June 1986 Volleyball Monthly

NCAA WOMEN
NCAA seeding controversy looms
he NCAA Division 1 Women’s
TVolleyball Tournament will have a
different look in 1986, but a definite
decision on whether the top four teams
will be placed in separate regions won't
be determined until August.
It originally appeared as if seeding of
the top four teams would be banned in
1986. particularly since the NCAA
Division I Volleyball Committee made
no recommendation at its meeting in
Kansas City in April The committee was
deadlocked at 3-3 on a vote to
recommend to the Executive Committee
that the top four teams get separated, an
accepted procedure the last two years
I hc NCAA, in a cost savings move
introduced in 198 t, stopped allowing
seeded teams to relocate to different
regions in all post season tournaments
(hat lost monc\ I hc NCAA Division I
Volleyball Tournament has lost money
in all five years of its existence, but the
Vollcvball Committee has recommended
the last two years that the (op four
teams he separated in the tournament
bracket regardless of regions. I hc
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Executive Committee has complied on
both occasions, granting the Division I
Volleyball Tournament a waiver. With
the Volleyball Committee split in its
ranks this year, no recommendation was
made.
Ihc Executive Committee, however,
in a novel move decided not to
immediately comply with the Volleyball
Committee’s non-recommendation. The
Executive Committee, according to
Cindy Smith of the NCAA, did not want
to act on the seeding question until its
next meeting in August. She said they
want to look further into the financial
situation of the tournament, which
grossed $93,000 in 1985.
"What it means is that the Executive
Committee is taking this very seriously,”
said Smith. “They want more
information before they make a final
decision.”
UCLA’s Andy Banachwoski, who is one
of six people on the Volleyball
Committee, said he was encouraged by
the Executive Committee’s request for
more input. “It appears they’re sending
the question back to the Volleyball
Committee for more information,” said
Banachowski, whose Bruins have been
*o the Final Four in four out of the last
five years. “ Hopefully we can break this
deadlock and give them something to go
on.”
It’s no secret that the current seeding
format has the nation’s coaches split. In
the five-year history of the tournament,
only the West and Northwest Regions
have been represented in the Final Four.
Relocated seeded teams arc 20-0 in
regional competition .
“I think not to seed would be a bad
decision,” said Banachowski. “I have
always been opposed to it. In the long
run the sport will be regionalized and
not to seed will only reverse what has
been a positive trend toward
nationalizing the sport If there’s no
seeding, athletic directors won’t see the
need for teams to travel to the West
Coast to play during the regular season
T hey ’ll cut back their programs because
it will appear easier to get into the Final
Four.”
Mick Haley, whose team has been
stopped one match away from the Final
Four by UCLA two consecutive years,
had an early reaction to the Volleyball
Commitcc’s deadlock. “1 think it would
be interesting to see some different
teams in the Final Four.” he said.
"Nobody’s looking for a free ride, but
we always seem to get the No. I team
sent to our region. 1 think it would be
UCLA head coach Andy Banachowski.
good for volleyball to keep everybody in
their own regions. Who’s to say this year
that a Nebraska or some other non-Wcst
Coast team won’t be in the top four
anyway? It’s closer every year.”
I laley and other coaches remember
the events leading up to the bracketing
of the 198.3 tournament. I hc Volleyball
Committee originally voted to keep the
entire Division I Tournament
regionalized that year, but reversed its
decision in clandestine fashion and
decided to relocate the top four teams.
Smith said such a move would be
impossible in 1986. “The power to make
that decision doesn’t rest with the
Volleyball Committee any longer.’’ she
said. ’‘The Executive Committee makes
that decision long in advance after
hearing recommendations.”
Smith did not think the Executive
Committee would act without some
definite direction from the Volleyball
Committee. “ I hc pattern of the
Executive Committee has been only to
act on requests from various
committees," said Smith. "It would be a
departure from what they have done
with other sports to grant a waiver
without a recommendation. ”
Regardless of the seeding outcome,
the Division I Tournament will be
expanded from 28 to 32 teams next fall.
Each of the four regions will be granted
one more tournament berth
I hc Volleyball Committee also voted
to eliminate the third-place match at the
Final Four, as well as moving the
championship days from Friday-Sunday
to Thursday-Saturday.
I hc Division I Final Four will be held
at the University of Pacific Dec. I8-20.O
June 1986 VOLLEYBALL MONTHLY