2009 Division III Men's Soccer Sponsorship Data:
Division III institutions sponsoring men's soccer: 404
Provisional institutions (not eligible for the championship): 13
Declared NAIA (not eligible for the NCAA championship): 2
Reclassifying institution (not eligible for the NCAA championship): 1
Institutions eligible for NCAA championship: 388
Conferences meeting automatic qualifying requirements: 39
Eligible teams in automatic-qualifying conferences (Pool A): 367
Eligible Pool B teams: 21
Access ratio: 1:9.41 (eligible teams in AQ conferences / # of AQ conferences)

Based on the sponsorship data, the following allocations will be implemented for the 2009 championship:
Bracket: 59 teams (based on 2008 eligible institutions (378) / 6.5)
Pool A: 39 teams
Pool B: 3 teams (# Pool B teams / Access ratio)

Pool C: 17 teams (Field size - Pool A - Pool B)

[EDIT: The handbook has been updated three times since I wrote this, and I am not sure what all has been changed, but many corrections have been made to the Appendices. However, the information above remains the same. As I demonstrate below I think the Sponsorship Data summary has errors, but the Championship Field breakdown is correct.]

Well, despite all the discrepancies, inconsistencies, omissions, and errors that are to be found in the handbook, I do think that the one number that really matters, the number of Pool B berths, is correct as 3 . . . just barely. I was short two Pool B schools in my breakdown in the opening post, and that resulted in a calculation of just 2 Pool B berths. As it stands, if there are 28 Pool B schools as I think is the case, there are just enough to hold onto that third berth. One less and it'd be down to two.

Anyway, let me run down what I found in the manual in this post and in the next one I will provide what I think is the correct breakdown of the D-III schools and calculation of the tournament field.

[NOTE: The handbook has been updated four times and some of the errors and discrepancies I found have been corrected since I first wrote this.]

The following discrepancies exist between Appendix D and the summarized sponsorship data on page 13:

[1] Eligible teams in automatic-qualifying conferences (Pool A): pg. 13 - 367, App. D - 356 357 [Rosemont (CSAC / Mid-Atlantic) added in App. D of updated Handbook, no change on pg. 13 --> App. D is still missing SUNY-Morrisville, but pg. 13 is more incorrect which is discussed in item #7 below.]

[2] Eligible Pool B teams: pg.13 - 21, App.D - 31 30 [Net change of +1 in App. D of updated Handbook, no change on pg. 13 --> App. D correct.; pg. 13 incorrect which is discussed in item #7 below.]

[3] Provisional institutions (not eligible for the championship): pg.13 - 13, App. D - 9 13 [Discrepancy resolved in updated Handbook with App. D now identifying 4 more provisional schools]

[4] Declared NAIA (not eligible for the NCAA championship): pg. 13 - 2, App. D - 1 (but App. D lists another one as NAIA declared, but summed as a Pool B eligible) [App. D no longer identifies Northland as NAIA-declared. --> pg. 13 incorrect, App. D correct. Only Menlo NAIA-declared.]

[5] Reclassifying institution (not eligible for the NCAA championship): pg. 13 - 1, App. D - 3

[6] The above discrepancies (#1 - #5) result in the following differences in sums:
Division III institutions sponsoring men's soccer: pg. 13 - 404, App. D - 400 404 [Net change of +4 in App. D of updated Handbook; no change on pg. 13 --> Both should be 405 by my calculations.]
Institutions eligible for NCAA championship: pg. 13 - 388, App. D - 387 [Despite updates, no net change in App. D of updated Handbook; no change on pg. 13. --> Pg. 13 correct as App. D is missing SUNY-Morrisville (NEAC / East)]

[7] It appears that the page 13 sponsorship data summary is including the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) schools in the Pool A total as if the conference is an automatic-qualifying conference. However, the conference only becomes an AQ conference next year, 2010/11, and the given total of 39 conferences meeting automatic qualifying requirements correctly does NOT include the UMAC. This error might be the consequence of last year's handbook which erroneously noted in Appendix D that the UMAC becomes an AQ conference in 2009.


[8] The calculation of the 3 Pool B allocations shown on page 14 can only be accomplished by rounding up.

Eligible Pool B teams/Access ratio = 21 / 9.41 = 2.23, Pool B allocations: 3 teams

This is a departure from prior practice in which the Pool B calculation was always rounded down (or truncated) to a whole number. For example, take the information from the handbooks of the past 4 years.

2008: Eligible Pool B teams/Access ratio = 35 / 9.18 = 3.81, Pool B allocations: 3 teams
2007: Eligible Pool B teams/Access ratio = 41 / 9.05 = 4.53, Pool B allocations: 4 teams
2006: Eligible Pool B teams/Access ratio = 43 / 9.14 = 4.70, Pool B allocations: 4 teams
2005: Eligible Pool B teams/Access ratio = 43 / 9.06 = 4.75, Pool B allocations: 4 teams

The understood reason for rounding down was to never provide a greater access ratio to Pool B schools than Pool A schools, thus never providing the slightest incentive for a school to remain independent or a conference to remain below the eligibility standards for automatic-qualifying.


The following schools are missing from Appendix D and are not included in the given totals for their respective conferences or region's Pool B:

[9] SUNY-Morrisville should be listed in the East Region as a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) and eligible for Pool A/C. (They completed their provisional membership last year.) Update the total of NEAC Pool A/C schools in the East Region from 4 to 5. [App. D is still missing SUNY-Morrisville]

[10] Berry College should be listed in the South Atlantic Region as an independent and as a provisional member not eligible for the tournament. (They are entering their first year of provisional membership.) Update total of South Atlantic Pool B provisional members not eligible for the tournament from 0 to 1. [Corrected in updated Handbook]

[11] Covenant College should be listed in the South Atlantic Region as an independent and as a provisional member not eligible for the tournament. (They are entering their first year of provisional membership.) Update total of South Atlantic Pool B provisional members not eligible for the tournament from 1 (see #10 above) to 2. [Corrected in updated Handbook]

[12] Howard Payne should be listed in the West Region as a member of the American Southwest Conference (ASC) and eligible for Pool A/C. Update total of ASC Pool A/C schools in the West Region from 13 to 14. [Corrected in updated Handbook]


The following schools are not properly classified in Appendix D:

[13] Spalding of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) is listed as a Pool A/C school, but is a provisional member not eligible for the tournament. (They are entering their second year of provisional membership.) Update total of SLIAC Pool A/C schools in the Central Region from 9 to 8 and update the total of Pool B provisional members not eligible for the tournament from 0 to 1. [Corrected in updated Handbook]

[14] North Central an independent in the North Region is listed as an eligible Pool B school, but is a provisional member not eligible for the tournament. (They are entering their fourth and final year of provisional membership.) Update total of eligible Pool B schools in the North Region from 15 to 14 and update the total of Pool B provisional members not eligible for the tournament from 0 to 1. [Corrected in updated Handbook]


Sources of current provisional members status used in items #9-#11, #13-#14:
> The NCAA News: Four schools achieve active DIII membership for 2009-10 (Aug 10, 2009)
> Current NCAA Division III Provisional, Reclassifying and Exploratory Members


The following sums are in error in Appendix D:

[15] The North Region Pool B totals say there are 15 eligible schools. But the list of schools shows fourteen eligible schools and 1 declared NAIA. Update total of eligible Pool B schools in the North Region from 14 (see #14 above) to 13, and update the total of NAIA declared from 0 to 1. [Northland is no longer listed as NAIA-declared and now the list and totals match.]


[16] The West Region Pool B totals say there are 3 eligible schools, 1 provisional member, 1 reclassifying school, and 1 declared NAIA. That adds up to 6, but only 5 schools are listed and only two are eligible. No school is missing that I can tell. Update total of eligible Pool B schools in the West Region from 3 to 2. [Corrected in updated Handbook]

[17] At the beginning of Appendix D it states that there are 395 total eligible teams. I have no idea where this number comes from as it doesn't jive with what follows in Appendix D or with what is on page 13 nor with any updated values based on the errors noted above.

[18] Finally, and not necessarily an error, but I find it interesting that of three schools in the reclassification process from D-III to D-II, Lincoln (Pa.) and CSU-East Bay continue to be included as D-III soccer programs but ineligible for the tournament, while the Maryville (St. Louis) is no longer listed as being a D-III program at all. Not sure if this was intended or an oversight/omission. Of course, it makes no difference as they are ineligible in any case. I can only guess that maybe since Maryville has already become a full member of a D-II conference, they are out while the others who are not members of a D-II conference yet remain listed.

Lincoln (Pa.): in third and final year of process, is/was and independent in D-III, has remained an independent thru the process and will join the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) next year (2010/11) when it is a fully active and eligible D-II program.
CSU-East Bay: in second year of process, is/was and independent in D-III, is a "scheduling partner" with the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) this season. Not sure what the technical difference is between being a "scheduling partner" and a member, because they are listed in the conference standings.
Maryville (St. Louis): in second year of process, was a member of the D-III St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) last year (2008/09), its first year in the process, starting this year (2009/10) is a member of the D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

NOTE: What follows are MY updates and corrections.

REGION-BY-REGION BREAKDOWN (update/correction of Appendix D)

New England Region:
Pool A: 65 (CCC-14, GNC-10, LEAC-8, MSCAC-8, NESCAC-10, NEWMAC-7, NAC-7, UAA-1)
Eligible Pool B: 8 9 (NECC-7 8, Maine-Presque Isle) [Updated for addition of Wheelock]
Provisional: 1 (Lyndon-NAC)
Reclassifying: --
Declared NAIA: --

East Region:
Pool A: 55 (AMCC-3, CUNYAC-9, Empire8-8, Liberty-8, NEAC-5, SUNYAC-10, Skyline-10, UAA-2)
Eligible Pool B: --
Provisional: 1 (SUNY-Cobleskill-NEAC)
Reclassifying: --
Declared NAIA: --

Mid-Atlantic Region:
Pool A: 44 45 (CSAC-9 10, Centennial-10, Commonwealth-8, Freedom-8, Landmark-8, NEAC-1) [Updated for addition of Rosemont]
Eligible Pool B: --
Provisional: 3 (PSU-Abington-NEAC, PSU-Harrisburg-NEAC, Lancaster Bible-
independent)
Reclassifying: 1 (Lincoln-independent-->D2)
Declared NAIA: --

South Atlantic Region:
Pool A: 42 (CAC-9, NJAC-10, ODAC-11, SCAC-4, USA-South-7, UAA-1)
Eligible Pool B: 5 (GSAC-4, Rust-independent)
Provisional: 2 (Berry-independent, Covenent-independent)
Reclassifying: 1 (Birmingham Southern-SCAC<--D2)
Declared NAIA: --

Great Lakes Region:
Pool A: 47 (AMCC-7, HCAC-9, NCAC-10, OAC-10, Presidents'-7, SCAC-2, UAA-2)
Eligible Pool B: --
Provisional: 3 (Franciscan-AMCC, Geneva-Presidents', St. Vincent-Presidents')
Reclassifying: --
Declared NAIA: --

Central Region:
Pool A: 39 (CCIW-8, MIAA-8, NAC-12, NEAC-1, SLIAC-8, UAA-2)
Eligible Pool B: --
Provisional: 1 (Spalding-SLIAC)
Reclassifying: --
Declared NAIA: --

North Region:
Pool A: 30 (IIAC-9, MWC-10, MIAC-11)
Eligible Pool B: 13 14 (UMAC-7 8, WIAC-5, Neb. Wesleyan-independent) [Updated for Northland no longer NAIA-declared]
Provisional: 1 (North Central-independent)
Reclassifying: --
Declared NAIA: 1 0 (Northland-UMAC) [Updated for Northland no longer NAIA-declared]

West Region:
Pool A: 35 (ASC-14, SCIAC-8, NWC-8, SCAC-5)
Eligible Pool B: 2 (UC-Santa Cruz-independent, Chapman-independent)
Provisional: 1 (La Sierra-independent)
Reclassifying: 1 (CSU-East Bay-independent/D-II CCAA-->D2)
Declared NAIA: 1 (Menlo-independent)


SUMMARY OF D-III PROGRAMS AND CALCULATION OF TOURNAMENT FIELD (update/correction of pages 13-14)

[Since the Sponsorship Data summary has not changed in any subsequent updates, I still think the Handbook is incorrect and that the following Sponsorship Data, updated for (a) Northland (UMAC/North/Pool B) no longer being NAIA-declared, (b) addition of Wheelock (NECC/New England/Pool B), addition of Rosemont (CSAC/Mid-Atlantic/PoolA-C), is more accurate. However, my resulting Championship Field breakdown is the same as given in the Handbook.]

2009 Division III Men's Soccer Sponsorship Data:
Division III institutions sponsoring men's soccer: 403 405 [Updated for addition of Wheelock and Rosemont]
Provisional institutions (not eligible for the championship): 13
Declared NAIA (not eligible for the NCAA championship): 2 1 [Updated for Northland no longer NAIA-declared]
Reclassifying institution (not eligible for the NCAA championship): 3
Institutions eligible for NCAA championship: 385 388 [Updated for Northland no longer NAIA-declared and addition of Wheelock and Rosemont]
Conferences meeting automatic qualifying requirements: 39
Eligible teams in automatic-qualifying conferences (Pool A): 357 358 [Updated for addition of Rosemont]
Eligible Pool B teams: 28 30 [Updated for Northland no longer NAIA-declared and addition of Wheelock]
Access ratio: 1:9.15 9.18 (eligible teams in AQ conferences / # of AQ conferences) [Updated for addition of Rosemont]

Based on the sponsorship data, the following allocations will be implemented for the 2009 championship:
Bracket: 59 teams (based on 2008 eligible institutions (384) / 6.5)
Pool A: 39 teams
Pool B: 3 teams (# Pool B teams / Access ratio = 28 / 9.15 = 3.06) 30 / 9.18 = 3.27) [Updated for above the changes]
Pool C: 17 teams (Field size - Pool A - Pool B)