The Division II Baseball Committee, anticipating an expansion of the Division II Baseball Championship bracket, began reviewing the impact of that action on matters ranging from championship qualification to hosting requirements during its June 14-17 meeting in San Diego.

The discussion was prompted by the Division II Presidents Council's approval in April of funding to increase the Division II Baseball Championship bracket from 32 to 48 teams in 2006, pending final adoption in August of the Association's budget by the NCAA Executive Committee.

Expansion of the championship will have an impact on matters ranging from automatic qualification -- which must be implemented in any Division II championships involving 48 or more teams -- to demands on hosts as regional tournaments expand from a four- to six-team double-elimination format.

Ultimately, the Division II Baseball Committee is responsible for establishing any new criteria for conducting the championship, but it decided during the meeting that it will solicit as much input as possible into those decisions from Division II institutions, conferences and baseball coaches.

The committee reported to the Division II Championships Committee that it will consider regional realignment as necessary, due to bracket expansion or such factors as changes in conference membership.

The committee noted the possibility that alignment likely will be affected by pending changes in the makeup of some Division II conferences, due to reclassification of members to other divisions or possible moves by institutions from one conference to another.

Committee members also listed a variety of other issues for consideration for the coming year, and indicated they actively will seek feedback on those issues, including:

Suitabilility of host institutions' facilities. The committee discussed the possibility of requiring that playing facilities be lighted, in order to ensure that six-team regionals would be completed even with weather delays.

Possible designation of regional sites before selection of teams, in order to give host institutions adequate time to prepare for the tournament.

Requirements for hotel accommodations, including size of facilities and location.

The committee also anticipates reviewing current criteria for selection of at-large teams. One issue the committee expects to review is whether home losses and road victories should be counted in the selection formula for the championship. Committee members discussed whether home-field advantage is becoming a more significant factor in Division II competition.

The committee also spent time during the meeting reviewing the 2004 championship, which was held for the 20th consecutive year at Paterson Field in Montgomery, Alabama.

Members reviewed findings from a site visit the committee conducted during the championship to the Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, a new minor-league park located a short distance away from Paterson Field.

The committee is considering the possibility of scheduling future championships at that 7,000-fan venue, pending efforts by the City of Montgomery and the park's primary tenant, the Class AA Montgomery Biscuits, to schedule games away from the venue during championship dates.