"Who's gonna take it all this year, B Division"

[squirts62]

Maybe I'm assuming too much, but I think the B division is going to be a lot more competetive top to bottom in the top 25 than the A. Whichever team represent any conference in Blaine, should have a shot at winning. Again, the OOC play is going to be very interesting this year. Maybe next year we can try to have a Westcoast meeting over Spring Break. Try to get the best teams from the WCLL and RMLC to meet somewhere in the middle. What is the first OOC game this year?

If the SFU upset over Oregon is any sign of what's to come in the A division, then I would say the A division will see their fair share of competetiveness.

[Kyle Berggren]

If UW beats SFU, the PNCLL has become like trying to get an NFL playoff spot last season. UW could ruin all the hopes any teams have for getting into the playoffs early....

[primetime21]

UW did win and won big today....however i personally think that it is still premature to pick who is going to blaine....in either divisions. kyle you know better than anybody about teams peaking to early or to late. i think that right now is the time to see teams who are going to make a run start to peak and ride it all the way into the playoffs. some of these teams we are talking about could be peaking now and could ripe for the picking come the end of the season. for example not a lot of teams wanted to play PLU late in the season for...for years we notorious for peaking at the end and making a deep run in the playoffs. could be happening all over the nation right now. i say come mid march ealry april we will see who is really going.

[Kyle Berggren]

Dave.... There are only 4 playoff spots in the A, for 6 teams. I doubt many people thought that UW would be leading the A 2-0. The best SFU and Oregon can be in division is 4-1. What if Oregon 'peaks' in early April, when they play UW. Now Oregon, UW, and SFU could be 4-1. Not too mention Oregon State... If UW keeps up this pace of play, who knows what could happen in the A. I really doubt Gonzaga is going to roll over and let people take any games from them, and Idaho seems to be very strong for a first year team.

[champlaxer]

Less talk about A, this is a B national championship thread.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

This weekend will tell us a lot about the relative strengths of each of the conferences, with #3B Ft. Lewis in California playing the top two teams in the WCLL in #4B Claremont and #6B USD. . .and #5B UVSC and Boise State hosting #8B PLU and #15B UPS in Idaho this weekend.

[Maple Leaf]

claremont 16 - ft. lewis 5

[new-WI-l-axplayer]

I was talking about Trinity earlier. I apologize if I didn't make that clear. They were #15 going into the season. Not to mention, up here in the frozen Tundra, we are somewhat disadvantaged earlier in the season. Any team coming down from here will be lucky to have consistant practice on a full field. Going down there and beating strong teams shows that they have obviously are strong team that play hard with no outdoor practice, and I'm sure limited indoor practice. I know lacrosse doesn't get nearly enough funding or facility usage so indoor practices are hard to schedule and not as effective as an outdoor. It might be a different case, but we are still club sports. (Our co-ed ultimate frizbee gets twice as much money as us from the school) Once again, I apologize for not being clear but I don't think UMLL is getting any credit. We're small, but growing conference, and St. Thomas and St. Johns are great teams that should be considered in the fray of who's going to come out of Blaine undefeated. Either way, Blaine is 25 min from my house so I'll see all you guys play whether or not we make it there.

[Maple Leaf]

it is my understanding that only the conference winners will be the AQ's to Blaine, and only if one of those teams decides not to make it that an at-large birth will be given out. I agree that this makes sense in the A division due to the fact that there are also several at large bids available. I don't know if this is the best way to approach things in the b division.

i am not trying to be too critical, and i understand that nothing will be done this year, and that you need to start somewhere.... (insert any other cliched platitude)

to me this seems unjust, if you happen to play in a good conference you are at a huge disadvantage. I know that if you are the best team in the country you should have no problem winning your conference, but isn't the point of the tournament to get the best teams in country and then crown a winner? If some of the best teams are being left out because they could not win their conference is the winner going to be a real national champion, or just the winner of some randomly chosen teams?

Imagine the A division tournament leaving sonoma, arizona, byu and colorado out.... and then crowning a winner

[Kyle Berggren]

If that is your arguement, consider the Conference Tournament, an extension of the National Tournament.... Winner represents your Conference. From my point of view, it is by far the best way to go about a first year B tournament, and we have a very tough road through our division if we're going to make it. The bottom line is the winner of the conference tournament, the best team in each conference, should represent their conference. The RMLC, UMLL, CCLA, LSA, WCLL, GRLC, SELC, or PCLL may be tougher than the PNCLL, but no one is trying for second, only that first spot matters, so the conference tournaments are huge.

[mcneito]

to me this seems unjust, if you happen to play in a good conference you are at a huge disadvantage. I know that if you are the best team in the country you should have no problem winning your conference, but isn't the point of the tournament to get the best teams in country and then crown a winner?

Maple Leaf, I know where you are coming from. You and San Diego are definitely two of the top 5 or top 3 teams in the nation, even the polls indicate it that way. Someone ALWAYS gets snubbed. If you look at Univ. of Utah in the A division, they are having an incredible season, but if they don't win the RMLC tourney(CSU, BYU, CU) they most likely won't go to the big dance either. It's the harsh reality of playing in a top conference. All I have to say is best of luck against San Diego.

[Maple Leaf]

i did not bring up my point in reference to any team specifically, or even in regards to this year... i was thinking more about in the future. I understand it is going to be hard to even get 8 teams to blaine. My point is simply this, if you are going to have a national poll, there should be some at large consideration so that you get the best teams playing for the championship. Like i stated earlier... if you claim to be the best team in the country you should have no problem winning your conference, but you should at least have to play the strongest possible field when you get to nationals.

i am going to end my comments here. i realize nothing will be accomplished at this point in the season, and this is something to be looked at by the board in the off season. I am happy to finally have a championship, and i know improvements will be made in the future.

[Chris Larson]

ML,

The flip side is to ensure geographic representation in our "National" Championship event.

Remember, we're aligned with USLacrosse and a significant part of their mission is to manage the growth of the game in non-traditional areas (like the entire MDIA).

[John Paul]

Fortunately, we've been through all of this before as the tournament (now the A tournament) developed. These exact same arguments have been made many times before. First, the conferences will always get an AQ for the conference winner. That system fits our mission. Second, as the B tournament eventually grows to more teams (which will come over time as B teams show the desire and ability to make it there EVERY time they are invited, and as more resources - money - become available), the at-large spots will alleviate some of these concerns. Of course, unless we opened up the tournament to every team in the division, there will always be several teams making a claim that they should be there. Finally, for this year, if a team that earns an AQ declines the invitation and opens up an at-large spot, then the next highest ranked team will be invited, which in theory should address your concern. If one conference really has several of the best teams, then the highest ranked team that does not receive the AQ should be one of those teams.

Ultimately, as someone mentioned above, the conference tournaments are extenstions of the national tournament. Think of them as regional rounds. You have to win your region to move on to the finals.

[Andy Sharp]

I think it may have been spoken of in individual conference forums, but just in case, let's get it out on the table.

What is the potential for the forfeiture of B conference AQs?

Has it been declared which conferences allow A teams in their B championship tourneys and which have declared them ineligible? I believe the CCLA declared Ball State ineligible, but thought others left it open, anyone know?

For instance, if a conference allows an A team into their B conference tournament and they win, will their AQ be lost and given to the highest nationally ranked team or given to the top B team?

Am I correct as to which conferences have A teams in their B Division?
CCLA - Yes
GRLC - Yes
LSA - Yes
PNCLL - No
RMLC - Yes
SELC - Yes
UMLL - No
WCLL - No

How about A players on B All-Conference teams?