Wiltz

June 12. 2008 8:09PM
Wrestling coaches propose NCCA qualifying changes
By J.R. Ogden
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pb...881254173/1056
The Gazette
jr.ogden@gazettecommunications.com



LAS VEGAS — Qualifying for the NCAA wrestling tournament will get a little tougher and, maybe, a little easier.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association heard the final update here Thursday on what the NCAA wrestling committee will recommend to the competition cabinet this month. The qualifying procedure throws out the old "historical data" and allots NCAA berths based on season performance while possibly expanding the field from 330 qualifiers to 360.

"We are confident it is the right way to go," said Big Ten Deputy Commissioner Brad Traviolia, a former Northwestern wrestler and a member of the committee. "Now we have to wait and see if it's approved."

Traviolia's committee was asked to respond to concerns about the existing formula that awards qualifiers based on past NCAA performance. The proposal awards qualifiers on three criteria — season performance (a variety of won-loss scenarios), an RPI (strength of schedule) formula and a coaches ranking.

"What we're trying to do is create a toolbox full of different tools that use current-year data only," Traviolia said.

He said the won-loss portion will include a wrestlers' overall record, record against other Top 10, Top 20 and Top 30 wrestlers and the last 10 matches. "Any way you slice and dice your season as far as winning and losing (is concerned)," he said.

The RPI formula is "your winning percentage multiplied by your opponent's winning percentage, multiplied by your opponent's opponents' winning percentage."

The coaches poll puts more importance on one set of rankings instead of the several circulating today.

When all those factors are thrown together, wrestlers will be ranked as meeting the gold standard (all three criteria) or silver standard (two of three).

"They are going to reserve a spot at that weight class for their respective conference," said Traviolia, noting the NWCA, in conjunction with the NCAA, will keep track of the data. "It doesn't guarantee the individual, but it guarantees a spot for that conference."

For instance, if the Big Ten Conference has eight gold or silver standard 125-pounders, the conference will get eight qualifiers at that weight. A weaker weight gets fewer qualifiers. All conference champions, regardless of their standard, automatically qualify.

All conferences will know by mid to late February how many automatic berths are on the line. The other qualifiers — six to eight per weight, Traviolia figures — will be determined by a six-member committee (four coaches) after the conference meets, based on similar strength-of-schedule criteria.

This formula makes dual meets and regular-season tournaments more important, something Traviolia said is vital for the health of wrestling.

"We need to re-embrace the dual meet," he said. "We need to have an important regular season and important conference tournaments."

While pleased with the formula and optimistic about its potential, Traviolia said getting it passed is "not a formality." The proposal can be approved, rejected or modified. A new formula will be in place by next year's tournament, he said.

"There are some parts of the recommendation that are basic, are not controversial," he said. "They'll be approved automatically. There are others that are significant asks. (More qualifiers) is not something that is rubber-stamped by any means."

But, he said, it makes sense because even this formula favors the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. Having 30 more qualifiers opens the field to other programs. He gives the larger field a "50-50" chance, however.

"We want to get the best kids there, but what's in the best interest for the long-term health of the sport?," he said. "Championships not only need to determine your national champion, but we need to use it to market the sport."

He said this formula addresses all concerns — including eliminating wild-card meetings — and is fiscally feasible.

"We have good support (nationally) and unanimous support in the wrestling community." Traviolia said. "The question is do you (the competition cabinet) care?"

n Contact the writer: (319) 368-8696 or jr.ogden@gazcomm.com

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RYou

Cripees, it's another BCS computation. So How do they handle someone that has sat out 3/4 of the year with an injury returning in Feb with but a handful of bouts under his belt ?

RYou

The more I read about this fiasco, the more I am in favor of regional tournaments were everyone in a singlet quaifies and must wrestle to the top of the mountain. They can find a way to split the team pool so as to avoid to many top tier teams in a single region.

sirgermaine

It's okay, those are NCCA changes, not NCAA changes. Nothing will change with sports, only the national commission for certifying agencies (or was it the national christian counselors association). So if you're going for a christian counselors championship, pay attention.

WrestlingTerp

Nope, this is a change voted on by all of the Division I coaches, those with the most invested in the change. RYou, read it again, there is consideration for guys over their final 10 bouts. Just as there is consideration for guys who had one bad day at the conference tournament.

I've thought for years that going to 6 regional tournament would be a great solution, but the coaches are opposed to that and the NCAA probably wouldn't foot the bill either.

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wrastler118

Going to a regional tournament would be a huge money loss for the NCAA. Literally, the attendance levels would be cut in half. Not good for the sport.

I can understand why they want a change because they obviously want to market our sport better because of the high attendance numbers. Heck, if our sport continues to grow, maybe some AD's notice it and start up programs again. Sure its BCS like, but as much as people hate BCS, what is the #1 most watched sport in the US? Football. Especially, college football so it can't all be that bad.

Plus increasing the qualifiers to 360, could easily bring more notice to different programs and higher attendance at the NCAA's. One of the biggest problems we have in our sport is the stranglehold that teams like Iowa, Minny, ISU and Okie St have on the sport. This has done nothing for the growth of our sport and in fact, could be one of the causes for programs to be lost.

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therick

I remember a year ago when Dart first told us all the details of this and I liked it then. I still think it's a good thing. I guess I don't think that it's all that much like the BCS (although as 118 mentioned that wouldn't be a bad thing considering the popularity of football. Hell, 70k+ show up at spring games in some parts of the country and those are practices), but it is certainly a lot like the way they choose the NCAA roundball tournament(also very popular if you hadn't noticed). Conference champs are in and the rest are chosen based on their body of work. Nothing wrong with that at all and it will ensure that the best wrestlers are in the tournament more often than the current system ensures. I also like that it's based on this year, not three years ago, so it rewards individuals instead of conferences.