The Division I Softball Committee is recommending a change in the championship date formula and format to the Championships/Competition Cabinet.

The committee developed the recommendation during its annual meeting July 7-11 in Indianapolis.

Similar to the format forwarded to the cabinet when the bracket expanded from 48 teams to 64, the committee is recommending regionals of four teams playing double-elimination brackets over three days at 16 sites. Then, though, the 16 advancing teams would play super regionals at eight sites for a best-of-three series over two days. Neither the regional or super regional sites would be predetermined. The eight teams coming out of the super regionals would advance to the Women's College World Series (WCWS).

The WCWS would be conducted the week after Memorial Day weekend, spanning Thursday through Monday.

"The committee is very much in favor of going to the super regional format," said committee Chair Lisa Vad Thorner, assistant commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference. "This new format would provide additional opportunities for student-athletes, increased exposure in more widespread geographic areas and a more exciting format leading to the Women's College World Series.

"In addition, ESPN is in favor of moving the WCWS a week later and will look to continue to televise all of the games, which has been great for softball."

The order of games in regional and WCWS play would be altered to avoid a team playing back-to-back games and assure that the top teams will receive prime-time game assignments.

The committee also is recommending a bonus/penalty system for the Rating Percentage Index (RPI) in 2004. If approved by the Championships/Competition Cabinet, a bonus for wins against teams in the top 50 and a penalty for losses against teams at the bottom of the RPI would be implemented.

"The parity in Division I softball is growing every year," Vad Thorner said. "The committee believes that the RPI is one of many important tools that provides additional information. By using a bonus and penalty system, teams would be awarded for playing tough schedules and winning those games.

"On the other hand, teams would be penalized for playing weaker schedules and losing to teams that are ranked below 100. The committee is looking for any other tool to help separate teams that have common records and look very similar on paper."

In other issues, the committee continues to be concerned about the length of games and has requested that the National Fastpitch Coaches Association bring that issue to their membership for review.

The committee also will forward a recommendation to the Championships/Competition Cabinet to provide a stipend to the umpire-in-chief of each regional crew and increase umpire fees.

The NCAA Umpire Improvement Program also reported that it will offer four clinics annually to review rules changes, techniques and education. This year's clinics will be December 5 in Houston, December 13 in Los Angeles, January 10 in Atlanta and January 17 in Chicago.