NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Qualifier Facts

• The intent of the committee is to allocate between 250-300 automatic qualifiers of the 330 field using a primary criteria formula.

• Wildcard selections at qualifying events have been eliminated.

• All weight classes at the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will consist of 33 wrestlers.

• At-large qualifiers (formerly known as wildcards) will be announced March 9.

 

Qualifier Allocation: Primary Criteria Formula

• Automatic qualifiers will be determined by using the primary criteria formula and will be communicated to all qualifying events on February 23.

• On February 22, wrestlers in each weight class will be measured on the following:

                • Winning percentage (Win %) - Win % is defined as Division I wins divided by total Division I matches contested.

• Rating Percentage Index (RPI) - RPI is defined as Win % multiplied by opponents’ Win % multiplied by opponents’ opponents’ Win % (17 match minimum).

                • Coaches’ Ranking (CR) – CR is defined as the weight class specific ranking as determined by the NCAA Division I                  Wrestling Championships Coaches Ranking Panel.

• Gold Standard – Wrestlers that meet or exceed threshold levels for all three measures.

• Silver Standard – Wrestlers that meet or exceed threshold levels for any two of the three measures.

• All Gold and Silver Standard wrestlers will earn a qualifier position for their respective weight class at their respective qualifying event.

• If a wrestler earns a Gold or Silver Standard label and does not compete in his conference or regional qualifying tournament, the qualifier position that was earned by this wrestler for his qualifying event will revert back to the at-large pool.

• If a qualifying event does not have any Gold or Silver Standard wrestlers at a weight class, one qualifier position will be allocated for that qualifying event’s champion at that weight class.

• Threshold levels may slide up or down in concert (i.e., slide up to .800 Win%, Top 20 RPI and Top 20 CR or slide down to .700 Win %, Top 30 RPI and Top 30 CR) to achieve a total number of automatic qualifiers in the desired range.

 

Qualifier Allocation: Secondary Criteria Formula

• After all qualifying events have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select at-large qualifiers using secondary criteria.

• On March 7, wrestlers in each weight class will receive an updated Win % and RPI, through the qualifying events. “Bronze Standard” wrestlers will be measured on the following:

                • .700 Win %

                • Top 33 RPI

                • Top 33 CR (2/22/10 measure)

                • .700 winning percentage against all competition

                • One win against a wrestler receiving automatic qualification

                • Qualifying event placement one below automatic qualification

• Only Bronze Standard wrestlers will be eligible for selection as at-large qualifiers.

• The NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will evaluate the Bronze Standard wrestlers by using:

                • Head-to-head competition

                • Qualifying event placement

                • Quality wins

                • Results against common opponents

                • Win %

                • RPI

                • CR

                • Number of matches contested at that weight class

• A wrestler must have participated in their respective conference or regional qualifying tournament in order to be considered for at-large selection to the championships.