So, would it be too much to ask that the NC$$ simply post the selection
criteria on their web site?  This wouldn't solve the whole problem, but it
would at least be another way of putting the information out there for
folks to read & understand.
 
I took a brief look through the NCAA site, & I didn't find much:
 
http://www.ncaa.org/champs/determined.html
 
"How are championships fields determined?
 
The NCAA comprises dozens of committees that include representatives from
member institutions and conferences.
There are 38 sports committees that help determine championships fields.
 
Selection criteria includes won-lost record, strength of schedule,
head-to-head competition and results against nationally rated
teams. Some tournament berths are filled through automatic qualification
(conference champions or winners of a conference
postseason tournament) while others are filled on an at-large basis.
 
Each sports committee's goal is to provide a championship field that best
balances the quality of competitors and regional
representation."
 
Pretty vanilla stuff.  How about some links off this page separate pages
listing specific selection criteria for various sports, including ice
hockey?
 
I also found this:
 
http://www.ncaa.org/news/19970804/active/3429n11.html
 
"During its annual meeting July 8-11 in Kansas City, Missouri, the
committee discussed at length the criteria currently used to select teams
for the championship, and
determined that the criteria would remain intact for the 1998
championship."
 
[Of course, they don't say what that criteria is, but they did use the same
 as last year. ]
 
"While voting to retain the current criteria, the committee agreed to
evaluate alternatives to the "results of the last 20 games" criterion."
 
[It sounds like they didn't adjust it for this year...]
 
"With regard to the rating percentage index (RPI), the committee also voted
 that games against emerging programs (institutions starting new hockey
programs that are
not eligible for championship competition) would not be considered. The
action was taken in an effort to assist the institutions with emerging
programs in establishing
quality schedules."
 
[Please refresh my memory, when, if ever, does the RPI come into play at
all?]
 
"Met with Division I hockey conference commissioners to discuss issues
related to the championship, including the selection process, sites,
television exposure and
marketing efforts.  Agreed to implement a detailed effort to educate
coaches and the public about the selection process."
 
[As previously stated, it's not clear what, if anything, the NC$$ has done
to follow-up on this agreement.]
 
"Reiterated its policy that, whenever possible, conference matchups in the
first round of the championship should be avoided."
 
[Note that it only says "first round", so having conference matchups in the
 second round are not a concern.]
 
Drop the puck!!!
 
Dave Hatfield
UML'86
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