Several rules modifications were approved during the recent NCAA Divisions I, II and III Field Hockey Committee meetings February 7-10 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The rules changes and modifications were instituted during a joint session and will affect all three divisions.

Based on two recent rules changes adopted by the U.S. Field Hockey Association (USFHA) regarding appropriate safety measures to protect players, the three committees adopted rules stipulating that goalkeepers must wear mouth guards at all times and must wear appropriate head and throat gear.

The three committees adopted the rules after hearing a presentation from Jane Hansen of the USFHA. Coaches can find information about the rules changes and modifications on the USFHA Web site and in the USFHA newsletter. In addition, the NCAA rules modification sheet will be distributed in early May.

In other rules actions, the three committees approved the use of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) rules book for the 2001 season. Currently, NCAA field hockey uses the FIH rules book as a primary source of playing rules, but not exclusively. Starting in 2001, NCAA field hockey will use the FIH rules book in its entirety.

In a separate matter, the Division I Field Hockey Committee reviewed the 1999 championships. Based on the behavior of some coaches at the 1999 championships, the committee wishes to remind coaches to review the misconduct rules stated in the championships handbook.

The three committees also met separately and took several division-specific actions.

Division I

The Division I Field Hockey Committee reviewed prospective future championships sites as well as automatic-qualification applications during its meeting.

The committee also approved the use of a rating-percentage index as part of championships selection criteria and discussed announcing the championship bracket the Tuesday before the start of the championship.

The committee also heard a presentation from Gwen Lloyd of the USFHA about evaluating officials for championship play.

Division II

Recently approved bracket expansion caused the Division II Field Hockey Committee to recommend a new championship format to the Division II Championships Committee.

For the 2000 season, the championship bracket will be expanded from two to four teams. Two teams from the North and two teams from the South will be selected to play in the championship.

North teams will play each other and the two South teams will be paired, resulting in one team from each region in the championship game.

The committee has requested that the four teams be seeded Nos. 1 through 4, with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed playing the No. 3 seed.

The committee also recommended that the championship site alternate between the north and south region each year. The committee feels the alternating venues will provide more opportunities for schools to host.

In other actions, the committee discussed officiating assignments for next year's championships, and it agreed that an administrator and a coach must be in attendance at the coaches' meeting before the championship.

Division III

The Division III Field Hockey Committee added two automatic qualifiers to the existing eight. The Commonwealth Coast and Little East Conferences were added to Pool A for 2000. Pools A, B and C will now have 10, six and two teams, respectively.

For the 2000 season, the committee decided not to publish rankings because it believes the rankings are not a true indicator of teams that will be selected for the championships. The regional advisory committees and the national committee will continue to do rankings; however, the only published rankings will be the ones done by the College Field Hockey Coaches Association.

In other actions, the committee:

* Recommended changes to language defining strength-of-schedule.

* Agreed on the following fixed game times for all rounds of the championship (unless alternative times are approved by the national committee): 2 p.m. for the first round, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. for the second, third and championship rounds.

* Recommended that for 2001, a maximum of four flights be permitted for officials to work any of the rounds of the championship due to the limited pool of officials

* Agreed to work with USFHA to help identify officials to work the preliminary rounds, and assist in the evaluation of officials at the semifinals to determine which officials will work the final.