The Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee made several decisions regarding automatic qualification for the 2001 championship during its annual meeting July 18-21 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

The committee awarded the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) an automatic bid for the 2001 championship, along with the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the Hockey East Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. In the past, the other conferences (not including the MAAC) were awarded two bids each, one for the regular-season champion and one for the postseason champion.

The five conferences have noted that their postseason tournaments will determine their automatic bids. With the five automatic bids, the remaining seven teams will be selected at-large.

In the past, if one team won the regular-season and postseason title, that team would have received a bye in the first round of the NCAA championship.

This no longer will be the case. The top four seeds will be based on the selection criteria. If the top two seeds nationally are from the same region, the second seed will be sent to the opposite region and become that region's top seed.

The committee also discussed the rating-percentage index (RPI), which is part of the selection criteria.

The group looked at different scenarios from last season and determined that, by and large, the current system is efficient.

In actions regarding the Frozen Four, the committee voted to implement a ticket lottery starting with the 2002 Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota. The 2001 Frozen Four in Albany, New York, is sold out.

"The committee wanted to reward the loyal college hockey fans who have made this an annual event," said Thomas A. Jacobs, NCAA director of championships.

After ticket blocks are deducted, 50 percent of the remaining tickets will be reserved for fans that have attended the championship in the past.

The other 50 percent will be distributed by a random drawing from ticket applications. Ticket applications will be available April 5.

Other highlights

Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee
July 18-21/Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Considered changing its selection show to the Monday after conference championship weekend so that teams could hold their final game on Sunday evening if they wished. The committee decided to keep the show on Sunday afternoon for the 2001 championship, but will consider changing for 2002 after receiving input from coaches and conference officials.

Met with Frank Cole, national coordinator of officials, and evaluated the systems used and quality of officiating in last year's tournament. Overall, the committee was pleased with the officiating and thought the best officials advanced to the Frozen Four. The committee again instructed Cole to advance the most qualified officials to the tournament and Frozen Four, regardless of conference affiliation. The committee also supported the use of official NCAA patches throughout the regular season for officials.