In preparation for bracket expansion from 48 to 64 teams beginning in 2006, the Division II Softball Committee has agreed to a standard eight-team double-elimination format for championships finals.

The committee, which reached its decision during its July 12-14 meeting in San Diego, will submit two options for the Division II Championships Committee to consider. The first allows for a three-weekend championship, beginning with a regional round with four teams at 16 sites and a best-of-three super regional, followed by the finals.

The second option provides for a two-weekend championship series with eight teams at eight regional sites, followed by the finals a week later. The finals would be played Thursday through Sunday or Monday, if necessary.

Further, the committee modified a portion of the bracket so that regional game Nos. 5 and 6 will feature the No. 2 seed vs. the No. 3 seed and the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 4 seed, respectively. The action was taken to avoid requiring one of the teams to play back-to-back games.

The committee also is asking that the host sites for regionals be determined by the fifth ranking call and notified afterward, which will allow hosts to have more time to prepare for the regional round. The highest seed in each region will be chosen, provided that all other criteria are met.

The committee also voted to renew automatic-qualification status for 22 conferences for the upcoming season. Members also recommended that the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference be moved to the Mid-Atlantic region, an action that will need to be approved by the Division II Championships Committee.

In other items, the committee: