The Division II Women's Golf Committee is implementing a policy change for the 2005-06 season regarding how teams meet eligibility requirements for championship selection.

Meeting June 20-22 in Key West, Flori-
da, committee members confirmed the change approved by the Division II Championships Committee in September 2004 that allows teams to be championship-eligible as long as they attend five tournaments hosted by in-region Division II teams and whose fields include at least five other in-region Division II teams. Schools also can become championship-eligible under the current "25 percent rule" in Division II that requires 25 percent of contests to be against in-region Division II opponents.

The new option is in place to give institutions more flexibility in qualifying for championship selection, and to provide coaches with a better idea of where their teams stand with regard to eligibility earlier in the season.

In the past, the 25 percent rule has been problematic for some institutions that schedule to participate in tournaments with only limited Division II opponents who later in the season drop out of the field. Committee members believe the new option will help alleviate that concern. Further, they believe if teams attempt to be championship-eligible via the new option, they most likely will satisfy the 25 percent rule as well, even if one of the five tournaments ends up not having the required number of in-region Division II opponents.

In another action involving eligibility for selection, the golf committee recommended to the Championships Committee that, effective with the 2006-07 season, teams must play eight of the 15 competitive rounds required to be considered for championships selection in the spring. Currently, only four of the 15 rounds are required to be played in the spring, but committee members believe even schools in Northern climates should be able to complete four 36-hole tournaments in the spring season.

Committee members also discussed items with budget ramifications and will forward four priorities to the Championships Committee for consideration. The items include bracket expansion, both at the championship and regional sites, and paying for institutions' travel expenses to the regionals, a cost participating institutions currently must incur.

The committee also recommended adding a third day to regional competition to align with the format currently used in the Division II Men's Golf Championships. The current format in Division II women's golf is a two-day, 54-hole regional, with 36 holes completed on the first day. The Championships Committee actually asked the women's golf committee to consider a three-day event since the men's committee already was conducting its regionals that way.

The women's tournament changed from an 18-18 two-day regional format to the 36-18 two-day format in 2002, two years after Division II began conducting its own championship (the tournament had been a combined Division II/III event from 1996 through 1999). The committee wanted to expand to a three-day regional format at that time, but it was between budget years and committee members decided to expand to 54 holes immediately without having to fund the additional day's per diem.

The golf committee reviewed the issue again two years ago but was faced with other budget items that were of higher priority. The membership agreed with that assessment, noting its willingness to stay with the two-day regional format for another budget cycle. Now, though, the membership wants to consider the three-day regional a priority.

It remains to be seen, though, whether the Championships Committee will be able to fund all of the golf committee's budget requests.

In other actions at the golf committee's meeting, members praised 2005 championship host Western New Mexico, which administered the finals at the University of New Mexico's Championship Course.

Members also recommended regional hosts for 2006 and a finals site for 2007 to the Championships Committee. That announcement will be made after the Championship Committee's September meeting. The 2006 championship will be at Grand Valley State University.