new regional alignment

[UND92,96]

Just think, if the regions consisted of the same conferences they used to, UND-Pitt St. likely would have happened two weeks ago in the region semi-finals. UNO would likely have made the playoffs as the 6 seed. Grand Valley St. likely makes it to at least the semi's, and quite possibly the championship game as nobody in the current northeast region would have beaten them, and I think they would have had a good chance of knocking off Valdosta.

If you're in the MIAA or the PSAC, you probably love the new alignment. The best team from those conferences has a virtual guaranteed spot in the semi's every year. Unless TAMUK gets really good again, it's hard to imagine anybody but Pitt St. or NW Mo. St. ever winning the southwest region. In the northwest, it's going to be a dogfight every year among UND, UNO, St. Cloud St., possibly USD, Winona St., Grand Valley, Saginaw Valley, Northwood, Tech, etc. It will be interesting to see how long the current region make-up lasts considering the vastly different number of quality teams in the northwest and southeast compared to the northeast and southwest.

[RD17]

You're absolutely right- the MIAA and PSAC are the big winners in the new regional alignment. The MIAA was 1-6 versus NCC teams in the playoffs since 2000 and to get moved to a region with one terrible conference (RMAC) and one below average conference (LSC) is a huge break for Pitt State and NWMSU. Plus, they virtually get byes in the first round (Colorado Mines) while there is so much depth in the NW region that every game is going to be a war.