REPORT OF THE
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/COMPETITION CABINET
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at Union Station
St. Louis, Missouri
February 5-6, 2008
REPORT OF THE
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION
DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/COMPETITION
CABINET
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at
Union Station
February 5-6, 2008
St. Louis, Missouri
Participants:
Sarah Bobert,
Sherri Booker,
Atlantic Sun Conference
Greg Burke,
Northwestern
Lisa Campos,
Dwight Datcher,
Raynoid Dedeaux,
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Susan
Delaney-Scheetz,
Jim Fallis, Northern
Carolyn
Schlie-Femovich, Patriot League, chair
James Fiore, Stony
Brook University
Woody Gibson,
Ed Grom, The Summit
League
Rob Halvaks, Big
West Conference
Terri Howes,
Christine Hoyles,
Pacific-10 Conference
Bruce Jaffee,
Bob Keefer, Mount
St. Mary’s College
Patrick Lyons,
Ian McCaw,
Rick Mello, Sun Belt
Conference
Marilyn M
Moniz-Kaho’ohanohano, University of
athlete
Ellen Moore, West
Coast Conference
Deborah Paul,
Southern University, Baton Rouge
Dan Radakovich,
Georgia Institute of Technology
Bruce Rasmussen,
Creighton University
Nance Reed,
Sarah Reesman,
Dawn Rogers,
Judy Rose,
Jeff Schemmel,
Paula Smith,
University of California, Irvine
Jeffrey Stapleton,
Monmouth University
Jon Steinbrecher,
Mike Thomas,
David Berst,
NCAA
Wayne Burrow,
NCAA
Beth DeBauche,
NCAA
Brad Hostetter,
NCAA
Greg Johnson,
NCAA
Charnele Kemper,
NCAA
Carol Reep,
NCAA
Dave Schnase,
NCAA
Sharon Tufano,
NCAA
Colleen Lim, Yale
University; Mark Murphy, Northwestern University; and Steve Pederson, University
of Nebraska, Lincoln, are no longer on the cabinet but have not yet been
replaced by the Ivy League, Big Ten Conference and Big 12 Conference
respectively. Erin McDermott,
senior associate director of athletics,
REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/COMPETITION
CABINET
The
NCAA Division I
ACTION ITEMS.
1.
Legislative Action
Items.
·
None.
2.
Nonlegislative Items.
·
None.
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS.
1.
Review of NCAA Proposal No. 2007-82 (Awards, Benefits and Expenses –
Benefits, Gift and Services – Coaching and Athletics Administration Career –
Education Programs).
·
The
cabinet reviewed a recommendation from the NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee
to amend the effective date of NCAA Proposal No. 2007-82 to “immediate” (as
opposed to August 1, 2008) and to add “NCAA educational programs” as an example
of athletics administration career educational programs in the legislation. It was the sense of the meeting that the
cabinet would support a waiver submitted by a member institution to the NCAA
Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee to permit
institutions to apply the legislation prior to the original effective date of
the legislation. It was noted that
currently there are no NCAA educational programs; therefore, it is not necessary
to seek emergency or noncontroversial legislation on that issue.
2.
Approval of Report from September 19-20, 2007, Cabinet
Meeting. The report from the cabinet's September
19-20, 2007, in-person meeting was approved as previously
distributed.
3.
Cabinet Policies
and Procedures. It was noted
that an additional appendix has been added to the NCAA Division I
Championships/Competition Cabinet Policies and Procedures Guide. The new appendix summarizes statistical
information regarding student-athlete race and ethnicity in intercollegiate
athletics. It provides a general
view of student-athlete race and ethnicity trends by gender and
sport.
4.
Reports from the
Management Council, Board of Directors and the NCAA Executive Committee October
2007 and January 2008 Meetings. The cabinet received informational
reports from the NCAA staff regarding a variety of topics including the new
governance structure. It was noted
that a communications committee would be created to help manage agendas,
strategies and a coordinated set of initiatives in Division I. In addition, it was noted that issues
committees would continue to report to the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports
Management Cabinet in the new structure and that sports committees will be
encouraged to broaden the scope of the issues they consider and manage key
issues in their respective sports.
5.
Report of the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet
Administrative Committee. The NCAA Division I
Championships/Competition Cabinet Administrative Committee reviewed the 2008-09
and 2009-2010 budget recommendations and noted a few minor changes based on
additional discussion between NCAA staff, the Administrative Committee and
cabinet subcommittee chairs.
6.
Report of Sports and Sports Issues Committees.
a.
Baseball. The cabinet received a report from the
NCAA Division I Baseball Committee during which it was noted that discussions
with Omaha, Nebraska, regarding the NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series
are ongoing. The committee will
provide the cabinet with an update at the cabinet’s June 2008 meeting.
b.
Football Championships Subdivision. Based on a recommendation from the NCAA
Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet’s Bracket/Format Subcommittee, the
cabinet agreed that during the next budget cycle funds should be allocated for a
bracket expansion to 20 teams effective with the 2010 championship. (For 29, Against 17 ½) It was noted that the goal of expanding
to 20 teams is to address access issues for those conferences that are, or soon
will be eligible to receive automatic qualification to the championship. The delay in funding is necessary to
allow conferences and institutions to revise their football schedules to
accommodate an extended championship.
In addition, the cabinet approved a change in the committee’s selection criteria to provide an avenue of access for those conferences that qualify for automatic qualification but do not receive it because of the size of the bracket. Specifically, a guaranteed at-large position shall be awarded in any year in which a conference champion team representing a non-automatic qualification conference meets all of the following conditions:
(1) Team wins a minimum of eight Division I games during the season;
(2) Team wins a minimum of two nonconference games against Division I teams representing a conference that has earned an automatic qualification in that year; and
(3) Team finishes the season ranked 16 or higher in an average of the last regular-season media, coaches and/or computer polls (which will be determined by the committee on an annual basis).
It was noted that the criteria is not intended to be a permanent solution for interested and eligible conferences without automatic qualification. Rather, the criteria should only be used to bridge the time between when such conferences apply for an automatic qualification and the time needed to implement bracket expansion.
c.
Men’s and
Women’s Track and Field.
Based on a recommendation from the cabinet’s Bracket/Format
Subcommittee, the cabinet agreed to allow the NCAA Division I Track and Field
Committee to continue its work on its regional realignment model. Rather than realigning the East and
Mideast now as a temporary solution to regional alignment issues, the committee
is focusing its attention on a two-week one-site championship designed to serve
as a long-term solution to the alignment issues. The committee will report its progress
at the cabinet’s June 2008 meeting.
d. Wrestling. The cabinet received an update on the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee’s efforts to eliminate the use of historical data in the selection of wrestlers to the championship. The cabinet commended the committee for its work to date but raised concerns about the selection procedures for the at-large or wild-card selections. The cabinet requested that the committee discuss alternate ways of selecting at-large or wild-card participants. The cabinet asked the committee to comment on the philosophy of identifying the 33 best wrestlers in each weight class compared to the philosophy of identifying the 330 best wrestlers. Finally, the cabinet asked the committee to prepare a comparison of its preconference tournament allocation model versus a postconference selection model.
The committee noted that it is developing a strategic plan designed to strengthen the sport. The plan will contain elements related to championships participants, playing and practice seasons, academic progress and a dual-meet championship.
e.
Bracket/Format Subcommittee.
The subcommittee began its work on identifying issues that should be
carried over to the new governance structure. These issues include, but are not
limited to:
(1)
Field size
ratios used in determining those sports that are considered for bracket/field
expansion;
(2)
The quality of
officiating and the identification of new officials;
(3)
Different
funding models for championships; and
(4)
Policies
governing bracket/field sizes and seeding/pairing/site selection. Those policies currently are outlined in
the cabinet’s current Policies and Procedures Guide.
7.
NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Playing and Practice
Seasons Subcommittee.
The NCAA
Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Playing and Practice Seasons
Subcommittee reviewed a request by the United States Basketball Writers
Association (USBWA) seeking a change in the legislation related to informal
practice scrimmages. Specifically,
the USBWA was seeking a change to permit media access or public attendance. The subcommittee agreed not to recommend
such a change noting that the practice scrimmages provide important
opportunities for teaching and student-athlete participation and should not be
open to the media and general public.
The subcommittee
identified the following issues to highlight in the transition to the new
governance structure. (Note: this
is not an exhaustive list and will be discussed further at the subcommittee’s
June 2008 meeting):
a.
Student-athlete
time demands;
b.
Nonchampionships
segment participation; and
c.
Format and
structure of qualifying multiple team events in
basketball.
8.
NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Postseason Football
Licensing Subcommittee.
The NCAA
Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Postseason Football Licensing
Subcommittee reported that it will be exploring the use of performance bonds as
financial backing rather than letters of credit. In addition, the subcommittee will
review the 2007-08 bowls to determine whether any of the bowls violated the
subcommittee’s logo regulations.
9.
NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet Awards/Travel
Policies/Bylaw 16 Subcommittee. The cabinet received an
information report from the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet
Awards/Travel Policies/Bylaw 16 Subcommittee noting that the following items
should be discussed once the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management
Cabinet is formed. (Note: this is not an exhaustive list and will
be discussed further at the subcommittee’s June 2008
meeting):
a.
Funding NCAA
regional competition;
b.
Emphasizing
funding initiatives that will directly benefit
student-athletes;
c.
Monitoring the
travel-party limits to ensure that the limit is encompassing the needs of the
membership and relevant sports;
d.
Exploration of
the concept of providing regional awards;
e.
Exploration of
varied per diem amounts based on location; and
f.
Monitoring the
quality of participation gifts provided to
student-athletes.
10. Officiating
Improvement Programs.
The cabinet
reviewed comprehensive information that was provided by the staff on officiating
improvement programs currently administered by the NCAA. It was noted that some of the goals of
these programs are to develop consistency within officiating technique, develop
new championship-caliber umpires and serve as a tool to evaluate umpires for
possible championship selection. It
was noted that the College Football Officiating LLC was recently established in
football to create a consistent application of playing rules and officiating
mechanics, establish a central leader for officiating and to ensure officials
and conferences adhere to NCAA and Collegiate Commissioners Association
directives. The cabinet requested
that officiating improvement programs be evaluated on a regular basis in the new
governance structure and that the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports
Management Cabinet consider creating guiding principles for identifying new
officials and appropriate funding increases.
11. Oversight
Monitoring. The cabinet received an informational
report on the work of the Division I Oversight and Monitoring Group and the
responsibility it has been given to develop strategies for review of the NCAA
Presidential Task Force recommendations.
It was noted that the cabinet will begin its review of the three assigned
task force recommendations during the cabinet’s June 2008 meeting and will
continue these discussions in the new governance
structure.
12. Committee
Appointments. The cabinet took the following action
related to committees and cabinet subcommittees:
a.
Men's
Baseball. Appointed John Hardt, director of
athletics, Bucknell University; Kyle Kallander, commissioner, Big South
Conference (FCS); Chris Monasch, director of athletics, St. John’s University
(New York); and Gary Overton, assistant director of athletics, East Carolina
University; effective September 2008.
b.
Baseball
Rules. Appointed Jeff Hurd, senior associate
commissioner, Western Athletic Conference (FBS); effective September
2008.
c.
Men's
Basketball. Appointed Mike Bobinski, director of
athletics, Xavier University; effective September 2008.
d.
Men's Basketball
Issues. Appointed Timothy Cass, senior associate
director of athletics, University of New Mexico; and Marlynn R. Jones, associate
director of athletics, Florida A&M University; effective September
2008.
e.
Women's
Basketball Issues. Appointed Muffet McGraw, head women’s
basketball coach, University of Notre Dame; Sue Hagens, assistant director of
athletics, University of Vermont; and Barbie Breedlove, senior woman
administrator, East Tennessee State University; effective
September 2008.
f.
Men’s Basketball
Rules. Appointed Adam Brick, senior associate
director of athletics, George Mason University; and Gerald Myers, director of
athletics, Texas Tech University; effective
September 2008.
g.
Women’s
Basketball Rules. Appointed Leslie Claybrook, associate
director of athletics, Rice University; effective
September 2008.
h.
Competitive
Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. Appointed Lois Mattice, associate
director of athletics, California State University, Sacramento; and Doug Padron,
associate director of athletics – sports medicine, Monmouth
University; effective
September 2008.
i.
Men's and
Women's Fencing. George Kolombatovich, head men’s and
women’s fencing coach, Columbia University-Barnard College; effective September
2008.
j.
Field
Hockey. Appointed Cathy O’Donnell, executive
associate director of athletics, Kent State University; and Elizabeth Anders,
head field hockey coach, Old Dominion University; effective September
2008.
k.
Football
Championships. Appointed Paul Bubb, director of
athletics, Idaho State University; and Mark S. Sandy, director of athletics,
Eastern Kentucky University; effective
September 2008.
l.
Football
Rules. Granted two-year term extension for Mike
Bellotti, head football coach, University of Oregon; and appointed Chris
Hatcher, head football coach, Georgia Southern University; effective
September 2008.
m. Men's Golf. Appointed Lawrence Cunningham, director of athletics, University of Tulsa; and Norwood Teague, director of athletics, Virginia Commonwealth University; effective September 2008.
n.
Women’s Golf. Appointed Velvet Milkman, senior woman
administrator/head women’s golf coach, Murray State University; and Carrie Wolf,
associate commissioner/championships, Mountain West Conference; effective
September 2008.
o. Men's Gymnastics. Reappointed Robert Dunn, U.S. Naval Academy.
p. Women’s Gymnastics. Appointed Robert Nelligan, head women’s gymnastics coach, University of Maryland, College Park; effective September 2008.
q. Men’s Ice Hockey. Appointed Sean Frazier, associate director of athletics, University of Wisconsin, Madison; effective September 2008.
r. Women’s Ice Hockey. Appointed Nate Handrahan, head women’s ice hockey coach, Robert Morris University; effective September 2008.
s. Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules. Appointed Sarah Fraser, assistant director of athletics, Brown University; and Ed McLaughlin, director of athletics, Niagara University; effective September 2008.
t. Women’s Lacrosse. Appointed Candice Storey, senior woman administrator, Vanderbilt University; effective September 2008.
u. Men’s Lacrosse Rules. Appointed Ed Stephenson, head lacrosse coach, State University of New York at Binghamton; effective September 2008.
v. Women’s Lacrosse Rules. Appointed Missy Doherty, head women’s lacrosse coach, Towson University; effective September 2008.
w. Olympic Sports Liaison. Appointed Jennifer Heppel, associate director of athletics for administration, Georgetown University; and Peggy Bradley-Doppes, director of athletics, University of Denver; effective September 2008.
x. Women’s Rowing. Appointed Matt Weise, head rowing coach, Michigan State University; and Larry Davis, head women’s rowing coach, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; effective September 2008.
y. Men’s Soccer. Appointed Kurt Esser, associate director of athletics, University of New Mexico; Diane O’Brien, senior woman administrator, University of California, Santa Barbara; and Alan Albert, associate director of athletics, College of Williams and Mary; effective September 2008.
z. Women’s Soccer. Appointed Alice Tym, senior associate director of athletics, Colgate University; and Matt Wolfert, associate director of athletics, Ball State University; effective September 2008.
aa. Softball Rules. Appointed Heather Lyke Catalano, associate director of athletics, Ohio State University; effective September 2008.
bb. Men’s and Women’s Tennis. Appointed Susan Zawacki-Woods, head women’s tennis coach, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University; Karin Lee, associate director of athletics, Ball State University; and Cathy Beene, associate director of athletics, Georgia Southern University; effective September 2008.
cc. Men’s and Women’s Track and Field. Reappointed Edrick Floreal, coach, Stanford University; Angie Taylor, head women’s track and field/women’s cross country coach, George Mason University; and Mike Daniels, assistant commissioner, Big West Conference; effective September 2008.
dd. Women's Volleyball. Appointed Nona Richardson, senior woman administrator, University of California, Davis; and granted one-year term extension for Kathy Meehan, St. John’s University; effective September 2008.
ee. Women’s Volleyball Rules. Appointed Patricia Kendrick, head women’s volleyball coach, George Mason University; effective September 2008.
ff. Men’s Water Polo. Appointed Felix Mercado, head men’s water polo coach, Brown University; effective immediately.
gg. Women’s Water Polo. Appointed Matt Anderson, head women’s water polo coach, University of Michigan; effective September 2008.