National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

August 4, 1997

III women's basketball committee discusses automatic-bid philosophy

Automatic bids and the philosophy of how they should be awarded were among issues discussed during the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Committee's annual meeting July 7-10 in Marco Island, Florida.

The committee awarded automatic qualification berths for 1998 and discussed awarding no more than three such berths per region. The committee also considered awarding at-large bids equitably across regions.

In a related issue, the committee voted to recommend the elimination of the one-year warning period for automatic qualification.

The committee also discussed realignment, noting that it will seek feedback from the Northeast and East regions on the possible realignment of the Great Northeast Conference from the Northeast region to the East region.

In addition, the committee discussed future championship sites and will begin soliciting bids to host the 1999 finals. Institutions interested in obtaining bid packets can contact Cindy Smith, NCAA assistant director of championships, at the national office.

Other highlights

Division III Women's Basketball Committee
July 7-10/Marco Island, Florida

  • Agreed to recommend that mounted shot clocks be required for all rounds of the championship.

  • Voted to eliminate the use of the power rating as a measure of strength of schedule.

  • Granted the Presidents' Athletic Conference's request to move from the Great Lakes region to the Mid-Atlantic region and moved Grinnell College from the West region to the Central region.

  • Agreed to recommend an increase in the tape-exchange fine from $300 to $500.

  • Voted to increase the number of polls during the season from four to six.