The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds at the Division II softball regionals will receive a first-round bye in 2003.

The Division II Softball Committee voted to adopt the new championship format during its annual meeting July 14-17 in San Francisco.

"Teams that work hard during the year to earn a first or second seed will now be rewarded with a first-round bye, which is a great incentive," said Brian DeMasters, head softball coach at Queens College (New York) and chair of the committee.

Based on the three Division II selection principles, the softball committee will choose teams for the championship based on won-lost record, which includes overall record, record against Division II teams, Division II in-region won-lost record and Division II in-region, non-conference, won-lost record. Strength of schedule is the second component, entailing overall power rating, divisional in-region power rating, in-region record against top-10 opponents, Division II in-region wins on the road and victories against Division II teams over .500. The third selection criterion is eligibility and availability of student-athletes.

Head-to-head competition, Division II in-region power rating and performance in the last 15 games will be considered in order when a tie occurs.

The NCAA Web site will include detailed selection-process information for each Division II sport, including softball. The information will be available before regular-season play begins.

"The information on the Web site will allow coaches to have a comprehensive look at the process of selecting teams," DeMasters said. "There will always remain some subjectivity to the process in how you evaluate the numbers, but the information should create a better awareness of the process."

To help evaluate potential sites, the committee created a check list of questions for prospective institutions to complete. The list includes items such as lights that are not required but preferred.

"When we have the opportunity to choose between two sites, this information can be helpful to giving student-athletes the best possible experience," DeMasters said.

In other actions, the committee agreed that game No. 14 of the championship final will be played at 6 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m. in 2003. The game is the championship game if the undefeated team wins the contest, otherwise the championship "if necessary" game is the following day.

The committee also recommended Janet Montgomery, senior woman administrator and head softball coach at the University of West Alabama, as the next committee chair.