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I think it says something when you can be ranked in the top 5 of the country and it would take an upset to even make the regional final. Currently GVSU is ranked #5 nationally with 2 losses, but is only the 3rd seed in the region (rightly so) behind #2 seed (and #2 ranked) 1 loss Drury) and #1 seed / ranked undefeated Ashland.
I think seasons like this, and what we saw in football with certain areas being much stronger than others, should result in a change away from a strictly regional format for seeding.
One option is NCAA Selection committee should follow a similar format to what is used for selecting teams at the D1 level. The each additional qualifier is selected, then the selection committee chooses the next best teams to fill out the field.
Once the 64 qualified teams are selected, the top 16 seeds are selected as host institutions for regional championships (4 teams in each), based on geography, The 16 regional finalists would then advance to a super regional round and elite 8 round at the highest remainng seeds from that bracket. The winners of those would advance to the final 4 and then championship game. Given the NCAA's desire to have the championship game played along with the D1 Final Four, the schedule does allow the format to be used with some modification.
A rough look at the bracket for the women's tourney would be something like this.
Top 16 seeds (using WBCA rankings)
1) Ashland*
2) Drury*
3) Tampa*
4) Glenville St*
5) GVSU*
6) Cal State DH (at-large)
7) UNK (at-large)
8) Eckerd (at-large)
9) UMD*
10 Central Missouri (at-large)
11) Minn St (at-large)
12) Western Washington*
13) Union*
14) Gannon (at-large)
15) Thomas Jefferson (at-large)
16) Texas Women's (at-large)
The problem with a format like this is the strongest host teams are in one area, but the other qualifiers would be in such a different geogrpahic area that moving teams like this would be impossible. If you started going west-east, the 8 teams in the two western hosts (Cal St-DH and WWU would be simple), Once you get further east with UNK, Texas Women's, Central Missouri, Drury, Minn St, and Minn Duluth all hosting west of the Mississippi it means you have 8 host schools east of the Mississippi River but only 20 teams that would be participanting in the tourney also east of the Mississippi. As I was trying to figure where to put teams, I was running out of teams for locations like Duluth, Minnesota, Mankato, Minnesota, Drury (Missouri) and Central Missouri. My plan would have had Kentucky Wesleyan having to go all the way west to Duluth as it would have been the closest 4th school for a Duluth regional.
I don't like the current system, but if a change were to be made to a similar fotmat (which would have to be done with all sports) it would so drastically increase travel times/ distances / costs, it would not be worth the competitive advantages.
I think seasons like this, and what we saw in football with certain areas being much stronger than others, should result in a change away from a strictly regional format for seeding.
One option is NCAA Selection committee should follow a similar format to what is used for selecting teams at the D1 level. The each additional qualifier is selected, then the selection committee chooses the next best teams to fill out the field.
Once the 64 qualified teams are selected, the top 16 seeds are selected as host institutions for regional championships (4 teams in each), based on geography, The 16 regional finalists would then advance to a super regional round and elite 8 round at the highest remainng seeds from that bracket. The winners of those would advance to the final 4 and then championship game. Given the NCAA's desire to have the championship game played along with the D1 Final Four, the schedule does allow the format to be used with some modification.
A rough look at the bracket for the women's tourney would be something like this.
Top 16 seeds (using WBCA rankings)
1) Ashland*
2) Drury*
3) Tampa*
4) Glenville St*
5) GVSU*
6) Cal State DH (at-large)
7) UNK (at-large)
8) Eckerd (at-large)
9) UMD*
10 Central Missouri (at-large)
11) Minn St (at-large)
12) Western Washington*
13) Union*
14) Gannon (at-large)
15) Thomas Jefferson (at-large)
16) Texas Women's (at-large)
The problem with a format like this is the strongest host teams are in one area, but the other qualifiers would be in such a different geogrpahic area that moving teams like this would be impossible. If you started going west-east, the 8 teams in the two western hosts (Cal St-DH and WWU would be simple), Once you get further east with UNK, Texas Women's, Central Missouri, Drury, Minn St, and Minn Duluth all hosting west of the Mississippi it means you have 8 host schools east of the Mississippi River but only 20 teams that would be participanting in the tourney also east of the Mississippi. As I was trying to figure where to put teams, I was running out of teams for locations like Duluth, Minnesota, Mankato, Minnesota, Drury (Missouri) and Central Missouri. My plan would have had Kentucky Wesleyan having to go all the way west to Duluth as it would have been the closest 4th school for a Duluth regional.
I don't like the current system, but if a change were to be made to a similar fotmat (which would have to be done with all sports) it would so drastically increase travel times/ distances / costs, it would not be worth the competitive advantages.
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