Can someone explain how the Iowa conference gets 3 seeds in the NCAA for each weight class?
What an easy way to see everyone competing at each weight, thanks for the listing! I think the list also points out how each weight should be increased to 16 participants. Look at 184—12 guys. So 8 of them are going to be “all americans”?? Evern with 16 in each weight, it makes sense to limit all-american status to the top 3 or 4.
In D3, qualifying for the NCAA’s can be seen as more difficult because we have so many less bids as mandated by the NCAA. Kids shouldn’t be discredited for being an “All-American” because of the NCAA limitation and screwy formula for coming up with how they qualify. Ideally we could have a four regional system and qualify the top 4 like D2 for a 16 man bracket but for some reason that never seems to be agreed upon.
You could look at DI and ask the same thing about being a National Qualifier. 33 kids per bracket out of only 80 possible schools competing across the country. When you factor in some of them will not even have a legitimate shot at qualifying a competitor such as schools like Davidson Duquesne, etc. you’re getting closer and closer to having a 50-50 shot to be an NCAA qualifier just by being in the varsity line up at the end of the season (a good accomplishment in itself at that level).
Regardless of division and the differences in qualifying, earning AA status, etc. I think we should focus on the positive opportunity these guys get and congratulate them for where ever they finish. The way our sport is being murdered by budget cuts and Title IX, there may not be many opportunities like this left.
actually there are 13 at 184
Scrambled Eggs: The Iowa conference has 33 bids to the tournament, so they take the top 3 at each weight and three wild cards (4th, or occasionally 5th, as they did at 125 this year). Each conference has a (different) specified number of bids, and those numbers can and do change from year to year. For example, the Great Lakes conference had 26 bids last year, and this year they were awarded 28. They take the top 2 plus eight wildcards. The number of bids awarded per conference/region (here’s the answer to your question) is formula that is heavily weighted towards the percentage of All Americans relative to number of qualifiers (e.g., if Iowa ends up with 22 All Americans, their AA percentage this year would be 67%), but also includes lesser weighted factors like number of teams in the conference, number of participants and the like. The forumula is run over the preceeding three years to calculate the number of bids per region. In short, the higher the percentage of All Americans you get, the more likely you are to get additional bids (at the expense of other regions) in upcoming years. Watch the Empire — they had the highest percentage last year with 10 out of 15 reaching the podium. While their number of bids did not increase this year, I’m certain that if they do as well again this year, they will see an increase in bids next year.
Why does Iowa get 33, or Great Lakes get 28? Because they consistently place a high percentage of All Americans each year. Is this unfair? Not really, given the quality of competition in those conferences. Consider 141 at Great Lakes, which included the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th ranked guys in the nation – including the defending national champ – and at Iowa, where four others at the same weight are also legitimate AA contenders. Those conferences with 11, 13, 15 bids don’t have nearly the depth of competition, and hence shouldn’t get as many qualifiers.
Hope that helps!.
174 – Hurd is from Wesleyan, not USM
Fryer Tuck, Thanks for the education! Makes total sense. I hadn’t really looked into the past. I was originally very surprised to see the top 3 seeds from Iowa Conference go to Nationals in each weight class. Based on your explanation it all comes together.
there is no “e” on Kraus
Fixed now.
thanks lol…I appreciate it
Can someone explain how the Iowa conference gets 3 seeds in the NCAA for each weight class?
What an easy way to see everyone competing at each weight, thanks for the listing! I think the list also points out how each weight should be increased to 16 participants. Look at 184—12 guys. So 8 of them are going to be “all americans”?? Evern with 16 in each weight, it makes sense to limit all-american status to the top 3 or 4.
In D3, qualifying for the NCAA’s can be seen as more difficult because we have so many less bids as mandated by the NCAA. Kids shouldn’t be discredited for being an “All-American” because of the NCAA limitation and screwy formula for coming up with how they qualify. Ideally we could have a four regional system and qualify the top 4 like D2 for a 16 man bracket but for some reason that never seems to be agreed upon.
You could look at DI and ask the same thing about being a National Qualifier. 33 kids per bracket out of only 80 possible schools competing across the country. When you factor in some of them will not even have a legitimate shot at qualifying a competitor such as schools like Davidson Duquesne, etc. you’re getting closer and closer to having a 50-50 shot to be an NCAA qualifier just by being in the varsity line up at the end of the season (a good accomplishment in itself at that level).
Regardless of division and the differences in qualifying, earning AA status, etc. I think we should focus on the positive opportunity these guys get and congratulate them for where ever they finish. The way our sport is being murdered by budget cuts and Title IX, there may not be many opportunities like this left.
actually there are 13 at 184
Scrambled Eggs: The Iowa conference has 33 bids to the tournament, so they take the top 3 at each weight and three wild cards (4th, or occasionally 5th, as they did at 125 this year). Each conference has a (different) specified number of bids, and those numbers can and do change from year to year. For example, the Great Lakes conference had 26 bids last year, and this year they were awarded 28. They take the top 2 plus eight wildcards. The number of bids awarded per conference/region (here’s the answer to your question) is formula that is heavily weighted towards the percentage of All Americans relative to number of qualifiers (e.g., if Iowa ends up with 22 All Americans, their AA percentage this year would be 67%), but also includes lesser weighted factors like number of teams in the conference, number of participants and the like. The forumula is run over the preceeding three years to calculate the number of bids per region. In short, the higher the percentage of All Americans you get, the more likely you are to get additional bids (at the expense of other regions) in upcoming years. Watch the Empire — they had the highest percentage last year with 10 out of 15 reaching the podium. While their number of bids did not increase this year, I’m certain that if they do as well again this year, they will see an increase in bids next year.
Why does Iowa get 33, or Great Lakes get 28? Because they consistently place a high percentage of All Americans each year. Is this unfair? Not really, given the quality of competition in those conferences. Consider 141 at Great Lakes, which included the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th ranked guys in the nation – including the defending national champ – and at Iowa, where four others at the same weight are also legitimate AA contenders. Those conferences with 11, 13, 15 bids don’t have nearly the depth of competition, and hence shouldn’t get as many qualifiers.
Hope that helps!.
174 – Hurd is from Wesleyan, not USM
Fryer Tuck, Thanks for the education! Makes total sense. I hadn’t really looked into the past. I was originally very surprised to see the top 3 seeds from Iowa Conference go to Nationals in each weight class. Based on your explanation it all comes together.
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