignments in the West and
(2) Rationale. The new East and
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
c.
Priority of
Budget Items.
(1)
Recommendation. The subcommittee reviewed
recommendations under its purview that have
(a) Football (bracket expansion of two teams) $250,000
(b) Women’s Rowing (bracket expansion to 16 teams) $99,000
(c) Women’s soccer (avoiding first- and second-round conference match-ups) $148,000
(d) Men’s Golf (format change) $27,200
(e) Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field (video review equipment) $8,000 - this is a one time expenditure
(f) Skiing (official scorekeeper) $3,000
(g) Women’s Gymnastics (fees for scoring coordinator and computer operator at finals) $1,000
(h) Skiing (electronic scoreboard) $6,000
(i) Skiing (professional announcer/race commentator) $ 3,505
The following item was approved, but no funding was allocated:
· Men’s Golf (expansion of golf regionals from three regionals with 27 teams and six individuals to six regionals with either 13 or 14 teams and five or 10 individuals. This item is $20,000.
The following items were approved in concept, but with the caveat that funding comes from sources outside the Division I allocation:
(a) Men’s Volleyball (bracket expansion to eight teams). This item is $93,470.
(b) Men’s Water Polo (bracket expansion to eight teams). This item is $66,200.
(2) Rationale. The football bracket expansion addresses the access concerns from the Northeast Conference. This expansion allows both the #8 and #9 automatic qualifiers to play against at-large opponents in an opening-round game. The winners of these games will advance to the round of 16.
The women’s rowing bracket expansion provides 16 full teams at the finals site and increases participation by 56 female competitors.
The women’s soccer pairings adjustment allows the women’s soccer committee to avoid first- and second- round conference match-ups.
The men’s golf format change creates a 54-hole individual championship after which the top eight teams compete in a three-day medal match-play competition (quarterfinals, semifinals and finals) staged on consecutive days.
The track and field video review equipment provides the technology necessary to assist with critical calls in the track and field events.
The skiing official scorekeeper attends coaches meetings, assists in the seeding process and ensures high level timing expertise at the event.
The scoring coordinator and computer operator for women’s gymnastics have been voluntary positions. This funding will provide these individuals with a stipend for their time and effort.
The electronic scoreboard for skiing must be rented each year and is the only means to indicate scores, times and team standings.
Skiing is a technical sport. A knowledgeable announcer/commentator is essential to the atmosphere surrounding the event and plays an important role in providing analysis between races.
ITEM APPROVED, BUT NOT FUNDED
Expansion to six regionals expands participation opportunities and makes conditions equitable for teams at each site. This item is $20,000.
ITEMS APPROVED IN CONCEPT, BUT SEEKING OUSTSIDE FUNDING
The
men’s volleyball and men’s water polo brackets were approved for
expansion but did not get funded in the last
(3)
Estimated Budget Impact. $545,705. The subcommittee understands that there
are other recommendations that will impact the
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. These recommendations either expand opportunities for student-athlete participation or provide funds for initiatives that will enhance the student-athlete experience on site.
d.
Track and
Field.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet support the recommendation of the track and field committee as it relates to qualification so that institutions may not submit marks for qualification for student-athletes who are not representing the institution in intercollegiate competition [as defined by Bylaw 14.02.6 – (b) and (c)] at the time the mark was achieved.
(2) Rationale. The subcommittee supports the concept of excluding “unattached” athletes from obtaining qualifying marks.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. Student athletes representing their institution are not affected.
e.
Swimming and
Diving.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet refer the zone diving realignment plan back to the sports committee for further study.
(2) Rationale. Due to the reaction from the diving community, the swimming and diving committee should study this issue in more detail.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
f.
Men’s
and Women’s Tennis
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet oppose the proposal to provide production costs for a championships preview video at the first- and second- round sites.
(2) Rationale. The NCAA already funds selected videos for championships. Funds have not been available for video productions at preliminary rounds.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None (approval would be $3,000).
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
g. Women’s Skiing.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the revisions to the Nordic section for the West region selection criteria. The Committee will utilize points from Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) results. NCAA quota will be filled by selection from the combined ranking list. Ties will be broken by looking at the next best result in either technique starting with the third best point result.
(2) Rationale. These clarifications further refine the process of determining NCAA qualifiers.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
h. Women’s Ice Hockey.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the elimination of Sunday as an option for a quarterfinal competition date.
(2) Rationale. Removing Sunday protects competitive equity due to turn-around times between games. Since bracket expansion in 2005 no quarterfinal host has selected Sunday for competition.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
i. Women’s Ice Hockey
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the adjustment of the selection criteria so that “results during the last 16 games” be eliminated from the primary team selection criteria.
(2) Rationale. The results from the last 16 games of teams’ schedules can vary widely depending on the strength of each conference.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
j. Men’s Ice Hockey.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the elimination of the bonus points for the Rating Percentage Index (RPI).
(2) Rationale. After years of evaluation, it has been determined that this criterion is not an effective tool for selections.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
k.
Men’s
Ice Hockey.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet send the request for Frozen Four Skills Challenge funding back to the NCAA staff.
(2) Rationale. The NCAA staff will seek funding through internal channels.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. $15,000.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
l. Women’s Gymnastics.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet support a new process for determining rotations pairings for day one of the team competition at the finals site. The pairing will be based on a National Qualifying Score (NQS) calculated by adding the Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) to the score achieved at regional competition.
(2) Rationale. The new procedure uses the NQS and pairs Teams 1,4,5,8,9 and 12 in Group A and Teams 2,3,6,7,10 and 11 in Group B. This provides for better seeding at the finals site.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
m. Men’s Golf.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet support the proposal for determining the individual champion after 54 holes of play at the finals.
(2) Rationale. This eliminates the chance of an individual contending for the individual championship being cut. In addition, this format allows the rest of the competition to concentrate on the team competition.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. This format change may have student-athletes returning to school one day earlier..
n.
FCS
Football.
(1) Recommendation. The subcommittee did not move the proposal to amend the seeding and pairings guidelines.
(2) Rationale. The subcommittee expressed concerns regarding the possibility of conference teams meeting in a first round game.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
o.
Field
Hockey.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet accept the field hockey committee’s clarification of the Performance Index.
(2) Rationale. The use of the Performance Index in connection with the RPI makes for the best evaluation tools.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
p.
Women’s
Bowling.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the committee’s proposal regarding financial penalties for not completing the Event Certification form.
(2) Rationale. The increase in the financial penalty will encourage the hosts to submit the Event Certification form in a timely manner.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student Athlete Impact. None.
q.
Women’s
Bowling.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet approve the proposed scale for allowable matches per day during the regular season.
(2) Rationale. The coaches association has requested some mechanism that would allow for more countable matches per day.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
r.
Women’s
Basketball.
(1) Recommendation. That the cabinet support the committee’s proposal to revise the current tournament format from eight 8-team sites to sixteen 4-tam sites, effective in 2009.
(2) Rationale. Sixteen pre-determined sites will enhance the women’s championship through additional attendance, local community support and television coverage.
(3)
Estimated Budget Impact. None. Any costs will be absorbed by the
Women’s Basketball
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. The additional sites will provide the teams with an improved student-athlete experience.
Legislative
Items.
a. NCAA Proposal 2007-107 Executive Regulations—selection for Championships participation—Automatic Qualification—Additional Requirements Men’s Basketball—Core Institution.
(1) Recommendation. The subcommittee took no position on this item that would change some of the criteria for core institutions.
(2) Rationale. The subcommittee acknowledged that the Men’s Basketball Committee will need to address this issue and the possible ramifications.
b.
NCAA Proposal 2007-108 Executive
Regulations—Selection for Championships—Balance of Championship
Field –Championship Subdivision Football.
(1) Recommendation. The subcommittee took no position on this item that would specify the criteria for counting wins in the football championship subdivision.
(2) Rationale. The subcommittee acknowledged the importance of selection criteria, but was uncomfortable with the proposal’s definition of countable wins.