REPORT OF THE

NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMITTEE

1. ACTION ITEMS.

a. Sports Committee Appointments.

(1) Recommendation. Approved the following sports committee appointments:

(a) Women’s Basketball – Jim Scheible, coach at University of Rochester, East region;

(b) Men’s Ice Hockey – Chris Brown, coach at Marian College (Wisconsin), and Donald Maslinski, director of athletics at St. Norbert College, West region;

(c) Men’s Lacrosse – Peter Bothner, director of athletics at Nazareth College, North region;

(d) Women’s Softball – Margaret Knight, coach at Salisbury University, Atlantic region;

(e) Men’s and Women’s Tennis – Kathy Campbell, coach at Vassar College, Northeast region; and

(f) Women’s Basketball Rules – Rhonda Seagraves, assistant athletics director at Southwestern University, representing Division III women’s interest.

(2) Rationale. The committee ratified recommendations forwarded by the NCAA Division III Nominating Committee.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

b. Track and Field Rules Committee.

(1) Recommendation. Approved the requirement to have outdoor tracks surveyed after initial construction and after each resurfacing. In addition, institutions will be required to have portable indoor tracks surveyed before the first competition each year, and permanent indoor tracks surveyed after initial construction and after each resurfacing.

(2) Rationale. The committee approved the recommendation based on information that outdoor tracks are presently being surveyed at the time of construction and resurfacing. In addition, results of a survey sent to the Division III track and
field membership confirmed there are currently no Division III institutions with portable indoor tracks. The NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet approved this recommendation, and the NCAA Division II Championships Committee already implemented this recommendation.

(3) Budget Impact. The approximate cost of such a survey is $2,000.

c. Pole-Vault Equipment.

(1) Recommendation. Approved the recommendation to increase the minimum pole-vault landing pad measurement beyond the vault box to six meters wide by five meters deep (19 feet, eight inches by 16 feet, five inches). In addition, the front portion of the landing pad will be required to be the same width as the back portion of the pad. Finally, the committee approved a recommendation to require that suitable padding be placed around the base of the standards that hold the bar.

(2) Rationale. The committee agreed with the United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) Pole Vault Safety Task Force, which addressed physical and mental welfare of student-athletes. Divisions I and II both approved this recommendation. Many NCAA institutions already have landing pads that far exceeded the previous minimum and already meet the new dimensions. The Division I cabinet and the Division II championships committee approved this recommendation.

(3) Budget Impact. The cost to institutions to comply with these proposals will vary from school to school, largely based on the size of the landing pads currently in place. Auxiliary pads can be added to existing landing pits at a cost of $1,000 to $2,000. A new landing pit to meet the USTCA Pole Vault Safety Task Force’s recommendations would cost $8,000 to $10,000.

d. Softball Rules Committee.

(1) Recommendation. Approved the recommendation to reduce the coefficient of restitution (COR) for the softball from a maximum of .50 to a maximum of .47 starting in January 2005.

(2) Rationale. The NCAA legal counsel approved the action and the two-year notice should be sufficient for this to be implemented Divisions I and II approved this recommendationIntercollegiate softball is currently the only venue for the .50 COR. This standard change would bring the intercollegiate game in line with the American Softball Association, from which the NCAA’s current bat standard is established. The two-year notice should be sufficient for manufacturers to deplete inventory, and all softball manufacturers currently have a .47 COR ball on the market. The NCAA legal counsel approved the action. The Division I cabinet and the Division II championships committee approved this recommendation.

(2)

(3) Budget Impact. None.

e. Basketball Rim Testing.

(1) Recommendation. Denyied the recommendation that rim testing (men’s game only) be mandatory, effective with the 2004-05 season.

(2) Rationale. A rim-testing device costs approximately $1,350. The committee believes this cost would be a financial burden to member institutions, and as such, t.he decision to test or not test will be left to each institution. The Division I cabinet approved this recommendation, and the Division II championships committee denied.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

f. Softball On-Site Administrator.

(1) Recommendation. Denyied the recommendation to require host institutions to designate an on-site administrators who is not a member of the coaching staff to assist umpires with game management issues during regular-season competition. (An on-site administrator is still required, but it can be a member of the coaching staff.)

(2) Rationale. The committee recognizes the need for quality game management throughout the regular season, but does not believe this issue is limited to softball. The Division I cabinet and the Division II championships committee also denied this request.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

g. North Atlantic Conference Wavier Request [NCAA Bylaw 31.3.4.2-(a)].

(1) Recommendation. Denyied the North Atlantic Conference (NAC)’s waiver request for selected sports (women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, field hockey, women’s cross country, women’s basketball and softball) of Bylaw 31.3.4.2-(a) specifying that a qualifying conference must have: “Been a member conference of the Association for two consecutive academic years.”

(2) Rationale. The committee endorsed the two-year waiting period provided in Bylaw 31.3.4.2-(a) and believes that providing a waiver sets an undesirable precedent. The NAC has been conducting conference championships for four years, but it has not been an active member conference of the Association. The NAC was recognized as a Division III member effective 2002-03.

(3) Budget. None.

h. Women’s Rowing Committee.

a. Recommendation. That the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) be awarded an automatic qualification berth and that all remaining at-large berths (Pools B and C) be collapsed into Pool B. All Pool B institutions and remaining institutions from Pool A (NESCAC institutions) will be eligible for all remaining at-large berths.

b. Rationale. The committee recognizes this is an exception to the current automatic qualification principles, which do not allow for Pools B and C to be combined. In this circumstance, the NESCAC is the only sponsoring conference eligible for automatic qualification and, as such, would be the only conference eligible for all Pool A and Pool C berths, so it would be guaranteed two berths in the championship.

c. Budget Impact. None.

i. Women’s Softball Committee.

a. Recommendation. Approve that the championship date formula for the finals be moved back one day so that competition begins Friday and ends either Monday or Tuesday (if an “if necessary” game is required). The date formula for the finals will be defined as the “weekend of the third Saturday in May (Friday through Tuesday).”

b. Rationale. The current date formula is such that all first-round competition must conclude by midnight the Monday prior to the championship. Changing the start date of the finals from Thursday to Friday would provide participating institutions additional preparation and travel time. This change would move a day of missed class time to the final day of the championship and would therefore impact fewer student-athletes.

c. Budget Impact. None.

2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

a.a. Team Sport Selection Criteria. The committee is in the process of developing revised team sport selection criteria, which would incorporate a consistent strength-of-schedule index to be used by all team sports with the exception of rowing. The committee presented a draft document (Attachment A) for discussion with the chairs of all team sports committees and will solicit their feedback on completion. Based on the positive feedback from the chairs, implementation of these criteria is anticipated to take effect with the 2003-04 academic year. The committee will allow all sports committees to make use of the finalized index prior to mandated implementation (2002-03 if so decided). See Attachment ___ for a draft copy of the document.

b. NCAA Division III Championships Host Manual. A host manual for all Division III championships is in the developmental stages and will be completed in time to be presented at the 2003 NCAA Convention. This manual will be used as a resource for all institutions and conferences that are interested in placing a bid for a specific championship.

c. Predetermined, Multi-Year Same Site Selection. The committee received numerous site-selection recommendations and agreed to approve championship sites only through the 2004-05 academic year (Attachment B). The committee discussed the benefits of rotating championships to different locations of the country. It is the intent of the committee to review site-selection criteria and develop policies regarding multi-year same site hosting at its January 2003 meting. Please refer to Attachment ___.

d. 2001-02 Championships Financial Analysis. The committee reviewed information relative to the financial analysis of the 2001-02 championships provided by the NCAA finance and information services staff,. While not all information is complete, it appears as though the final figures will reflect a significant budget savings. The committee will continue to monitor the 2002-03 championships for whichbase-budget adjustmentshave been made. The committee believes the adjustments will benefit the budget process and provide a more accurate prediction of actual expenses.

The committee has requested confirmation of actual cost savings attributed to moving flight restrictions from 400 to 500 miles, as well as implementation of the hub-airport travel policy. In order to evaluate equity in the travel policy, the committee also has requested that the NCAA finance staff provide data reflecting the financial burden to institutions flying into airports within 50 miles roundtrip of the championship site. The established policy states that institutions traveling by air are responsible for ground transportation if they fly into an airport that is less than 50 miles roundtrip from the championship site.

e. Sports Committee Recommendation (NCAA Division III Baseball Committee). Reaffirmed the current wording in the pairing procedures within the selection principle guidelines (“Teams from the same conference do not have to play one another in the first round as long as geographic proximity is maintained.”) and confirmed that the baseball committee acted within its purview by placing higher importance on seed rather than versus avoiding conference matchups in the first round. As long as geographic proximity is maintained, sports committees have the ability to determine which takes precedence, seeding or avoiding conference matchups.

f. Sports Committee Recommendation (NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Committee). Denied the request to implement the men’s basketball committee’s proposed strength-of-schedule index as the primary and secondary criteria for the 2003 championship. Implementation of a consistent strength of schedule for all team sports, with the exception of rowing, is anticipated for the 2002-03 academic year. Although the men’s basketball committee put forward a legitimate proposal, the championships committee was not in favor of approving an index that would be in use for one year only. The men’s basketball committee, as well as all team sports committees, will have the opportunity to use the proposed strength-of-schedule index that was presented to the chairs of team sports committees.

g. Sports Committee Recommendation (Women’s Basketball Committee).

(1) Approved realignment of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference be realignedto the Great Lakes region from the Mid-Atlantic region, effective for the 2002-03 academic year.

(2) (2) Approved realignment of atThomas More Collegebe realigned to the Great Lakes region from the South region, effective for the 2002-03 academic year.

h. Sports Committee Recommendation (NCAA Division III Football Committee).

(1) Future Host Site. Denied the request to allow the football committee to enter directly into negotiations with the city of Salem, Virginia and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for the right to co-host the championship finals of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 NCAA Division III Football Championships. The committee directed the football committee to solicit bids through the established process and be prepared to recommend sites to the championships committee by June 2003.

(2) Strength of Schedule. Approved the request to eliminate opponent’s opponents’ records as a criterion in determining strength of schedule.

(3) Bye Teams. Denied the request to reevaluate the championships committee’s decision regarding the pairing of teams, specifically bye teams.

(4) Seeding Procedure. Denied the request to include historical performance from the past three championships in the criteria for seeding teams in their respective seven-team brackets.

i. Sports Committee Recommendation (NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Committee).

(1) Selection Criteria – Strength of Schedule. Approved that the strength of schedule be redefined to include quality of the field. Strength of schedule would read as follows: “Quality of the field, number of teams in tournaments and number of rounds in tournaments.”

(2) Selection Criteria – Scoring Average. Approved that scoring average be redefined to include team and individual stroke average. Scoring average would read as follows: “Adjusted scoring average, team and individual stroke average, and score versus par.”

(3) Selection Criteria – Tie-Breaking Procedure. Approved that a tie-breaking procedure be put in place. In the event a tie exists, the committee would consider the selection criteria in the following priority order: (a) head-to-head competition within regions; (b) won-lost record (in region and overall); (c) comparisons with common opponents; (d) scoring average (adjusted scoring average, team and individual stroke average, and score versus par); (e) strength of schedule (quality of the field, number of teams in tournaments and number of rounds of tournaments); (f) spring results compared to fall results; and (g) eligibility and availability of student-athletes.

(4) Regional Assignment. Approved regional designation for that the following institutions sponsoring women’s golf, effective 2002-03be assigned to the designated regions:

Bates College Region 1

University of California, Santa Cruz Region 5

Middlebury College Region 1

College of Mount St. Joseph Region 2

Nazareth College Region 1

Piedmont College (provisional member) Region 2

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Region 2

Susquehanna University Region 1

Villa Julie College Region 1

University of Wisconsin, River Falls Region 3

Worcester State College Region 1

Ij. Sports Committee Recommendation (NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Committee). Approved the use of three flights to allow the three flightsfor officialsto be used for any round of the championship, andnot just the finals.

j.Sports Committee Recommendation (Football Committee).

k. Selected Individual-Team Sports (Cross Country, Golf, Tennis) – Automatic Qualification Principles and Selection Process. After its June proposal to the NCAA Division III Mmanagement Ccouncil and subsequent referral back to the championships committee, the committee will request feedback from individual-team sports committees regarding the following:

(1) Suggested elimination of individual portion of the championship; and

(2) Possible effect of application of automatic qualification.

The committee will evaluate information received from each sports committee independently and will present a revised proposal to the Management Council for each of the championships under review. The committee also continues to review the process by which bracket access ratios for individual-team sports are determined.

l. Regional Rankings. As a result of feedback received from team sports committee chairs regarding current ranking practices, the committee has set minimal ranking requirements for all team sports. Effective 2003-04, all team sports committees will be required to complete a minimum of four regional ranking polls. The first ranking must be completed no later than the mid-point of the season. Effective 2004-05, these rankings must be published.

m. Review of Automatic Qualification Principles for Team Sports. The committee reviewed and compared 2003 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 52 15 (Model C-UAA) of the 2003 convention proposal chart with Proposal No. 51 (Model D-Championships Committee). the championships committee proposal (Model D). The committee continues to support Proposal 51Model D with a 1:6.5 ratio goal. The committee is in the process of preparing position papers on each model to present at the 2003 Convention(Attachment C)

n. Predetermined Site Selection. The committee approved the following sites:

(1) Baseball – University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh (2004 and 2005);

(2) Men’s Basketball – Old Dominion Conference and the city of Salem, Virginia, (2004 and 2005);

(3) Field Hockey – Lebanon Valley College (2003); Westfield State College (2004); and Washington and Lee University (2005);

(4). Men’s Golf – University of Redlands (2004);

(5). Women’s Golf – Midwest Conference (2004), and Methodist College (2005);

(6). Women’s Lacrosse – St. John Fischer College (2003), and William Smith College (2004);

(7). Rowing – Indiana University, Bloomington (2003);

(8). Softball – Old Dominion Conference and the city of Salem, Virginia (2003 and 2004);

(9). Men’s Tennis – Gustavus Adolphus College (2003);

(10). Women’s Tennis – Emory University (2004); and

(11). Track and Field – University of Wisconsin, Whitewater (2004).

o. Regional Alignment. The committee discussed the regional alignment of active member conferences with or without automatic qualification berths. The committee reaffirmed that if a conference is recognized by the NCAA, all members of thoseat conferences must be placed in the same region for evaluation and selection purposes. If a conference wishes to have institutions evaluated in different regions, a waiver must be requested.

p. Executive Regulations (Bylaw 31). The committee reviewed Bylaw 31. Further review will be completed at its January meeting and recommended editorial changes will be submitted for inclusion in the 2003-04 manual.

Committee Chair: Brad Bankston, Old Dominion Athletic Conference

Staff Liaisons: Kerri Fagan, Championships

Tina Krah, Championships

Jonathan Williams, Championships

The National Collegiate Athletic Association

October 8, 2002 KF:lmg/jw