SUPPLEMENT NO. 11
DI C/C Cabinet 6/08
Report of the
NCAA DIVISION I women's SOCCER Committee
1.
ACTION ITEMS.
a. Automatic Qualification.
(1) Recommendation. That the following 30 conferences be approved for automatic qualification for the 2008 championship: America East Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Big West Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ivy Group, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, Mid-Continent Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Mountain West Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Pacific-10 Conference, Patriot League, Southeastern Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Southern Conference, Southland Conference, Sun Belt Conference, West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference.
(2) Rationale. All eligible conferences are being recommended.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
b. Regional Alignment.
(1) Recommendation. That the current regional alignment increase from six to eight regions with respective conference members assigned to the same region, effective with the 2008 championship. (Attachments A and B)
(2) Rationale. The number of teams for regional advisory committees to evaluate will be reduced allowing more evaluation time to be given to each team. The change would allow for an increase in the number of awards given by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. It also will help alleviate a public perception that teams are not being permitted fair opportunities to be selected from only six regions and not eight as compared to other championships such as women volleyball with a sport sponsorship of 316; men’s soccer and women’s softball, 198 and 272 respectively. This change will not impact the selections process.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. Increased award opportunities.
c. Committee Chair.
(1) Recommendation. That Barry Clements be elected chair of the committee for the 2008-09 academic year, effective September 1, 2008.
(2) Rationale. Mr. Clements has an outstanding knowledge of Division I women’s soccer and its goals and objectives.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
2.
Informational
Item.
· Officials. The committee voted to recommend increasing the number of officials at the final site from six to eight. The committee wanted to avoid the issue of middle referees having to officiate lines during the Women’s College Cup when they may not have during the regular season.
Also, the committee revisited the recommendation to create a national assignor of officials position.