The Division II Championships Committee has allocated $100,000 in funds for a pilot program to promote and market selected 2002-03 Division II championship events.

At its June 26-29 meeting, the committee directed $10,000 to the men's and women's track championships; $10,000 to the men's and women's soccer championships (assuming they are conducted at a common site); $30,000 to the women's basketball championship; and $30,000 to the football championship. For each event, $5,000 was set aside for follow-up research to determine the effectiveness of the programs that will be implemented. The committee hopes to create some success stories to provide the impetus for ongoing funding for such initiatives.

The committee based the allocations on several criteria designed to make the best and most equitable use of the money:

Four sites were selected so the benefit of the money would not be diluted.

Selected championships were to be gender equitable.

The committee sought a balance between team and individual championships.

The committee also wanted to target both established sites and new sites.

In the end, the final choice came down to football, men's basketball or baseball. The committee concluded that football stood to gain the most since the money would be targeted at the actual championship game rather than being spread out over many tournament contests.

The committee stressed that hosts are to be made aware of the extra promotional money and that they should regard the funds as a means to promote the championships beyond what they otherwise would have been able to do.

The committee's recommendation is subject to Management Council approval.

Also, the committee now believes that mid-May might be an appropriate date for the festival. Previously, it appeared that Memorial Day weekend would be preferred; however, such a schedule might create too big a gap between the end of classes and championship competition in some sports.

Other business

The committee also reversed its previous decision to remove conference tournaments from strength-of-schedule computations. The change had been recommended because the committee thought that the strength of schedule of top-seeded teams could be harmed if they played lower-rated opponents in a conference tournament. However, the committee concluded that the effect of conference tournament games would be minimal in most cases.

In response to a recommendation from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, the committee endorsed a pilot year-round drug-testing program for Division II baseball. Because of financial constraints, the program would "borrow" from Division II football's year-round program so that the total number of athletes tested in both sports would equal the number currently tested in football. The Championships Committee will ask the Division II Management Council to provide additional funding so that the number of football student-athletes tested will not be affected by the addition of baseball. If additional funding is not available, however, the committee recommended proceeding with the plan as recommended by the competitive-safeguards committee.

The committee also approved a recommendation from the competitive-safeguards committee to forgo notification at the pre-championship coaches meeting that drug testing will occur at that event. Division III defeated the proposal, while Division I has yet to consider it. A determination will have to be made if the divisions can approach this policy in different ways.

Sports committees

The committee also received reports from Division II sports committees:

Field hockey -- A predetermined site will be pursued for the 2001 championship.

For the individual regions, eight teams and five individuals would be selected, with two neighboring regions combining at one site (for example, Northeast and East, Atlantic and Southeast, South and South Central, Central Great Lakes, and Northwest and West). The committee believes combining the regions will enhance the championship feel while at the same time producing greater financial efficiency.

With eight teams playing in each region, per diem costs would increase, although they would be offset by the lower administrative expenses resulting from combining regional sites.

In another action, the committee asked the men's and women's golf committees to develop proposals to provide for automatic qualification beginning with the 2003 championship. The proposals will be considered in January.

The Championships Committee also invited the Division II Men's Golf Committee to expand from three to five members for 2002-03 so that each regional site would be assured of having a committee member present. Other committees that were invited to expand included field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis.

Women's ice hockey -- The committee voted against a proposal to change the makeup of the Women's Ice Hockey Committee to three Division I representatives and three Divisions I or II representatives. Only two institutions sponsor women's ice hockey in Division II, but a number of Division II institutions sponsor the sport at the Division I level. The committee was concerned that the proposal would adversely affect those institutions.

Soccer -- The committee asked for recommendations from the men's and women's soccer committees to expand the fields for those championships from 16 to 24 teams for men and 24 to 32 teams for women. The recommendation will be considered in September. Men's and women's basketball already had been invited to expand their fields from 48 to 64 teams.

The Championship Committee also asked for proposals for automatic qualification in tennis beginning in 2003.

Women's volleyball -- Rally scoring was approved for the Division II Women's Volleyball Championship.

Wrestling -- The championship date formula was adjusted so that the Divisions I, II and III championships will occur on sequential weekends, with Division III competing first.

The committee also approved a recommendation to base preliminary-round competition at the national championship on grouping like finishers from regional competition together. For example, the winners from each region will be grouped together and bracketed against lower regional finishers from each of the four regions.

The order of competition will be determined by a random draw. Also, replacement wrestlers are to be the next-best wrestler from the weight class at which the replacement is required.

Other highlights

Division II Championships Committee
June 26-29/Jackson, Wyoming

Requested that sports committees not announce future championship sites until they are approved by the Championships Committee.

Noted that the new budget timetable that will require a two-year projection, so that championship matters for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be considered at the September meeting.

The committee also agreed to provide free admission to any Division II championship to any child age two or younger, as long as the child sits in an adult's lap.