The Division I Men’s Soccer Committee has agreed that non-automatic qualifiers must have a won-loss record of .500 or above to receive at-large consideration for future Division I Men’s Soccer Championships.

The committee recommended the change last month and modified other selection procedures during its meeting in Indianapolis.

In terms of the selection process, the committee will consider each team’s nonconference opponents (both strength of schedule and results against those opponents) as a specific criterion for selection. Teams will also be evaluated on their performance during the last eight games of the season (including conference championships) and results against teams already selected to the field of 48. Those changes must be approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet before being enacted.

Additionally, the committee altered its criteria for site selection of preliminary rounds. In the past, site selection was based upon committee ranking (47 percent), facility (45 percent) and attendance history and potential (8 percent). Beginning in 2007, committee ranking (60 percent) and facility (40 percent) will be the sole determinants for preliminary-round site selection.

Initial discussions began about the formula used for the Division I men’s soccer Rating Percentage Index (RPI). The committee met with members of the NCAA statistics staff to discuss the history of the Division I men’s soccer RPI as well the possibility of various alternatives to the current model, specifically those related to the bonus and penalty system. The committee is in the process of collecting data and will revisit this issue in the coming months.

The committee selected Southern Methodist University and FC Dallas of Major League Soccer as co-hosts of the 2008 NCAA Men’s College Cup, December 12 and 14; and North Carolina State University, the Capital Area Soccer League and the town of Cary, North Carolina, as co-hosts of the 2009 NCAA Men’s College Cup, December 11 and 13.

The committee bid farewell to three members at its February meeting – Noreen Morris (Northwestern University); Jay Vidovich (Wake Forest University); and Chaka Daley (Providence College).  Kenneth Kavanagh was selected as committee chair.