Now that the first National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship is set for May 12-13, 2001, the date formula, championship format, selection criteria and site-selection criteria were the first order of business for the newly formed Women's Water Polo Committee, which met June 12-14 in Newport Beach, California.

A four-team, single-elimination tournament with a consolation bracket to determine third and fourth places was approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet, and the committee will be recommending the 2001 site in August. The site-selection criteria, which also received cabinet approval, will be based on the quality and availability of the facility, revenue potential (financial guarantee), attendance history and potential and geographic location.

Automatic bids will be awarded to champions of the Collegiate Water Polo Association, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and the Western Water Polo Association. The final team will be selected at-large without geographic restriction. The at-large bid will be based on won-lost record; strength of schedule; head-to-head competition; won-lost record in the final 10 regular-season games; won-lost record against automatic qualifiers to the tournament; conference tournament performance; results against common opponents and eligibility and availability of student-athletes.

The official traveling party to the championship will include 16 student-athletes and three nonathletes as approved by the Championships/
Competition Cabinet.

Four match officials will be paid $100 per game, and two goal judges will be paid $10 per contest at the championship.

Kaia Hedlund, director of special projects at the Big West Conference, was recommended to chair the committee, an action subsequently approved by the Championships/Competition Cabinet.