>
Mike Machnik writes:
> Well, first there are still 12 teams in the tourney, not 16 - there's been
> talk for a few years about expanding it to 16, but as long as the number of
> eligible teams remains in the low 40s, I don't think they'll go to 16.
> It has to do with the percentage of teams being invited getting to be too
> high.
 
Mike is exactly right about this fact, but things are even more ominous in the
world of the NC$$. Right before break I was reading in the NC$$ News about a
major restructuring in the Division I, II, and III championships.
 
Not only will Division I hockey not see an increase in tournament size in the
near future, but the NC$$ will continue to "monitor sponsorship numbers" to be
certain that hockey qualifies for a championship.
 
The Executive Committee of the NC$$ has proposed that 40 teams be the minimum
required to maintain either a division of a National Collegiate Championship.
(According to the NC$$, men's hockey has 49 teams -- only water polo (47) and
women's lacrosse (44) have fewer teams.)
 
The Executive Committee has also proposed legislation that will eliminate all
current execmptions for the discontinuation of a championship (for example,
revenue status), and will specify that a championship will be discontinued
after the year in which it fails to meet the minimum number required.
 
Naturally, hockey remains nine above this "new" minimum, so I am not sure how
worried we should all be about these new developments.
 
On a more positive (?) note, it looks like it will take about 80 teams to see
an increase in the championship tournament from 12 to 16 teams. (This is
conjecture, based on the fact that field hockey, with 71 teams, will have
12-team championship, while football (1-AA) with 88 teams will continue to
have a 16-team championship.)
 
My best,
 
Craig Cheslog '93
Bowdoin College Sports Information Intern
GO U BEARS!