2025 Playoffs

[Ralph Turner]

Oswego is the last (23rd) Pool C bid.

In 2024, there were 16 Pool C bids. That would be Pomona-Pitzer #33.

The expansion of Pool C allows these teams a bid

34) ONU
35) Chicago
36) PSU-Harrisburg
37) Ramapo
38) TCNJ
41) McMurry
42) Oswego


Thru the 1st 42 bids, 19 are Pool A, 23 are Pool C!

Number of bids by conference, Pool A listed 1st


NJAC (5) - Rugters-Camden (#28), Kean (#8), Rowan (#12), Ramapo (#37), TCNJ (#38)

UAA (4)  - CWRU (#13), Emory (#21), WashU StL (#30), Chicago (#35)

CSS (3)  - Huntingdon (#93), Centre (#17), Millsaps (#20)

OAC (3)  - Baldwin Wallace (#32) Mount Union (#25), Ohio Northern (#34, NPI 57.216)

SAA (3)  - Rhodes (#40), Centre (#17), Millsaps (#23)

SCAC (3) - Trinity TX (#9), Concordia TX (#27), McMurry (#41)

SCIAC (3) - La Verne (#6), CMS (#26), Pomona-Pitzer (#33)

WIAC (3) - UW-whitewater (#3), UW-Lacrosse (#16), UW-Oshkosh (#24)

ODAC (2) - Lynchburg (#5), Randolph-Macon (#22)

SUNYAC (2) - Cortland St (#18), Oswego (#42)

UEC  (2) - Keystone (#31), PSU-Harrisburg (#36)

C2C (1)  - No Pool A; Salisbury (#7)


Bids by Regions

I - (4) - GNAC JWU-Providence (#69); NAC Husson (#174), NESCAC Middlebury (#45); NEWMAC Salve Regina (#10)

II - (3) - CNE Endicott (#4); Little East Keene St (#104); MASCAC Bridgewater St (#100)

III - (5) - E8 Brockport (#11); LL Rensselaer (#63); Skyline Farmingdale (#126); SUNYAC Cortland St (#18), Oswego (#42)

IV - (8) - MACF Arcadia (#60); NJAC Rutgers-Camden (#28), Kean (#8), Rowan (#12), Ramapo (#37), TCNJ (#38); UEC Keystone (#31), PSU-Harrisburg (#36)

V - (5) - AEC Marymount VA (#131); C2C Salisbury (#7); CC JHU (#1); LAND Catholic (#47) MACC Messiah (#48)

VI - (10) - CSS Huntingdon (#93), Belhaven (#19), Maryville (#29); ODAC Lynchburg (#5); Randolph-Macon (#22); SAA Rhodes (#40), Centre (#17), Millsaps (#23); UAA Emory (#21); USAC Methodist (#72)

VII - (8) - AMCC PSU-Behrend (#57); MIAA Adrian (74); NCAC Denison (#2); OAC Baldwin Wallace (#32), Mount Union (#25), Ohio Northern (#34); PAC Grove City (#64); UAA CWRU (#13).

VIII - (6) - CCIW NCC (#117); HCAC Manchester (#84); NACC MSOE (#88); SLIAC Webster (#15); UAA WashU StL (#30), Chicago (#35).

IX - (7)  ARC Buena Vista (#20); MIAC GAC (#14); MWC Beloit (#80); UMAC Bethany Lutheran (#81); WIAC UW-Whitewater (#3), UW-Lacrosse (#16); UW-Oshkosh (#24)

X - (8) ASC ETBU (#39); NWC Whitworth (#78); SCAC Trinity TX (#9), Concordia TX (#27), McMurry (#41); SCIAC La Verne (#6), CMS (#26), Pomona-Pitzer (#33)

[Ralph Turner]

D3baseball.com projects the Committee moving teams from the same conference to different regionals.

https://www.d3baseball.com/playoffs/2025/projected-playoff-bracket

This projection incurs 9 flights for the regionals.

In the 2025 Women's Basketball championship regional at ETBU, McMurry (SCAC) played Cal Lu (SCIAC) and ETBU (ASC) played Texas Lutheran (SCAC) on Friday. McMurry beat Texas Lutheran in the Regional Finals on Saturday. I haven't seen NCAA official policy to state differently, but my impression is that the policy permitting round meetings of conference opponents, especially to save a flight, is likely still in place.

With that, my projection for Region 10 is Trinity hosting a SCIAC Pool C and ETBU playing Concordia TX.

McMurry and Whitworth (NWC) get flown to SoCal to play SCIAC opponents in the 1st round.

AS for other conferences receiving multiple bids, I will prefer to disperse the teams as widely across the brackets as possible.

[ILVBB]

The team from the west has won the World Series 5 of the last 15 years. What is interesting is that two of the teams (Linfield - 2013 and UT-Tyler - 2018) did not go through the west regional.

The NCAA will always do what is cheapest. This will lead to 2 SCAC teams in San Antonio and 2 SCIAC teams in La Verne. It isn't 2 flights it is 4 flights that the NCAA will save. Then you look at where the flights would need to go (LA is at minimum a 4 hour flight for almost all D3 teams and San Antonio requires almost all teams to change planes somewhere).

If the NCAA stuck to their stated competitive position you would likely see more years with 2 west teams in the World Series. This would not play well with the core D3 programs. Hence; it is easier for the NCAa to maintain the status quo and keep the LA teams in LA and the Texas teams in Texas.

[Ron Boerger]

Oh no, it leads to NO SCAC schools to San Antonio because if there is one thing the NCAA apparently takes special joy in it's figuring out ways to make Trinity travel no matter how much they have done to earn the right to host.  And yes, someone at the school did tell me last week that they put in to host.

Edit:  my information was incorrect as the decision was changed after that conversation

And if they win, and they should if chalk holds (we know it doesn't always), they get to go to La Verne as the NCAA makes *sure* that the two best teams in the West by their beloved NPI metric will have to face off before the CWS.  THAT decision did not have to be made.

[Pat Coleman]

Oh no, it leads to NO SCAC schools to San Antonio because if there is one thing the NCAA apparently takes special joy in it's figuring out ways to make Trinity travel no matter how much they have done to earn the right to host.  And yes, someone at the school did tell me last week that they put in to host. 

And if they win, and they should if chalk holds (we know it doesn't always), they get to go to La Verne as the NCAA makes *sure* that the two best teams in the West by their beloved NPI metric will have to face off before the CWS.  THAT decision did not have to be made.

But, NPI 6 vs. NPI 9 in the super regionals, should the highest ranked teams win, is not unreasonable as a pairing.  It's not like you had to go to Johns Hopkins or something.

[cubs]

Anyone want to share why Whitewater isn't hosting a Regional?

My original thought was that softball might be hosting, but that's not the case... They have a long tradition of hosting so I doubt it's not as simple as not putting in a bid to host but I could be wrong...

[Pat Coleman]

Anyone want to share why Whitewater isn't hosting a Regional?

My original thought was that softball might be hosting, but that's not the case... They have a long tradition of hosting so I doubt it's not as simple as not putting in a bid to host but I could be wrong...

Not sure here either but we have inquired.

[Ron Boerger]

And I was just informed that a decision was made (not by athletics) for Trinity *not* to submit a bid after the conversation I had to the contrary earlier in the week.  Apologies to all.

[Ralph Turner]

Well Region X fans, we were distributed to 4 regionals and only needed 4 flights to do it.
That is a pretty good bracket. Best wishes to all of my Region X buddies!

[colinsteinke]

Anyone want to share why Whitewater isn't hosting a Regional?

My original thought was that softball might be hosting, but that's not the case... They have a long tradition of hosting so I doubt it's not as simple as not putting in a bid to host but I could be wrong...

Not sure here either but we have inquired.

Did you ever get an actual answer?

[Pat Coleman]

From the committee: "there were facility restrictions and the committee moved the site to Adrian."

[cubs]

Intersting approach for the University of Chicago this morning against UWO...  They give the start to one their primary relievers (who had started just two games on the season) and he gets run off the mound before the first inning is even finished.  A pair of singles, three doubles and a Kirchberg HR chases the starter as UWO takes an early 6-1 lead with two outs in the 1st inning.

The reliever doesn't fare much better as he goes single, single, walk, Grand Slam and UWO takes a 10-1 lead into the second inning.

This UAA vs WIAC match-up has turned into a laugher early!

[cubs]

Intersting approach for the University of Chicago this morning against UWO...  They give the start to one their primary relievers (who had started just two games on the season) and he gets run off the mound before the first inning is even finished.

And before the second inning is even over, Chicago has now used two of their Top 3 starters (in addition to their top reliever) in the first game of Regionals....

[cubs]

UWO 30
Chicago 5

All nine UWO starters score multiple runs, while seven out of their nine starters have multiple hits on their way to separate 10, 11, and 8 run innings.  All ten Titan's to bat had at least one hit and one run scored.

This isn't going to help those that think the UAA had too many teams (4) qualify for Regionals based off of the new NPI data.  So much for that great matchup that some thought we might see this morning?!?

EDIT-Totally forgot that there isn't a mercy rule in Regional Play....  So of course it's now 34-5 as UWO's Surane hit for the cycle with getting an at-bat in the 7th inning.

[Ralph Turner]

McMurry gets its 1st playoff win in school history, 8-7 over Pomona-Pitzer. They had been 0-4.