BB: Regionals (Midwest) 2012 Whitewater WI

[Ralph Turner]

The 2012 Midwest Regionals will be held at Prucha Field in Whitewater, WI.

[OshDude]

I think it will be an eight-team regional this year.

[MIACLUV]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

[BigPoppa]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

Agree... I see possibly two (or three)central teams coming in... the IIAC winner(Central?), MWC winner (St. Norbert?), and maybe a CCIW team or two (North Park and/or IWU... though IWU is closer to the Central regional than the others).

I also see the possibility of either St. Thomas or La Crosse flying to the west coast as a #1/#2 seed.

[biggio34]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

I also see the possibility of either St. Thomas or La Crosse flying to the west coast as a #1/#2 seed.

Not knowing much about the west region... could you please explain why you think this is a possibility?  Do they not have a solid #1 seed in their region?

As far as shipping someone there, how would the committee decide who?  Is there criteria for that?

[BigPoppa]

The west lost Chapman as a Pool B once they joined the SCIAC(one less bid from in-region). I am not certain that the west will have six in-region teams qualify for the NCAA tourney. Hence, my guess that a team from the Midwest/Central will be flown in.

WEST:
SCIAC-LaVerne (No Pool C)
NWC- Whitworth (no Pool C)
ASC- Winner plus one possible Pool C
SCAC winner provided it is from the West Division (East division plays in the South region)

That is only 5 teams and at least 6 will play in the west.

[dahlby]

BigPoppa...I am afraid that I am going to have to agree with you. No Linfield or Chapman just breaks my heart. It is going to be a long summer for me. I don't even know if I will have the energy to watch the playoffs, although I do wish ULV and Whitworth the best of luck. I hope that they can carry the torch deep into the playoffs.

What's is that "oldie but goodie"...it's going to be a long lonely summer.

[Babe Truth]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

Agree... I see possibly two (or three)central teams coming in... the IIAC winner(Central?), MWC winner (St. Norbert?), and maybe a CCIW team or two (North Park and/or IWU... though IWU is closer to the Central regional than the others).

I also see the possibility of either St. Thomas or La Crosse flying to the west coast as a #1/#2 seed.

BigPoppa, or anyone else here with insight,
You have a ton more experience on this, so please explain. How on earth can a D3 team "rewarded" with a #1 or #2 seed be flown across the country to play?  Have they not earned the right to play closer to home where their families, friends and fans can have a chance to see them?

[Ralph Turner]

I think it will be an eight-team regional this year.

Gonna go out onto the limb here...

Let's look at the concentration of teams which the NCAA needs to send to regionals by bus and not fly, I think that the NCAA puts the 6-team regionals at:

West  -- McMinnville --  with room for two (non-West Region) teams from the Central Time Zone to be flown to Oregon, especially if the West only has one Pool C bid.
Central -- Memphis --  BSC moves into this region and Pool B Wash U. plus SLIAC, CCIW and IIAC and a Pool C.
South -- CNU      --   Southernmost of the regionals in the Eastern time zone (CAC, ODAC, USASouth).
Midwest -- Prucha  --  I have trouble finding 8, especially with 2 apparent vacancies in the West, even moving the Midwest Conference into Prucha.

[Pat Coleman]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

Agree... I see possibly two (or three)central teams coming in... the IIAC winner(Central?), MWC winner (St. Norbert?), and maybe a CCIW team or two (North Park and/or IWU... though IWU is closer to the Central regional than the others).

I also see the possibility of either St. Thomas or La Crosse flying to the west coast as a #1/#2 seed.

BigPoppa, or anyone else here with insight,
You have a ton more experience on this, so please explain. How on earth can a D3 team "rewarded" with a #1 or #2 seed be flown across the country to play?  Have they not earned the right to play closer to home where their families, friends and fans can have a chance to see them?

Historically it's been the lower seeds who move, in almost every sport. (Football, with Mount Union's regular "moves" to the "East" bracket, is more of a bookkeeping thing since the top seed plays all its games at home.)

[OshDude]

I think it will be an eight-team regional this year.

Gonna go out onto the limb here...

Let's look at the concentration of teams which the NCAA needs to send to regionals by bus and not fly, I think that the NCAA puts the 6-team regionals at:

West  -- McMinnville --  with room for two (non-West Region) teams from the Central Time Zone to be flown to Oregon, especially if the West only has one Pool C bid.
Central -- Memphis --  BSC moves into this region and Pool B Wash U. plus SLIAC, CCIW and IIAC and a Pool C.
South -- CNU      --   Southernmost of the regionals in the Eastern time zone (CAC, ODAC, USASouth).
Midwest -- Prucha  -- I have trouble finding 8, especially with 2 apparent vacancies in the West, even moving the Midwest Conference into Prucha.

All IIAC teams and most CCIW teams would require a flight to Millington.

[Ralph Turner]

I think it will be an eight-team regional this year.

Gonna go out onto the limb here...

Let's look at the concentration of teams which the NCAA needs to send to regionals by bus and not fly, I think that the NCAA puts the 6-team regionals at:

West  -- McMinnville --  with room for two (non-West Region) teams from the Central Time Zone to be flown to Oregon, especially if the West only has one Pool C bid.
Central -- Memphis --  BSC moves into this region and Pool B Wash U. plus SLIAC, CCIW and IIAC and a Pool C.
South -- CNU      --   Southernmost of the regionals in the Eastern time zone (CAC, ODAC, USASouth).
Midwest -- Prucha  -- I have trouble finding 8, especially with 2 apparent vacancies in the West, even moving the Midwest Conference into Prucha.

All IIAC teams and most CCIW teams would require a flight to Millington.

Thanks.

1) BSC
2) SLIAC
3) Wash U as a Pool B/C.

Who are #4- #6 in that bracket?

CCIW -- IWU is 453 miles from Rhodes. Augustana is 549 miles.

HCAC -- Rose-Hulman is 402 miles. Anderson is 514. Franklin is 471 miles.
Pres AC -- Thomas More, currently 2nd on the Pres AC is 469 miles.
IIAC -- Central is 579 miles from Rhodes. Coe is 557 miles. Luther is 666 miles.
NCAC -- DePauw is 437 miles.

There may be a plane flight to Millington, regardless!  I think that Millington may get filled first.

[BigPoppa]

Have to agree about the 8 team, not really because there is a large number of deserving candidates in the midwest, but a logistical convenience for the central teams being outside the 500 mile radious of the Tennessee regional.

Agree... I see possibly two (or three)central teams coming in... the IIAC winner(Central?), MWC winner (St. Norbert?), and maybe a CCIW team or two (North Park and/or IWU... though IWU is closer to the Central regional than the others).

I also see the possibility of either St. Thomas or La Crosse flying to the west coast as a #1/#2 seed.

BigPoppa, or anyone else here with insight,
You have a ton more experience on this, so please explain. How on earth can a D3 team "rewarded" with a #1 or #2 seed be flown across the country to play?  Have they not earned the right to play closer to home where their families, friends and fans can have a chance to see them?

Personally, I'd see moving to the west as a #2 (La Crosse?) as more of a reward than trying to plow through St. Thomas, Stevens Point, St. Scholastica, Concordia-Chicago, etc... and I know the "west-coasters" will hammer me on this, but the west is down this year compared to season's past.

[CrashDavisD3]

The west lost Chapman as a Pool B once they joined the SCIAC(one less bid from in-region). I am not certain that the west will have six in-region teams qualify for the NCAA tourney. Hence, my guess that a team from the Midwest/Central will be flown in.

Update 5/1/2012 6 team West Regional from CDD3

WEST Regional:
1) SCIAC-LaVerne Pool A (No Pool C)
2) NWC- Whitworth Pool A (No Pool C)
3) ASC- Winner Pool A plus
4) ASC - one possible Pool C
5) SCAC - Trinity(TX) is a possible Pool C
6) Pool C from outside the West Region

[BigPoppa]

WHO flies into the west is the big question right now. I still see it as a Midwest or Central team. Moving the Central to Tennessee means that many of the usual suspects in the Central will have to be flown to the Central or be shipped into the Midwest, which is oddly closer than the "HOME" regional. Either the Central moves one of its qualifiers (CCIW, IIAC, MWC) to the West or the Medwest will be overloaded with teams for its regional... which necessitates a moving of one of the Midwest teams west to Oregon. Who that may be is still being debated. Could Stevens Point grab a Pool C and fly west? How about North Park if they earn the CCIW's Pool A (as they seem to be nowhere in the regional rankings as of now).

Potential Midwest participants:
MIAC Pool A: St. Thomas
WIAC Pool A: LAX
NathCon Pool A: Concordia-Chicago/Aurora
UMAC Pool A: St. Scholastica
MWC Pool A: St. Norbert
IIAC Pool A: Central
CCIW Pool A: North Park/IWU/Augustana
Independent: University of Chicago
Pool C possibilities: Stevens Point(WIAC), Concordia-Chicago/Aurora (NathCon… Bubble Pool C teams?), North Park/IWU/Augustana(CCIW… I think the CCIW gets one Pool C)

That is 8 Pool A teams that could land in Whitewater, not counting any of the Pool C possibilities. Somebody (likely, more than one) is flying somewhere unless they land in the Mid-east. It will be interesting to see this play out if all get bids.