REPORT OF THE
NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S ICE HOCKEY COMMITTEE
1. ACTION ITEMS.
a. Automatic
Qualification.
(1) Recommendation. That the following receive automatic qualification for the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship: Atlantic Hockey Association, Central Collegiate Hockey Association, College Hockey America, ECAC Hockey League, Hockey East Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
(2) Rationale. All eligible conferences are being
recommended for automatic qualification.
(3) Estimated
Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete
Impact. None.
b. Rating
Percentage Index (RPI) – Bonus Points.
(1) Recommendation. That the bonus points for the RPI be eliminated.
(2) Rationale. The committee would like to remove the bonus point structure from the RPI. The bonus points were put in place to encourage teams to play across conferences against teams in the top 15 of the RPI. If a team won on the road against a team in the top 15 of the final RPI, in the opponent’s primary facility, it would receive bonus points. After evaluating this criterion, it has been noted that the games the committee intended to encourage are not happening and this criterion is not an effective tool for selections.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
c. Committee Chair.
(1) Recommendation. That Steve Cady, senior associate athletics
director at
(2) Rationale. Mr. Cady will replace Joel Maturi,
athletics director at the
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. None.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
d. Frozen Four Skills Challenge.
(1) Recommendation. That additional funding be provided to supplement the cost of producing the Frozen Four Skills Challenge in the event that a corporate champion or corporate partner does not commit to the title sponsorship of the event.
(2) Rationale. The 2007 Frozen Four Skills Challenge was sponsored by an NCAA corporate champion. In the event that an NCAA corporate champion or corporate partner does not commit to the title sponsorship, with the same financial commitment as in 2007, it may be necessary to supplement the event in order for it to continue to be a success. The committee does anticipate varying degrees of financial support and involvement from some of the corporate champions and corporate partners, but the additional funding will ensure that the event can continue to operate at the same or higher level.
It should also be noted that, in previous years, the participating student-athletes’ expenses (airfare, lodging, etc.) were split equally and paid for by Nike Bauer Hockey and the NCAA Youth Education through Sports (YES) program. With the dissolution of the YES program, this additional funding will also help to offset any student-athletes’ expenses that now become the responsibility of the NCAA.
(3) Estimated Budget Impact. $15,000.
(4) Student-Athlete Impact. None.
2. INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
List of Financial Priorities. The committee asks that the additional funding ($15,000) for the Frozen Four Skills Challenge be noted as its top financial priority for the cabinet’s consideration.