Future of Division III

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

UC Santa Cruz's student body approves a significant increase to keep athletics part of their college campus experience: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/20170531/uc-santa-cruz-athletics-saved-by-measure-68-passage

[Just Bill]

Some general D-III Championships news. Nothing very earth shattering...

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/championship-squad-bench-sizes-won-t-change-diii

[Ron Boerger]

Some general D-III Championships news. Nothing very earth shattering...

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/championship-squad-bench-sizes-won-t-change-diii

There was one little nugget which could have ramifications on a number of sports:

The committee approved a one-year trial of a new Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship format. The final eight teams remaining after regional competition will be reseeded to better balance bracket play at the finals site. The discussion of the potential change in volleyball triggered a larger dialogue about the potential for the concept to be implemented in other sports. The committee will rely on feedback after the volleyball trial year to decide whether the change should be made on a permanent basis, and to inform any decisions regarding similar recommendations that may arise for other sports. Baseball implemented a similar change for the 2017 championship, although that action was taken to move away from determining first-round matchups based on an eight-year regional rotation.

“We approved the volleyball request on a one-year trial as it is our understanding that other sport committees are discussing this concept or may formally request to reseed the finals site for their championship,” Borchardt said. “Our committee wants to gather more feedback from all applicable sport committees and do an assessment of the volleyball trial year in 2017 before we take a formal position across all sports.”

[jknezek]

Interesting. That would complicate the football and basketball bracket challenges.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I highly doubt that will affect a lot of other sports. Volleyball can do that because all eight head to the same site for the final weekend. Baseball is kind of doing that already for similar reasons. I just don't see that happening in other sports that don't have that option.

The more interesting nugget in there is looking into putting a day off between semifinals and championships. I doubt that happens as well (as it adds a lot of costs), but the fact it was mentioned shows in some sports it's being pushed. What's weird is most sports have back-to-backs throughout the tournament (and men's lacrosse needs to move to that format IMO).