It's actually several months old, but I just read the summary
of July's NCAA D1 Men's Ice Hockey Committee meeting at
<http://www.ncaa.org/news/19970804/active/3429n11.html> and there's a
lot of interesting information in it.  For instance:
 
> Agreed to implement a detailed effort to educate coaches and the
> public about the selection process.
 
        This will be a welcome change, although I don't know what form
that effort will take.  Hopefully there will be someone to answer
questions about the seeding algorithm (see below).
 
> Determined that the 1998 championship handbook will be available via
> NCAA Online (www.ncaa.org) and that handbooks will not be distributed
> unless institutions specifically request a printed copy.
 
        That's one good way to educate the public, since I, despite
being an inquisitive fan, didn't know about the handbook last year
until after the selection process was over.  I looked for the handbook
on the NCAA web site, and it doesn't seem to be up yet.
 
> [...] 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.
 
        Okay, I'm going to assume that means the algorithm is the way
it was laid out in <http://www.uscollegehockey.com/tournament/032097.html>
until I hear otherwise.  However, the next line is a bit confusing:
 
> While voting to retain the current criteria, the committee agreed to
> evaluate alternatives to the "results of the last 20 games" criterion.
 
        Um, presumably that means evaluate alternatives to be used in
future seasons, although it's hard to tell.
 
>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.
 
        This one came up on the list over the summer, but I don't
think it was ever resolved.  If "emerging institutions" means those
that are ineligible because they play less than 20 D-1 games, I think
we knew that already.  OTOH, Nebraska-Omaha (first year in Division I)
and Mankato State (second year) both play enough games to qualify (in
fact, Mankato at 7-7-2 would be a Team Under Consideration at the
moment) for the tournament.  Are they both eligible (and thus to be
counted in the RPI), or is there some additional probationary
restriction on one or both?
 
        If I'm guessing right about these questions (last 20 is a
criterion this season, and games against UNO and Mankato count), we
should be able to play along at home this year, give or take a few Ice
Breaker and Hall of Fame games.
                                        John Whelan, Cornell '91
                                        <[log in to unmask]>
                <http://www.cc.utah.edu/~jtw16960/joe.html>
 
Cornell Men's Ice Hockey: Back-to-back ECAC and Ivy League Champions
 
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