USCHO has released PairWise Rankings for Division III men’s and women’s hockey based on the NCAA’s new selection process for 2003-04.
The PairWise Rankings (PWR) are a statistical tool designed to approximate the process by which the NCAA selection committee decides which at-large teams are invited to the NCAA men’s and women’s Division III tournaments.
For both men’s and women’s Division III, USCHO publishes three different PWRs. Each has an eastern and western regional PWR, which follow the NCAA’s regions, but also a combined national PWR, which illustrates the comparisons the NCAA makes between teams in each region when selecting at-large Pool B and C bids.
Starting this season, all Division III sports have adopted a uniform set of criteria for determining at-large bids. At-large teams will be selected by comparing winning percentage, a new Strength of Schedule Index, head-to-head record, record against common opponents, and record against ranked teams — not necessarily in that order.
The Strength of Schedule Index, already in use by some other Division III sports, most notably basketball, awards points to a team for wins, losses, and ties, based on the opponent’s record and whether the game is played at home, on the road, or at a neutral site. An explanation of the Strength of Schedule Index is included in USCHO’s D-III PWR Explained.
All comparisons among teams are done for games played against teams within a team’s region and against Division III competition. Exhibition games against non-NCAA teams, including Canadian colleges and universities, the U.S. National Development Team, and club programs are not included.
For men, in the East Region, only games between Division III teams in the ECAC East, ECAC Northeast, ECAC West, NESCAC and SUNYAC, as well as against independents Scranton and Castleton State are included in the comparison. In the West, only games between Division III teams in the MCHA, MIAC and NCHA, and independent Finlandia are considered.
For women, in the East Region, only games between Division III teams in the ECAC D-III East, ECAC D-III West, and NESCAC are included. In the West, only games between Division III teams in the MIAC and NCHA are considered.
While the PWR uses the same criteria as the selection committee, the NCAA does not specify how the criteria are weighted, leaving the committee leeway. That flexibility is the most significant reason that the NCAA rankings may differ from the PWR during any given week. However, the PWR comparisons which accompany each PWR are the same comparisons used by the committee, and show how each team stacks up against others.
The PWR compares only those teams at or above .500, judging them by five criteria: winning percentage, Strength of Schedule Index, head-to-head record, record against common opponents, and record against teams ranked weekly in the Division III Men’s and Women’s NCAA Rankings. Once a team has been ranked by the NCAA, it remains ranked for the purpose of calculating record against ranked teams for the rest of the season.
USCHO will continue to publish the men’s and women’s D-III PWR through the end of the season. Each will be updated through the end of conference playoffs on March 7.
Division III PWR Links
Current Men’s D-III East Region PairWise Rankings
Current Men’s D-III West Region PairWise Rankings
Current Men’s D-III National PairWise Rankings
All Men’s D-III East PWR Comparisons
All Men’s D-III West PWR Comparisons
All Men’s D-III National PWR Comparisons
Current Women’s D-III East Region PairWise Rankings
Current Women’s D-III West Region PairWise Rankings
Current Women’s D-III National PairWise Rankings
All Women’s D-III East PWR Comparisons
All Women’s D-III West PWR Comparisons
All Women’s D-III National PWR Comparisons
