Louie writes (on injuries affecting selection):
>Come on guys, do you really believe this? or are you speculating what the
>committe is going to think.
 
No, this is actually a criteria for selection.
 
It is stated as "availability of student athletes", so injuries do not have
to be the sole cause - suspension, turning pro, etc. could affect this.
 
I can give you a case where it actually did play a part.  I have explained
before about how Merrimack's All-America goalie Jim Hrivnak was declared
academically ineligible for the second semester of his senior year in 1988-89.
Merrimack suffered its first two DivII losses in three years during that
second semester.  The Independent selection came down to Merrimack and
St Cloud.  St Cloud had a .500 record both overall and in DivI games, and had
played many more DivI games than Merrimack.  Merrimack had a 27-7-0 record,
something like 10-5 in DivI games.  St Cloud was selected partly due to
strength of schedule (played many more DivI games, though having a worse win%)
and partly, the committee said, due to "availability of student athletes".
That meant the ineligibility of Hrivnak (the backups were nowhere near as
good).
 
Theoretically, a team like UNH, for example, could have its six best players
get hurt in the HE Championship and then not get a bid.  I am not aware of
any situation in which this has happened (bids not awarded due to injury),
but it *could* happen.
 
Considering that Wisconsin was still ranked highly in the NC$$ poll after
Derksen's injury, I doubt that his not being able to play would have an
effect on whether or not the Badgers will get a bid.  But it still remains
a criteria for selection.
 
 
- mike