The proposal, developed at the committee’s annual meeting last month in Indianapolis and forwarded to the Division II Championships Committee for consideration in September, would allow regional winners to receive team trophies commemorating their success in the tournament.

The committee also discussed how the all-tournament team is announced after the completion of the championship game. Currently, student-athletes are not publicly honored before the trophy presentations to the championship and runner-up teams. This proposal would allow for the 11 honorees to be recognized before the team ceremonies.

Additionally, the committee encourages future tournament hosts to attend current championships to see how the event runs. Representatives would then be aware of any potential glitches that could arise on site before the following year’s championship.

The Division II Women’s Soccer Committee addressed the issue of squad size and travel party limits in the sport. Currently, women’s soccer programs can bring a travel party of 28 to NCAA tournament games and can dress 22.  The travel party includes student-athletes, coaches, athletics administrators and athletic trainers.

Committee members compared women’s soccer to field hockey, which allows teams to have travel parties of 30 with a squad size of 24 players. To create additional opportunities for women’s soccer student-athletes who have spent the entire season on the roster, the committee has recommended an increase in travel party and squad size.

With women’s soccer expanding its tournament field from 32 to 48 teams next fall, the committee wants to enhance all areas of the student-athlete experience in the championship. Much of the discussion focused on how to increase attendance at championship sites to generate more excitement for the games.

While attendance was up at this year’s National Championships Festival in Pensacola, Florida, there have been championship games with fewer than 100 fans in the seats. The committee is exploring whether predetermined championship sites is the most effective approach for the Division II women’s soccer tournament.

Geoff VanDeusen (Central Missouri State University) attended his final meeting as a member of the women’s committee, while the men’s committee bid farewell to Chair Steve McCrath (Barry University).