The NCAA Divisions I, II and III Women's Lacrosse Committees discussed conducting future championships at a common site during the groups' annual meetings June 20-23 in Key West, Florida.

Though the committees met separately to discuss division-specific items, they also held a joint meeting to talk about possibly combining the championships into one weekend at one site, similar to the current men's lacrosse championships format.

No decisions as to a timeline or a format were made, and all divisions are seeking feedback and input from coaches and other interested parties. The earliest a change could be made is 2007. The committees noted that any recommendation must be approved by each division's championships body.

The committees also discussed the formation of the Women's Lacrosse Rules Committee, which will be implemented in September 2005. The appointees from Division I are Jenny Slingluff-Levy, head women's lacrosse coach at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kelly Amonte Hiller, head women's lacrosse coach at Northwestern University; Barbara Questa, senior associate director of athletics at St. Bonaventure University; and Danie Caro, head women's lacrosse coach at Stony Brook University.

The appointees from Division III are head coaches Karen Borbee from Swarthmore College, Karen Hollands from Ithaca College and Christine Paradis from Amherst College.

Division II has one slot to fill. All terms begin September 1, with the ending date yet to be determined.

Division I actions

In its division-specific meeting, the Division I committee confirmed regional committee chairs Sue Groff from the University of Delaware (Northeast), Karen Adams from Lehigh University (Mid-Atlantic), Kerstin Kimel from Duke University (South) and Cathy Swezey from Vanderbilt University (West/Midwest).

Members also discussed the 25th anniversary of the Division I championship, to be celebrated in 2006. To mark the occasion, the committee will appoint a panel to select a 25th anniversary team and coach.

The committee also requested an increase in officials' fees and an increase in the number of flights available for officials. Both requests will be considered by the Championships/Competition Cabinet in September.

In addition, the committee recommended the following automatic-qualifying conferences for the 2006 championship: the America East Conference, the American Lacrosse Conference, the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Big East Conference, the Colonial Athletic Association, the Ivy Group and the Northeast Conference. The committee also recommended a play-in game between the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the Patriot League.

Committee members also recommended that Sandra Taylor, associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator at Manhattan College, serve as chair.

Division II actions

The Division II committee asked the Division II Championships Committee to consider bracket expansion from four to six teams (three from each region). The committee believes the increase would provide more exposure for Division II women's lacrosse, help promote regionalization and create more championship experiences for student-athletes.

The committee also believes the strength of each region has legitimized the need for a third-place game at the championship.

Members also forwarded revised selection criteria to the Championships Committee for approval. Recommendations for primary selection criteria are in-region win-loss record, quality-of-wins index (QWI), strength of schedule (in-region winning percentage and opponents' winning percentage), greater than .500 record vs. Division II opponents, head-to-head competition and results against common opponents.

Postseason conference tournament games do not count in the QWI.

Secondary selection criteria will include late-season performance, wins over teams with records above .750 and a team's overall Division II record.

The Division II committee also reviewed bids from prospective hosts for the 2006 championship and forwarded a recommendation to the Championships Committee.

The group also recommended that Michael Daly of Stonehill College serve as the next committee chair.

Division III actions

The Division III committee recommended the following automatic-qualifying conferences for the 2006 championship (the first with an expanded field of 24 teams): the Capital Athletic, Centennial, Commonwealth Coast, Little East, Middle Atlantic States, New England Small College Athletic, New England Women's and Men's Athletic, North Coast Athletic, Old Dominion Athletic, Pennsylvania Athletic, State University of New York Athletic and USA South Athletic Conferences; the Empire 8; the Liberty League; and the New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance.

Members also elected Lynn Rothenhoefer of Rosemont College as chair.