The Division III Men's and Women's Tennis Committee discussed a possible change in the championship date formula during its annual meeting July 11-13 in San Francisco.

The concept would change the championship date formula from Wednesday through Monday to a Monday-through-Saturday format. Committee members are examining whether the initial Monday of competition conflicts with graduation ceremonies. Women's committee members also are considering a Tuesday-through-Sunday configuration.

Neither the men's nor the women's committee representatives support moving the Division III tennis championships to the fall, a concept currently being discussed within the Division III governance structure. They are opposed for a variety of reasons, including their belief that a compacted season may cause an increase in missed class time. They also believe a fall championship segment would dramatically diminish the winter and spring tennis seasons and decrease student-athletes' motivation to improve. Also, student-athletes likely would be unable to participate in ITA regional and national championship tournaments held in the fall.

Committee members also met with Intercollegiate Tennis Association representatives David Benjamin and Casey Angle to finalize ranking dates for the 2005-06 season and to discuss slight adjustments in how teams and players are ranked.

The committee also selected Rich Meckfessel, commissioner of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, as its new chair.

In actions that affect the men's championships, committee members are recommending that the Division III Championships Committee change the tour-
nament to a nine-point scoring system from a seven-point system to be consistent with the women's championship. A survey of men's coaches found strong support for the change.

The point-system change also led to another request from the men -- an increase in squad size from seven to eight in 2007. The women's squad size currently is eight, and with the implementation of a nine-point scoring system, committee members believe the extra depth on the men's squad size is necessary.

Women's actions

Women's committee members recommended that all first- and second-round sites in the championship tournament have a minimum of four roving umpires and a chair umpire. Currently, some matches are played with fewer than four umpires, and the committee believes that a minimum requirement is important for the championship. If approved, the practice would become effective with the 2006 championships.

Members also are recommending that the women's championships use the same lineup procedures as the men's championships. Currently, the women allow only eight eligible student-athletes listed in strength order on their lineups, while the men allow for 10. The change will allow coaches to declare a different lineup of eight student-athletes in the first and second rounds and the finals, as long as they are listed in strength order. The recommendation would apply to the doubles portion of the team lineup, too.

Committee members also recommended future championships sites to the Division III Championships Committee, including the recommendation that the 2007 championship be a combined event with the men. They also visited the University of California, Santa Cruz, site of the 2006 women's championships.