Introduction
Overview Description
Team Advancement and Bid Allocation Mechanisms
Reference Documents
Video Explanation Clips
Season Flowchart
Season Calendar
Geographic Structure/Map
Sample Seasons
FAQ
Plan Details
Regular Season
Registration
Eligibility
Competition Structure
Qualification for Post-Season
Selection Committee
Post-Season
Registration
Eligibility
Competition Structure
Stage 1 (Sectionals)
Stage 2 (Super-Regionals and Regionals)
Stage 3 (Nationals)
INTRODUCTION
The Super-Regional Plan is based in large part on the current structure of the UPA College Series and the informal regular season that precedes it. However, it adds a number of elements to address some of the desires of player and fans of college Ultimate as well as the changing landscape of the division as it has grown and developed, from 283 teams in 1999 to 630 teams in 2008.
The highest level (Division I) of this competitive structure will culminate in a national tournament where 20 Open and 20 Women's teams vie for the undisputed title of UPA College Champion. Along the way, 48 teams in each gender division will take part in one of four Super-Regional Championships, which will be designed to not only determine qualifiers for the national championship event, but also to showcase the excitement of college Ultimate in a manner and in locations that will be accessible to the division's growing fan base. Every eligible, registered team will have a shot at qualifying for a Super-Regional Championship through their Sectional Championship tournament, making the eventual winner of the UPA College Championship truly the best from amongst the entire field of college Ultimate teams in the country.
But the Super-Regional structure goes way beyond what at first appears to be a slight modification of the current UPA College Series structure. Teams will have the opportunity to compete in a meaningful regular season, which can not only earn them a bye to Super-Regionals, but will make tracking the season as a whole, as well as individual teams, more fun for players and fans alike. And once the post-season starts, there will not only be the excitement of the Sectional Championships and Super-Regional tournaments, but a series of post-season tournaments for teams that do not qualify for Super-Regionals and another series of events for teams from small colleges.
These are all elements of the Super-Regional plan that will provide an incredible experience for college Ultimate players throughout the country and a sustainable structure for the future.
In the early part of the year (e.g. January), college teams will have the option to register with the UPA as a Tier 1 team for the regular season. This registration process will include an eligibility check, using UPA eligibility rules, of all players on each team's roster. Any college team can register as a Tier 1 team, and they will have complete flexibility in how they schedule their season. Tier 1 teams will have the results of their regular season games against other Tier 1 teams count in the official Tier 1 standings. Tier 1 results/standings will be used to determine* which 24 teams (per gender division) will advance automatically past the first stage of the post-season (Sectionals) to one of four Super-Regional events.
Teams that do not register as Tier 1 teams by the pre-regular season registration deadline described above will be designated as Tier 2 teams for the regular season and the beginning of the post-season (Sectionals). They may structure their own regular season schedule and play Tier 1 or Tier 2 teams. However, their game results will not be included in the official Tier 1 standings, and they will not be eligible to receive a bye to Super-Regionals and can only qualify for that event by participating at Sectionals.
In the early spring (e.g. late March), all college teams will have the option to register for the post-season (Sectionals). This registration process will include an eligibility check, using UPA eligibility rules, of all players on each team's roster. Tier 1 teams, which will have registered prior to the regular season, will go through a roster re-verification process. Some Tier 1 teams will have already advanced*, based on the regular season, to Super-Regionals. Tier 1 teams that do not advance directly to Super-Regionals will register for Division I or Division III Sectionals. All regular season Tier 2 teams (non-Tier 1) will also register for Division I or Division III Sectionals.
Division I Sectionals will provide an opportunity for any registered, eligible team to advance to Super-Regionals by winning their Sectional Championship. It will also provide an opportunity for teams to advance to Division II Regional Championships, which in turn will lead to a Division II UPA National Championship.
Division III registration will only be open to teams that meet certain additional team eligibility criteria. This level of the post-season will primarily be reserved for teams from small colleges (size TBD) and new or developing teams (with limitations based on the teams' experience and success). Division III Sectionals will provide an opportunity for teams to advance to Division III Regional Championships, which in turn will lead to a Division III UPA National Championship. (Initially this level of play will only be offered in the Open Division, since the density of teams in the Women's Division is unlikely to be able to support a Divisio II and Division III post-season structure. This will be re-evaluated as the Women's Division continues to grow.)
*Advancement to Super-Regionals based on Tier 1 regular season results will be determined by a selection committee. There will be a minimum standard for the number of Tier 1 games required to be eligible for selection by the committee. The committee will take into account only those results between registered, eligible Tier 1 teams. Teams will be assigned to one of the four Super-Regional Championships by the committee. The committee will choose the top 24 teams, regardless of geographic distribution. To the extent possible, teams will be assigned to Super-Regional events based on geographic location.
It is important to note that the mechanisms described in this plan are not inherently tied to the structure itself. While the mechanisms described in this plan outline the vision of some planners, they do not necessarily represent the only viable option and are subject to feedback from the community as well as from organizers who would be tasked with implementing these mechanisms.
For example, in the Super-Regional Plan outlined here, the mechanism for advancing teams directly to Super-Regionals is through a selection committee, which takes into account the results of the official regular season. However, it is also possible to implement this same Super-Regional competition structure, as described, but with teams selected for Super-Regionals based on a more deterministic mechanism (such as regular season rankings or points awarded based on regular season tournament finish).
In order to help explain the plan, only one mechanism for allocating bids and selecting teams for various events was described. However, alternative methods will be presented on the College Restructure Blog, where the pros and cons of the various alternatives can be discussed.
Video Explanation Clips - Video clips of HQ staff members explaining the major elements of each plan.
Season Flowchart - Graphic depiction of various elements of a season under this structure and how they are connected.
Season Calendar - Timeline of a college Ultimate season under this structure.
Geographic Structure/Map - Visual aide showing potential regional and super-regional boundaries.
Samples Seasons - See how a variety of real teams' 2008 seasons might have looked under this new structure.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
(Note: Unless specifically stated otherwise, all parts of this plan are applicable to both the College Open and College Women's divisions, which may also be referred to in general as "gender divisions".)
Teams have the option to register online and submit registrar-certified rosters to the UPA by late January (exact date TBD) and become classified for the regular season as Tier 1 teams.
Teams that do not register as Tier 1 teams by the late January deadline will not be officially registered for the regular season and will be classified at Tier 2 teams.
Any tournament director that wishes to host a UPA-sanctioned regular season tournament must notify the UPA by early December. UPA-sanctioned tournaments will need to meet certain event standards (TBD, but possibly including lined, full-size fields, a buffer between fields, UPA certified observers for semis and finals, a medical plan in place, UPA score reporting, and UPA tournament formats). In addition to UPA-sanctioned tournaments hosted by the community, the UPA will host one regular season tournament in each of the 4 Super-Regions to help provide opportunities for Tier 1 teams to play one another before the post-season.
Registration as a Tier 1 regular season team will include a check of all rostered players to ensure they and the team meet the UPA College Eligibility Rules*. Only players who are registered and approved for Tier 1 regular season play will be eligible to compete with their Tier 1 team in official regular season games.
The UPA will provide up-to-date rosters of eligible players to the tournament directors of UPA-sanctioned events, where teams will be subject to player checks by event staff to ensure compliance with approved rosters and eligibility rules.
Tier 2 teams will include all those not officially registered by the late January deadline. These teams' rosters will not have been checked and approved by the UPA for the regular season.
*The UPA College Eligibility Rules will be re-written to accommodate the new, earlier deadline and school academic calendars to allow for eligibility verification prior to the regular season registration deadline.
Regular season events will be comprised of UPA-affiliated (UPA-run or UPA sanctioned) and non-UPA-affiliated events. The UPA will organize at least one event in each Super-Region to help provide adequate opportunities for Tier 1 teams to play one another in the regular season. Additionally, independent event organizers will be encouraged to sanction their events with the UPA so that Tier 1 team rosters can be checked. Non-UPA-affiliated events will also exist and provide opportunities for Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams to play additional games.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams will be able to schedule their own season however they wish. In order to be considered by the selection committee for advancement directly to Super-Regionals, Tier 1 teams will be required to play a minimum number of UPA-affiliated Tier 1 events (TBD) or play a minimum number of other Tier 1 teams at UPA-affiliated events before the start of the post-season (exact date TBD).
Results of games between Tier 1 teams at UPA-affiliated events will be considered official regular season results. These results will be used to develop official Tier 1 standings and rankings, which will be considered by the selection committee when determining which 24 teams will advance directly to Super-Regionals.
Results of games involving Tier 2 teams at any event and results of any games at non-UPA-affiliated tournaments may be tracked, but will not be considered by the selection committee in determining which teams will advance directly to Super-Regionals.
All college teams (Tier 1, Tier 2, or brand new teams) will have the opportunity to register for the post-season (see Post-Season Registration). Teams do not technically have to "qualify" for the post-season through the regular season. Teams may play a Tier 1 or Tier 2 regular season, or none at all, and still be eligible to participate in the post-season.
Twenty-four (24) Tier 1 regular season teams will be chosen by selection committee to advance directly to Super-Regionals. The committee's decision will be based exclusively on the results of official Tier 1 games (those played between registered Tier 1 teams at UPA-affiliated events).
The selected teams will be considered the top 24 Tier 1 teams from throughout the country and will not be confined to any particular geographic area. The committee will also determine which of the 4 Super-Regional events each team will attend, with geographic location of the team and the event as a primary consideration. However, it is possible that some of the selected teams will be assigned to an event outside of their own Super-Region.
The makeup of the selection committee is still to be determined. There will almost certainly be UPA staff (paid and/or volunteer) as well as other college division "experts", possibly including tournament directors. The committee will almost certainly be different for the two gender divisions. The committee will be formed prior to the start of the regular season and will be tasked with closely monitoring the action in the division, attending tournaments as able, and reviewing video and other game reports and analysis.
All college teams will have the opportunity to register online and submit registrar-certified rosters by late March to register for the post-season (UPA College Series).
All teams that are not selected from the Tier 1 regular season for advancement to Super-Regionals will be permitted to register for Division I Sectionals. Additionally, in the Open Division teams not selected for Super-Regionals who meet specific criteria (small college, new/developing teams) will be eligible to register for Division III Sectionals. (Initially this level of play will only be offered in the Open Division, since the density of teams in the Women's Division is unlikely to be able to support a Division II and Division III post-season structure. This will be re-evaluated as the Women's Division continues to grow.)
Specific criteria for determining "small college" or "new/developing" teams are to be determined. Potential requirements for Division III might include:
Small college - <6000 total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate)
New/developing team - Has not qualified for Divisio I or Division II Nationals, or finished in the top 8 at Division I or Division II Regionals in the last 5 years.
Tier 1 teams that registered in January for the Tier 1 regular season, will be required to confirm their intentions to participate in the post-season and go through a re-certification process to verify player eligibility for the post-season. Some modification of rosters will be permitted between the regular season and post-season.
Teams that do not register by the late March deadline will not be permitted to participate in the post-season.
All post-season tournaments will be managed by a UPA coordinator, who will be responsible for ensuring the quality of the event, compliance with player and team eligibility rules, and adherence to UPA competition guidelines. These events will be bid out to prospective hosts, who will be selected based on their ability to meet the goals of the event, including those related to event quality and travel time/cost.
Registration for the post-season will include a check of all rostered players to ensure they and the team meet the UPA College Eligibility Rules. Only players who are registered and approved will be eligible to compete with their team in post-season play.
The UPA will provide up-to-date rosters of eligible players to the UPA coordinators of post-season events, where teams will be subject to player checks by event staff to ensure compliance with approved rosters and eligibility rules.
Division I Sectionals* - Boundaries will be redrawn to create 24 sections across the U.S. and Canada (6 in each Super-Region). All teams that register for post-season play are eligible to participate in Division I Sectionals, except for teams that receive selection committee bids to Super-Regionals and teams that register for Division III Sectionals. The top qualifier from each section will receive a bid to Super-Regionals. The next X qualifiers will advance to Division II Regionals (X being determined by sectional size, similar to the current bid allocation system).
Division III Sectionals* - All Open Division teams that are below a given school size or meet certain requirements that classify them as a new/developing program can compete in the Division III Series (beginning with Division III Sectionals).(Initially this level of play will only be offered in the Open Division, since the density of teams in the Women's Division is unlikely to be able to support a Division II and Division III post-season structure. This will be re-evaluated as the Women's Division continues to grow.)
Rules will be developed to deal with areas with small numbers of teams, which would allow small sections to combine with others to form viable events. Only teams that compete in Division III Sectionals will be eligible to advance to Division III Regionals. The number of qualifiers advancing to Division III Regionals will be determined by sectional size, similar to the current bid allocation system.
*Note: Division I and Division III Sectionals may be held together depending on the relative size of each competition, the availability of fields, and the ability for the event host to accommodate teams.
Stage 2 (Super-Regionals and Regionals)
Division I Super-Regionals - Four (4) Super-Regional events will occur in early May. Each Super-Regional will have 12 teams per gender division. Six (6) teams will be chosen by the selection committee based on regular season performance. Six (6) teams will be winners of the 6 Division I Sectional Championships in that Super-Region. The top four teams from each Super-Region will advance to Division I Nationals. In addition, the 32 teams at Super-Regionals that don’t finish in the top 4 at their event will be ranked using a power ranking algorithm. The top four teams in this ranking system will also earn bids to Division I Nationals.
Division II Regionals - Sixteen (16) teams in the Open and Women’s divisions will compete in each of 8 regions for 16 spots at Division II Nationals. The number of bids to Division II Nationals will be a uniform two bids for each region, regardless of strength/size/participation.
Division III Regionals - Sixteen (16) teams in the Open division will compete in each of the 8 current regions for 16 spots at Division III Nationals. The top two finishers at each Division III Regionals event will qualify for Division III Nationals. To encourage growth in the tier, there will be an anti-wild card system in place so if a Region fields fewer than X teams at Division III Regionals, that region will lose a wildcard bid to Division III Nationals and the biggest Tier 3 Region will received the extra bid. (Initially this level of play will only be offered in the Open Division, since the density of teams in the Women's Division is unlikely to be able to support a Division II and Division III post-season structure. This will be re-evaluated as the Women's Division continues to grow.)
Division I Nationals* - Division I Nationals will include 20 teams from each of the Open and Women's divisions. Sixteen teams will be directly qualifiers from the Super-Regional events with 4 strength-based wildcards awarded to the top 4 non-qualifying teams from Super-Regionals. The purpose of the event will be to crown an undisputed national champion in each gender division, to provide a rewarding and unforgettable experience for participants, and to showcase the sport at its best.
Division II Nationals* - Division II Nationals will include 16 teams from each of the Open and Women's division. These teams will be the top 2 qualifiers from each of the 8 Division II Regional Championships. The purpose of the event will be to crown a Division II National Champion in each gender division, provide a rewarding and unforgettable experience for participants, and take advantage of another opportunity to showcase the sport locally and to the communities of participating teams.
Division III Nationals* - Division III Nationals will include 16 Open Division teams. These teams will be the top 2 qualifiers from each of the 8 Division III Regional Championships. The purpose of the event will be to crown a Division III National Champion, who will represent the best of the teams from small college or developing teams, provide a rewarding and unforgettable experience for participants, and take advantage of another opportunity to showcase the sport locally and to the communities of participating teams.
(Initially this level of play(Division III) will only be offered in the Open Division, since the density of teams in the Women's Division is unlikely to be able to support a Division II and Division III post-season structure. This will be re-evaluated as the Women's Division continues to grow.)
*Note: Division II and Division III Nationals will most likely be held in combination with each other, but on a separate weekend or in a separate location from Division INationals, which will be held as an stand-alone event. Host sites for all three events will be chosen based on current UPA criteria for championship events, including quality of facilities, local support, travel/geographic considerations, and costs. Division I Nationals will additionally consider qualities related to showcasing the event to a national audience.
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