Bracket Prediction

[kansas hokie]

Agree with you Ron, think the NCAA has no choice but to have a Texas pod in both womens and mens brackets. How they figure out hosting is likely someone in NCAA getting two AD's on the phone with where they want to go and asking them to host. You could see this coming last week though and I know the NCAA was talking with host sites earlier so it's probably already figured out.

They certainly aren't adding three flights to either bracket when quality local host sites are there to use.

[Kuiper]

Hmm, Trinity(TX) women are 17, which wouldn't normally get to host but there are three teams in Texas that need to play somewhere (Trinity, McMurry (82), Hardin-Simmons (57)) just like the men.  If women truly have priority it could upset the apple cart.  Will be interesting to see how the NCAA handles this tomorrow because either you let someone who really shouldn't host (like Hardin-Simmons in the women's case, TLU in the men's, ASSUMING EITHER SUBMITTED A BID) host or you are going to fly three teams somewhere.

Given the way the NCAA pinches pennies my bet is on the former option.

Can Texas Lutheran even host on campus given that their field is open access and can't easily prevent people from watching without paying?  They appeared to be the "host" of the SCAC Conference Championships in terms of hosting LiveStats etc, but they were held at the Round Rock complex, which is over an hour north of Texas Lutheran.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Could just use a local high school football field that have soccer markings. They are generally gated off.

[Convict charlie]

Hmm, Trinity(TX) women are 17, which wouldn't normally get to host but there are three teams in Texas that need to play somewhere (Trinity, McMurry (82), Hardin-Simmons (57)) just like the men.  If women truly have priority it could upset the apple cart.  Will be interesting to see how the NCAA handles this tomorrow because either you let someone who really shouldn't host (like Hardin-Simmons in the women's case, TLU in the men's, ASSUMING EITHER SUBMITTED A BID) host or you are going to fly three teams somewhere.

Given the way the NCAA pinches pennies my bet is on the former option.

Can Texas Lutheran even host on campus given that their field is open access and can't easily prevent people from watching without paying?  They appeared to be the "host" of the SCAC Conference Championships in terms of hosting LiveStats etc, but they were held at the Round Rock complex, which is over an hour north of Texas Lutheran.

I think the year was '08 when I was at Medaille. We applied to host but our home field wasn't eligible at the time as there was no locker rooms (played at an off sight facility). We got a first round bye think there was only 60 teams that year. Anyways we played round of 32 game against Nazareth at University at Buffalo Football Stadium. They don't have Men's Soccer anymore- we played on the turf field but they also had a grass field outside the stadium.

[kansas hokie]

Great insight Kuiper, don't think that would meet the NCAA standards, but wasn't aware of the local set-up. The NCAA does state that the team must have played over half of their games on the field that they plan to use. That's how schools with two fields plan ahead to have the chance to host both, they schedule the teams to use both fields enough to qualify. Chicago and Tufts will likely host both men and women this next weekend through this. Still think NCAA finds a way to put both men and women Texas pod together though.

[mngopher]

Hmm, Trinity(TX) women are 17, which wouldn't normally get to host but there are three teams in Texas that need to play somewhere (Trinity, McMurry (82), Hardin-Simmons (57)) just like the men.  If women truly have priority it could upset the apple cart.  Will be interesting to see how the NCAA handles this tomorrow because either you let someone who really shouldn't host (like Hardin-Simmons in the women's case, TLU in the men's, ASSUMING EITHER SUBMITTED A BID) host or you are going to fly three teams somewhere.

Given the way the NCAA pinches pennies my bet is on the former option.

Is it not allowed to have both men and women host at the same time, or just something that is avoided wherever possible?

Trinity has lights at their field if I recall correctly. It would be a long day, but the first men's game could kick off at 10am then first women's game at 5pm.

Double hosting might be a problem at some of the more rural small schools just getting hotel arrangements for 4 teams, but I'd guess it would not be an issue in San Antonio.

[Ron Boerger]

Is it not allowed to have both men and women host at the same time, or just something that is avoided wherever possible?

Trinity has lights at their field if I recall correctly. It would be a long day, but the first men's game could kick off at 10am then first women's game at 5pm.

Double hosting might be a problem at some of the more rural small schools just getting hotel arrangements for 4 teams, but I'd guess it would not be an issue in San Antonio.

Trinity does have lights.  It has never double hosted to my recollection, and they often have teams good enough to do so if it was an option.  Also, it's a grass field; while well-maintained, that would be a lot of wear and tear in a short period of time, especially should it decide to rain at some point.

[kansas hokie]

The NCAA guidelines are in here is anyone wants to read up - NCAA selection guidelines

Here's the important language: (page 20)

CRITERIA
The Division III Championships Committee has prioritized the site-selection criteria in the following order for Division III championships:

1. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations.
2. Geographical location (including such factors as rotation of sites, weather conditions, accessibility and
transportation costs).
3. Attendance history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to assure fiscal responsibility.
4. Hosts will be selected based on meeting the minimum hosting requirements and maintaining geographic proximity.

Seeding may be a consideration when selecting hosts but is not determinative.

In addition, the soccer committees include the following site-selection deliberations:

● Preference is given to grass/grass-like surfaces; and
● The potential host must have played the majority of its home games on the field it is submitting for
consideration.

A competing institution that cannot charge admission at its home facility and/or cannot establish a barrier to separate the spectators from the field of play, and/or does not have a field that meets minimum-size requirements (70 yards x 115 yards) may not serve as host.

[Kuiper]

Maybe they've put up barriers since the last time I saw it, but traditionally people brought lawn chairs and umbrellas and sat by the sidelines. It wouldn't explain why the SCAC championship was held at a different site, but maybe it was more convenient for multiple teams.

[Ron Boerger]

I believe the barrier thing is to keep people from getting in / watching without paying rather than actually physically separating attendees from the field.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity women are hosting the Texas pod (along with Cal Lutheran who is the top seed in the pod).

Edit:  so are the men.  Color me stunned.

[eaglesoccerdad]

I believe the barrier thing is to keep people from getting in / watching without paying rather than actually physically separating attendees from the field.

from what I recall at Amherst they just had a rope like barrier around the field but there was no fencing or other barriers to prevent attendees from watching without paying

[VASoccerDad]

Could just use a local high school football field that have soccer markings. They are generally gated off.

Seguin High School is the only school in the area- I attended there a couple of years back in the late 80's. I'm sure a lot has changed, but back then soccer played on a grass field adjacent to the stadium. And Texas Lutheran was known as Texas Lutheran College (TLC). Looking at the high school schedule from last year, it does look like they play at "Matador Stadium"- which is the HS football stadium.