The Division II Championships Committee has taken the first step toward developing a "sports festival" of spring championships.

At its January 9-11 meeting in Orlando, Florida, the committee supported the concept of such a festival and set 2004 as a target year for conducting most spring championships in a common locale.

The notion of a sports festival has been generated out of a concern addressed by various committees -- including the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee -- that too many Division II championships are contested before empty seats. Proponents of a sports festival believe that the variety of sports offerings at a common site might appeal to fans, thus increasing attendance. Also, attendance could be enhanced by the participating athletes themselves, who might attend events during breaks in their own competition, or when their competition was complete.

The Championships Committee is sending the concept back to the sports committees, both for reaction and for assurance that they support the concept. The Championships Committee also is soliciting possible sites for a sports festival.

Automatic qualification

The Division II Men's and Women's Basketball Championships already have automatic qualification.

Sports committee actions

The Championships Committee also took a number of actions on recommendations about various Division II championships:

Women's basketball -- Considered a request to permit a day off from competition between the second and third days of regional play. The committee deferred on acting on the request, noting that the tournament format may change anyway when the Division II Championships Committee considers expansion to 64 teams in 2003.

Field hockey -- Approved increasing the squad size from 20 to 24 and the travel party from 26 to 30.

Football -- Approved a recommendation that game officials can travel to preliminary rounds by air, if necessary.

Men's golf -- Established a 10-region alignment, effective with the 2002 tournament. Two conferences will participate at each region for one slot at the finals. Six at-large positions also will be available, with no more than three at-large slots being filled from any one region. For individuals, there would be one selection per region from those whose teams did not qualify, with two additional at-large selections. The committee also agreed to reimburse per diem for regional competition beginning in 2002 for the Division II Men's and Women's Golf Championships.

Men's and women's tennis -- Established a nine-region alignment, with one team from each plus seven at-large teams advancing to the national championships. The method for determining at-large entries was sent back to the Division II Men's and Women's Tennis Committee. The Championships Committee also asked the tennis committee for a recommendation by January 2002 on paying per diem for regional competition (for example, to reimburse but to reduce the field size or not to reimburse while keeping the same field size for the regionals). The committee also approved Kansas City, Missouri, as the site of the 2002 championships. Rockhurst University and the Kansas City Sports Commission will host.

Women's golf -- Approved four regional tournaments, beginning in 2002. Per diem, but not travel, would be reimbursed for the regional tournaments.

Women's lacrosse -- The first championship this spring will have a two-region alignment for the four-team championship. Teams from the same region will face one another in the semifinals, assuring a matchup from different regions in the final. Team selection will occur May 6, with the semifinals and final being conducted May 12-13.

Men's soccer -- Increased the squad size from 18 to 22 and the travel party from 24 to 28.

Women's soccer -- Expanded the bracket from 16 to 24 teams, effective this fall, and increased the squad size from 18 to 22 and the travel party from 24 to 28.

Softball -- Expanded the bracket from 32 to 48 teams, effective with the 2002 championship, and increased the squad size from 18 to 20 and the travel party from 24 to 26.

Swimming -- Approved Orlando, Florida, as the site of the 2002 championships. Rollins College and the Central Florida Sports Commission will host.

Women's volleyball -- Supported a new Women's Volleyball Rules Committee made up of four representatives from Division I, two from Division II and two from Division III. The Championships Committee did not support, however, a Division II Women's Volleyball Committee recommendation to have a volleyball committee representative on the playing rules committee.

Other highlights

Division II Championships Committee
January 9-11/Orlando, Florida

* Referred back to the Division II Management Council a clarification on a proposed rules change regarding the positioning of basketball shot clocks.

* Continued to explore the most effective use of $100,000 for a pilot program to promote Division II championships in the 2002-03 academic year. The committee is asking for ideas from sports committees representing baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and track and field. Proposals will be reviewed at the summer meeting, with a final decision to be made in June.

* Asked team sports without strength-of-schedule indices to develop them and report to the Championships Committee for its fall meeting.

* Agreed to remove conference tournament competition from strength-of-schedule indices.