Elmira athletics file photo

A year ago, we lost the crucial final two weekends of the Division III winter championships. The 2020 Division III spring sports hardly got off the ground before they were canceled and sporting events this fall were few and far between.

It was hoped that by the time we got nearly a full year into the COVID-19 pandemic, that we would have found a way to put teams on the floor safely, but science has yet to get to that point. With that in mind, and schools and conferences beginning to pull out of winter sports, the NCAA Division III Championships Committee is at work putting together guidelines under which the winter championships would be contested.

If they can be contested at all.

Previously, an interim plan was announced under which championship fields would be capped at 75% of their usual size.

At a recent meeting, the committee agreed to recommend the following formats for these championships:

• Swimming and diving.  Two separate three-day formats. Currently this is one combined four-day event encompassing both swimming and diving. One championship is awarded combined for swimming and diving, but separating into separate events will help the NCAA incorporate distancing into the championship. It was previously announced that 239 women and 195 men will compete.
• Wrestling.  No change to format. 
• Indoor track and field.  No change to format.
• Basketball.  Eight sites to host six teams each. The eight advancing teams then proceed to the final site for a three-round championship week/weekend.
• Women's ice hockey. Two sites will host four four teams each. The teams which advance out of each pod of four will play at one of the sites for the championship.
• Men's ice hockey. No information yet for this nine-team bracket.

As conferences continue to opt out, the number of automatic bids will be in flux, and the number of bids overall. Plus, if fewer than 60% of Division III teams play the appropriate number of contests to qualify for championship consideration, there is a chance that these championships will be canceled as well. 

However, the committee discussed automatic bid requirements for ice hockey and basketball. If the conference creates a conference schedule for at least four core members, the conference can maintain its automatic bid, even if not all of the core members finish the season, or the teams compete in less than the minimum contest requirements.