fwiw, the article also reported that the D1 Soccer tournament has been
expanded to 48 teams, a 25.1% ratio.
 
I think that the apparent favoring of autobids for conferences and the
attention to ratios are contradictory and counterproductive.  It looks to me
like they've made a mess of the D3 tournament from a competitive standpoint.
With a sport with a particpation base like basketball, you can accomplish
both.  A good team that happens to finish in fifth place in the Big 12 or
the ACC can get in, and the Prairie Views can make a token appearance
against Duke or North Carolina.
 
I'd oppose expanding to 14, if it just meant that the two slots went to
autobids from the MAAC and CHA.  All that would do would make the byes more
controversial, but would not allow in any arguably deserving teams that
didn't make it under the field of 12.
 
I think that the NCAA should either allow a larger ratio for sports with
fewer sponsoring institutions or forget the autobids and just go for the
best teams. I think that the argument against making too big a deal of the
national tournament is far more compelling for D3 than for D1.
 
Clay
 
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