D3baseball.com: Around the Nation

[Big Louie]

Ricky,

Again awesome column!! Any answers to why there will be 4 pool B bids and 14 pool C bids this year?? The D3baseball landscape seems to be moving away from the independent conferences in the past several years. Just seems odd that we are back to 4 pool B's this year after only have 2 Pool B's a year ago.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Are there any new independents this year? As I understood the article that is the only way the bids would change. If it just math as they say.

[Ricky Nelson]

Ricky,

Again awesome column!! Any answers to why there will be 4 pool B bids and 14 pool C bids this year?? The D3baseball landscape seems to be moving away from the independent conferences in the past several years. Just seems odd that we are back to 4 pool B's this year after only have 2 Pool B's a year ago.

I asked a couple of different ways, trying to get the answer that is, "The newly formed SAA." Once the SAA gets its AQ, we'll be back to where we were or perhaps down to one Pool B.

The Pool B teams in 2013 that the NCAA provided. Needless to say, we found numerous errors.
Central: Chicago, Washington-St. Louis, Nebraska Wesleyan.
Mid-Atlantic: Baptist Bible, Lancaster Bible.
Mideast: Case Western Reserve, Finlandia.
Midwest: Baptist Bible.
New England: Brandeis, Castleton State, Colby-Sawyer, Husson, Lyndon State, New England College, Thomas College, Maine-Farmington, Maine-Presque Isle.
New York: Baruch, City College of New York, Ithaca, John Jay, Lehman, St. John Fisher, Staten Island, Stevens, Utica.
South: Berry, Birmingham-Southern, Centre, Covenant, Emory, Hendrix, Huntingdon, Millsaps, Oglethorpe, Rhodes, Rust, University of the South.
West: [None].

[Ricky Nelson]

It also appears that the NAC/NEAC AQ crossover tourney is not in effect this season, according to postseason info on the NAC website. That along with the SAA formation moved many teams from Pool A conferences to conferences that are going through AQ waiting periods.

[Big Louie]

If it is 4 Pool B bids in 2013 and those are the only schools in consideration it really doesn't make too much sense. Cause I remember it being very similar last season and there were only 2 bids.

[oiler]

Misericordia University to host 2013 Mid-Atlantic Regional

http://thetimes-tribune.com/sports/pnc-field-site-of-division-iii-baseball-mid-atlantic-regional-championships-1.1448314

[D3Vike11]

Confused on the new Top 25. Keystone goes 2-0 and drops from 12 to 16. UW-Whitewater goes 0-0 and moves up from 18 to 14?

[Ricky Nelson]

Confused on the new Top 25. Keystone goes 2-0 and drops from 12 to 16. UW-Whitewater goes 0-0 and moves up from 18 to 14?

Presto originally had Dickinson sweeping Keystone in their doubleheader on Sunday (voting night). It has since been corrected, but I think that may have led to confusion on the voting end. It confused me. As for Whitewater, I think it's OK to find an order in the early going.

My ballot had plenty of movement and four new teams. My votes will run alongside tomorrow's ATN column. I'm open to criticism.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Just read your article and it is informative as always. Thanks for doing this.

[CrashDavisD3]

Any news on the following questions for 2013 since the NCAA has gone stealth. Easier to get information from Seal Team Six.(Movies, Interviews, Books, Magazine Articles)

How many teams in 2013 for:

Pool A bids- How many and Which conferences are Pool A for 2013?

Pool B bids - How many and which teams

Pool C bids - How many and how does SOS work in 2013. What is the formula for Ranking...

[Ricky Nelson]

Any news on the following questions for 2013 since the NCAA has gone stealth. Easier to get information from Seal Team Six.(Movies, Interviews, Books, Magazine Articles)

How many teams in 2013 for:

Pool A bids- How many and Which conferences are Pool A for 2013? 38, same ones as last season.

Pool B bids - How many and which teams 4, listed above

Pool C bids - How many and how does SOS work in 2013. What is the formula for Ranking... 14 and same SOS as last season.

Those are the answers currently, as provided by the NCAA.

[Big Louie]

Ricky,

What makes the Pool A bids stay the same but allows the Pool B's to increase to 4??

I guess in reality it doesn't really make too much of a difference since usually 4 Pool B's typically make it into the tourney whether they come from Pool B or Pool C. I just recall years where Ithaca and Chapman would make the tourney as Pool B's with very pedestrian tournament resumes since there were so few candidates. I personally would like to see Pool B eliminated completely. Why not just have 18 Pool C'S.

[CrashDavisD3]

Pool B/Pool C bids should be merged into AT LARGE BIDS...IMO 

[Ricky Nelson]

Ricky,

What makes the Pool A bids stay the same but allows the Pool B's to increase to 4??

I guess in reality it doesn't really make too much of a difference since usually 4 Pool B's typically make it into the tourney whether they come from Pool B or Pool C. I just recall years where Ithaca and Chapman would make the tourney as Pool B's with very pedestrian tournament resumes since there were so few candidates. I personally would like to see Pool B eliminated completely. Why not just have 18 Pool C'S.

If they fall below seven full members, Pool A conferences have two years to get back to seven. We're in a transitional year where the SCAC lost several teams to the newly formed SAA but the SCAC keeps its Pool A. The SAA teams are Pool B/C while the association goes through its waiting period for Pool A status.

The NAC is a Pool B/C conference, according to the NCAA. The NAC had partnered with the NEAC for a Pool A in the past.

[Ricky Nelson]

Baptist Bible is not fielding a team this season but plans to restart the program in 2014.