Championship Weekend

 

written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III   >> Happy Friday! Good luck to all teams competing for a fall championship this weekend. >> Today's Word Count: 667. Just long enough to get you ready for the weekend. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Would you be so kind as to send this to a friend and ask them to sign up for their own subscription?   I'd like D3Playbook in my inbox, please TOP STORY 1. Championship Weekend      photo by Keith Lucas | NCAA Photos It started back in the heat of mid-August ... it comes to an end in the gray of November. It's Conference Championship Weekend in field hockey, soccer and volleyball with automatic berths to the NCAA tournament on the line. Today's D3Playbook takes a look at the next three days and what to watch for. NEWS 2.  How to Make The Field The regional rankings go a long way to determining if your favorite team can make it into the field without a conference title. >> Primary Criteria: W-L percentage vs. DIII opponents; head-to-head competition; results vs. common opponents; results vs. ranked DIII teams; strength of schedule. >> Secondary Criteria: non-DIII W-L percentage; results vs. common non-DIII opponents; non-conference strength of schedule. >> Be Smart: After conferences determine their champion (automatic qualifiers or AQ) and the independents are selected, remaining teams are considered according to their regional ranking. Example: In Region X, team A is considered before teams B and C. Until A is selected as an at-large, B is not under discussion. B has to be selected before C is under consideration. A MESSAGE FROM BRIGHT CELLARS   Bright Cellars is a monthly wine club that matches you with wines you'll love. Founded by two MIT grads (#whyD3) who were intimidated by the vast and complex world of wine, Bright Cellars was created to help wine drinkers discover and learn about wine in a fun, interactive way. Bright Cellars creates a wine experience tailored just for you. Based on an algorithm, wine selections are calculated to match your taste preferences. As you try the wines, you're encouraged to rate them on the website to fine-tune your taste profile even further. Your matches improve as the algorithm gets to know you better, making each shipment better than the last. D3Playbook readers are invited to get 50% off your first 6-bottle box from Bright Cellars. That's a $45 value. Each box will include a wine education card for each bottle that details servings temps, food pairings, background on the region and more. Take our 30-second quiz to start your weekend right. ON THE PITCH 3. Women's Soccer Forty-four conference champions ... and 20 at-larges will make up the 64-team NCAA championship field. (#) regional ranking Conference tournaments to watch Saturday finals A-R-C: (1) Loras vs. (4) Wartburg HCAC: (3) Hanover at (7) Mount St. Joseph MAC Freedom: (1) Misericordia vs. (4) Stevens MIAC: (2) St. Catherine vs. (6) Saint Benedict OAC: (4) Ohio Northern vs. (6) Otterbein WIAC: (3) La Crosse vs. (5) Oshkosh Saturday semifinals NESCAC: (1) Amherst vs. (4) Middlebury; (2) Wesleyan vs. (3) Hamilton >> D3soccer.com Championship Central ON THE PITCH 4. Men's Soccer Forty-three conference champions ... and 21 at-larges will make up the 64-team NCAA championship field. (#) regional ranking Friday semifinals Centennial: (2) Franklin & Marshall at (3) Washington College SCAC: (1) Trinity, Texas vs. (3) Colorado College Saturday finals MIAC: (1) St. Olaf vs. (3) Carleton NCAC: (4) Kenyon vs. (6) Denison NEWMAC: (2) MIT vs. (3) Babson OAC: (2) Otterbein vs. (3) John Carroll Saturday semifinals NESCAC: (1) Tufts vs. (4) Middlebury >> D3soccer.com Championship Central Won't you please consider making a gift to D3Playbook. Your gift will help us offset the costs of operating the newsletter and enable us to continue to provide the quality you have come to expect. My heartfelt thanks to those who have already contributed. Join them today.   Donate to D3Playbook CHAMPIONSHIPS 5.  Volleyball   Forty-four conference champions ... and 20 at-larges will make up the 64-team NCAA championship field. (#) regional ranking Friday Quarterfinals NESCAC: (4) Middlebury vs. (5) Amherst Saturday finals MAC Commonwealth: (6) Stevenson vs. (8) Eastern NEWMAC: (1) MIT vs. (4) Coast Guard; (2) Babson vs. (3) Springfield Saturday semifinals NEWMAC: (1) MIT vs. (4) Coast Guard; (2) Babson vs. (3) Springfield   CHAMPIONSHIPS 6.  Field Hockey   Sixteen conference champions ... three independents and and seven at-larges will make up the 26-team NCAA championship field. (#) regional ranking Saturday finals C2C: (2) Christopher Newport vs. (6) Salisbury Liberty: (3) Ithaca vs. (4) Vassar NJAC: (1) Rowan vs. (2) Kean SUNYAC: (1) New Paltz vs. (2) Cortland Saturday semifinals NESCAC: (1) Middlebury vs. (4) Trinity, Conn.; (2) Bowdoin vs. (3) Tufts NEWS 7.  Weekend Preview   Here's a list of the games/matches/events that we are keeping an eye on this weekend. Basketball (M) No. 2 Yeshiva at Lycoming No. 17 UW-Oshkosh vs. Augustana No. 19 Whitworth vs. Redlands No. 21 Mount Union vs. Albion Basketball (W) No. 2 East Texas Baptist vs. Trinity, Texas No. 14 Hardin-Simmons vs. Schreiner Football No. 3 Whitewater vs. No. 12 La Crosse No. 13 Union vs. No. 24 Ithaca No. 16 Muhlenberg vs. No. 25 Susquehanna No. 18 Trinity, Texas vs. No. 19 Birmingham-Southern Ice Hockey (M) No. 11 Babson vs. No. 13 Elmira No. 5 Hobart vs. No. 11 Babson Swimming Chicago D3 Shootout TRANSACTIONS 8.  Comings and Goings   BUENA VISTA - Mason Miller named assistant wrestling coach HILBERT - Announced addition of football, women's ice hockey and track and field as varsity sports beginning fall 2022 NORTHLAND - Ben Kluzak named assistant men's basketball coach SKIDMORE - Pat Geiger and Jonathan Kaiser named assistant baseball coaches VASSAR - David Drozjock named assistant men's lacrosse coach WILLIAM SMITH - Halle Nielsen named assistant rowing coach 1 THING 9.  Tweet of the Day    Thanks for starting your day with us. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend. What did you think of today's newsletter? Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

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