NCAA Division I Regional Change?

[HigherEd]

At the NCAA coaches convention in Phoenix which recently finished there was a vote taken on two proposals for NCAA Track & Field Regionals. One was the Super 64/Sweet 16 proposal which would have qualifed 64 athletes in each event including all conference champions to one site based on a descending order list, and then 16 would advance to the NCAA finals at that same site. Would have meant an 11 day meet. That narrowly passed 136-134. Another proposal was aimed at just tweaking the current system, by giving 4 auto qualifiers in each event, and then basing how many a region gets depending on how many declared athletes in each event. If less than 20 declare, then only 4 auto's go in that event, if more than 25 then 5 auto's, and if more than 30 then 6 auto's. This is to reward those regions which have more numbers in select events. That proposal passed also. Then when a vote was taken between the proposals the tweaking proposal passed. Now we have to see if the T&F Committee will implement it for the 2008 outdoor season.

Any thoughts on this latest revamping/tweaking of the system?

[Bruce Kritzler]

Tweaking the present system sounds great. 4 auto's and additional based on number of declared qualifiers makes even more sense than wholesale moving of teams. Now it doesn't really matter which region you are in, assuming it is implemented.