Andrew Rapoff asked:
 
>Anyway, has anyone heard anything about expanding the tourney field,
>or is this just absolutely dead in light of the number of division I
>programs (is it shrinking ala Kent State?), Title IX, costs...?
 
  We had a discussion about this last spring when I wondered about the
possibility after the CC debacle.  The answer is no, they can't expand the
tournament field.  The NC$$ has a mathematical formula regarding how many
teams are allowed into championship tournaments.  Mike explained it all to
us but I've forgotten how they do it.  Technically, according to this formula
hockey shouldn't even have 12 teams, but get to keep the current number due
to a grandfathering clause.  The number of programs that would need to be
added is not realistically attainable.  So, we're stuck with 16 and could
conceivably lose some if the NC$$ wants to get stupid about it.  Not that the
NC$$ would EVER do anything stupid.  (Please feel free to read the appropriate
amount of sarcasm into that last statement)
 
>+  Andrew Rapoff                      [log in to unmask]  +
 
                            --Steve Moerland
                              MSU '92, UK '95