THE FOLLOWING IS A PROPOSAL FROM THE NCAA, TO BE DISCUSSED SOON: That effecitve with the 1992 championship the bracket be established as single-elimination with two regional tournaments determing the four semifinal ists. a. Two, six team, single-elimination regional tournaments would be conducted at predetermined sites the Friday and Saturday prior to the semifin als and final. The two regional winners will advance to the semifinals. b. The single-elimination and final would continue to be played the first weekend (Thurs. and Sat.) in April or last weekend in March, if March has five Saturdays. c. Automatic qualification would be granted to deserving conferences with the remaining teams selected at-large. d. The independent team selected for the tournament will comete in a play-in against the 12th ranked team at the regional site representing the 12th ranked team unless: 2) if an independent team is ranked 1- 12 then a play-in will not be conducted; or b) if the best independent record is below .500, the the committee is not required to select an independent representative. e. Teams would be seeded in each region and cross bracketed for regional competition as follows: Friday No. 1 East bye No. 1 West bye No. 2 East bye No. 2 West bye No. 3 West vs. No. 6 East No. 3 East vs. No. 6 West No. 4 West vs. No. 5 East No. 4 East vs. No. 5 West Saturday No. 1 East vs. winner No. 4 West/No. 5 East No. 2 East vs. winner No. 3 West/No. 6 East No. 1 West vs. winner No. 4 East/No. 5 West No. 2 West vs. winner No. 3 East/No. 6 West Should the number of teams selected from the regions be unequal, the lower seeded team(s) in the region with the higher number of teams selected will be shifted to the other region to equalize regional seeding. f. Two predetermined regional sites will be designated to represent one of the f our playing conferences, and the two top-ranked teams from each region will be assigned to the respective site representing their region. Note: It has become increasingly apparent that the current 12 team formate is not serving the sport well. The committee believes the following rational supports a formate change: 1. The proposed format would be conducted in two weeks whereas currently a team may be required to travel three consecutive weeks. 2. The maximum number of games a team would play is four. Currently a team selected for the championship could play six games and as many as eight. 3. If the 12-team single-elimination bracket would have been used in 1990, the following sample is provided using Boston College as the East regional site, and the University of Wisconsin as the West regional sitte: West 1. Michigan State (CCHA #1) 2. Wisconsin (WCHA #1) 3. Lake Superior 4. Minnesota 5. North Dakota 6. Bowling Green East 1. Boston College (HE#1) 2. Colgate (ECAC #1) 3. Maine 4. Boston University 5. Clarkson 6. Michigan 7. Alaska,Anchorage Thursday : Michigan vs. Alaska Friday : Michigan State bye Boston College bye Wisconsin bye Colgate bye Maine vs. Bowling Green Lake Superior vs. Michigan/Alaska Boston University vs. North Dakota Minnesota vs. Clarkson Saturday Mich. St. vs. BU/No.Dakota BC vs.Minn/Clarkson Wisconsin vs. Maine/B.Green Colgate vs. LS/Michigan/Alaska All of the above is to be discussed with athletic directors and coaches with recommendations forwarded to the NCAA Executive Committee for approval in May 1991.