The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- July 5, 1999

Rowing committee considers championship format changes

Format and field changes are being considered by the NCAA Women's Rowing Committee for its 2001 championship.

At its annual meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, June 9-11, the committee voted to maintain the current format of the championship and examine other options in the upcoming year.

In 2001, the committee would like to select from five regionals instead of four. Under the current system, one team is selected from each region, and six teams are selected at large. The committee would continue to select one team from each region.

The split of the Central region, which currently stretches from Florida to Iowa, would create a Central region and a South region. The proposal will be forwarded in September to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet for approval.

Also being forwarded to the Championships/Competition Cabinet is a recommendation from the committee to delete the selection procedure of comparing results from major regattas. It already is current practice to review all results.

The format of the championship is being scrutinized by the committee as it considers eliminating the fours competition and going to three eights competitions to determine the national champion.

The committee is asking the coaches association to examine the issue with its membership at a future forum. During the three-year history of the championship, the committee has made minor changes to the format. Before proceeding with future changes, the committee will conduct a thorough discussion with the rowing community.

Beginning next season, results will need to be submitted to the regional advisory committees within 24 hours after the competition rather than within one week. More timely results will allow regional advisory committees to have the most recent scores available during weekly rankings calls.

Lineup forms, which are submitted to the national office the Monday before the start of selections, cannot have more than 25 percent of the information change after submission. In other words, an eight can have only two changes in lineup at the championship, excluding the coxswain. Also, to be considered for championship selection, 75 percent of the declared lineup must have raced together at some time during the season. This change will allow the committee to better gauge the quality of a boat during selections.

Currently, the committee deciphers the top three seeds and places one of these competitors in each heat. The committee voted at the annual meeting to further seed the heats beginning with the 2000 championship. Three No. 1 seeds and three No. 2 seeds will be chosen from the field. One of each seed will be placed in each heat by random draw, and only one Division II or Division III boat will be represented in each heat.