The Canada West Universities Athletic Association adopted new scheduling formats in the sports of basketball, soccer, and volleyball this week as the conference’s annual general meeting wrapped up in Toronto.
The changes, brought on as a result of the admission of Edmonton’s MacEwan University as Canada West’s 17th member institution, will take effect for the 2014-15 season. MacEwan will begin Canada West competition in the fall of 2014 in the sports of basketball, cross country, soccer, and volleyball.
“The addition of MacEwan University to Canada West required us to take another look at all of our schedule formats,” said conference executive director Diane St-Denis. “We looked at more than 30 different formats in basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball before coming to the decisions that were made.
“Scheduling in Canada West is one of our biggest challenges as we look to balance the academic needs of our student-athletes, cost and geography concerns, and the limited window with which we have to play – all while maintaining the integrity of a schedule. Sincere thanks to the Sport Committee for all their hard work leading on this process.”
In September 2014, Canada West will introduce divisional play in the sport of soccer, while a revised divisional structure in basketball was approved. Volleyball will continue with a one-division structure, while the formats in football and hockey will not change.
BASKETBALL
Participating members: 17
Divisions: 2 (6 teams and 11 teams)
Number of conference games: 20
Playoff teams: TBD
The membership approved a two-division model with six teams in one division and 11 teams in the other in basketball, the only sport in which all 17 members participate.
The divisions, which will be named at a later date, will play 20-game schedules that will not interlock until the post-season.
The six-team division will consist of MacEwan University, Mount Royal University, University of Northern British Columbia, Thompson Rivers University, University of British Columbia Okanagan and University of the Fraser Valley. These teams will play one another four times each, twice home and twice away, for a total of 20 games.
In the 11-team division, teams will play each other twice each season, either at home or away, for a total of 20 games. The home and away schedule will alternate each year. Alberta, Brandon, Calgary, Lethbridge, Manitoba, Regina, Saskatchewan, Trinity Western, UBC, Victoria, and Winnipeg will compete in the 11-team division.
A playoff format in basketball will be voted on at the association’s semi-annual meeting in February, 2014.
MEN’S SOCCER
Participating members: 14
Divisions: 2 (7 teams each)
Number of conference games: 12
Playoff teams: 8 (top 4 in each division)
The men’s soccer league, comprised of 14 teams, will see major change with the addition of three new members in MacEwan, Thompson Rivers, and UBC Okanagan. The league will consist of two seven-team divisions playing a 12-game schedule with no interlock between divisions, and each team will play each other team in its division twice each year, either home or away.
The East Division will consist of Alberta, Calgary, Lethbridge, MacEwan, Mount Royal, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, while Fraser Valley, Thompson Rivers, Trinity Western, UBC, UBC Okanagan, UNBC and Victoria make up the West Division.
The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, with one-game quarter-finals within the division followed by a Final Four, with cross-over games in the semifinals. The Final Four host will alternate each year between divisions.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Participating members: 16
Divisions: 2 (7 teams and 9 teams)
Number of conference games: 12
Playoff teams: 8 (top 4 in each division)
The women’s soccer format is a modified version of the men’s soccer format, with the two additional teams added to the East Division in the University of Manitoba and the University of Regina.
Both divisions will play 12 games each year. West Division teams will play every other team in the division twice each year, either home or away. In the East Division, teams will play four other teams once each year and the other four teams twice during a season. As in men’s soccer, there will be no interlock between the divisions in conference play.
The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, with one-game quarter-finals within the division followed by a Final Four, with cross-over games in the semifinals. The Final Four host will alternate each year between divisions.
VOLLEYBALL
Participating members: 13
Divisions: 1
Number of conference games: 24
Playoff teams: 7
The addition of MacEwan brings the size of the men’s and women’s volleyball leagues to a total of 13 teams.
The teams will play a 24-match schedule, with each team playing all other teams twice, either home or away. The home and away schedule will alternate each year.
The top seven teams will qualify for the playoffs, with the first-place team earning a bye to the semifinal and hosting rights for the Final Four. The remaining six teams will play best-of-three quarter-final series, with the three winners joining the first-place team for the championship tournament.
1 comment:
It will be interesting to see how the 6 team (2nd tier) conference will be involved in playoffs. The 11 team conference will be very competitive!
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