Students in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools are mobilizing in protest over a policy passed three years ago that will eliminate at-large bids to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship Tournament beginning next fall. Tufts student leaders are organizing a conference of students and athletes from the 11 NESCAC schools to make their opposition known to university presidents.
Starting next fall, only the winner of the NESCAC Tournament in each team sport will be able to advance to the NCAA National Championships. However, athletes in individual-oriented sports, such as track and field, will still be allowed to compete in the NCAA Championships. NESCAC teams will also be precluded from participating in the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament, a smaller, regional end-of-season competition.
The policy was voted on by the NESCAC university presidents in 1998, phased in over the last two years - primarily through the inception this past fall of the NESCAC Tournaments for team sports - and is scheduled to go into effect next semester. However, students who are organizing the conference hope they can get the NESCAC presidents to reconsider their decision.
"Getting a change made will be an uphill battle, but we are hoping to form a strong coalition for next year," Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Vice-President Eric Greenberg said. "Next year one team will lose out on a bid. A firestorm will erupt on that campus and we will hold the next meeting there."
Each of the 11 NESCAC schools was invited to send three representatives - a student government representative, a campus media person, and as a successful student athlete - to the meeting, which will be held at Tufts on Feb. 24. Greenberg, Daily Editor-In-Chief Ben Oshlag, and varsity men's soccer player Brad Stitchberry will be the Tufts delegates.
"We want schools to come to the meeting with instances of when successful teams of theirs wouldn't have even made the playoffs under this new system," Greenberg said.
The NESCAC presidents may discuss the issue when they convene for an April meeting. Greenberg and his co-organizers do not expect them to re-vote on the policy at that time, but do hope changes will be made in the future.
The change in playoff policy may shorten the season for many Tufts teams, since they will no longer be able to advance to the NCAA playoffs if they do not win the NESCAC Tournament. Through the end of this semester, however, teams can still qualify through at-large bids.
That is exactly what happened this past fall, when the Tufts women's soccer team finished third in the NESCAC with a 12-2 regular season and lost to Middlebury in the finals of the NESCAC Tournament. The team was then granted an NCAA at-large bid because of its strong record, and made its to the Division III National Championship game, which was hosted by Tufts.
Under the revamped playoff system, this would not be able to happen.
"The students came together in the playoffs and rallied behind something very good," women's soccer coach Martha Whiting said. "The publicity Tufts received in the playoffs was very positive. [Under the new policy] you are not allowing some very good teams to play and have that chance we did."
Whiting was named the Women's National Coach of the Year in Division III after her team's spectacular season last fall, an award she might not have received were it not for the team's appearance in the NCAA playoffs.
"She wouldn't have gained that recognition otherwise. It's all because of the wide exposure the NCAA Tournament gave us," said sophomore Brenna O'Rourke, a member of last fall's team.
Changes in the playoff system will not only limit sports teams' opportunities - opponents of the new policy fear that it will cause school spirit to diminish. Postseason games tend to get students excited about their schools' teams and unite them around a single cause.
"This policy is clearly bad for the students, teams, coaches, and players," Greenberg said. "It will kill the little school spirit that's out there."
The concerns are shared by students and administrators at other schools in the NESCAC. "Cutting back on athletics cuts down on everyone's interest," said Scott Montermerlo, the student government president at Connecticut College.
"The coaches are unhappy, but a new policy was voted on and we have to follow it," said Kenneth McBryde, Connecticut College Athletic Director.
Student leaders from Amherst, Bates, Connecticut College, and Trinity have already accepted the invitation to the meeting at Tufts. Greenberg said that University President John DiBiaggio will attend if his schedule permits it, and he also hopes that Athletic Director Bill Gehling and several coaches will make appearances.
Among the phase-in changes was the 1999 transition to a round-robin system of scheduling so that all conference teams play each other during the regular season. The season was shortened in order to have time for the conference tournament, so teams now play more games in a shorter amount of time.
Prior to 1993, NESCAC teams were only allowed berths to the ECAC Championships, and only individuals such as runners could advance to NCAA competition. The policy was changed for a three-year trial period starting that year, and that trial period was extended for three more years in 1995. In 1998, NESCAC presidents changed course, implementing the recent changes and future restrictions.
The NESCAC consists of Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams. Over 7,500 athletes participate in its 22 conference championship sports each year.
