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Automatic Qualifiers and At-Large Teams

The Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship is a 16-team, single-elimination tournament.  Seven conferences will receive automatic qualification.  The remaining teams are selected at large.  Conferences with Automatic Qualifiers (AQs) are:
American East Conference
Colonial Athletic Conference
Eastern College Athletic Association
Great Western Lacrosse League (Lacrosse America)
Ivy Group
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Patriot League
See conferences for members and current standings.

A team must play a minimum of 10 games against Division I opponents during the regular season to be considered for selection.  To be considered as an at-large selection, a team must have a .500 or better record against all opponents.


Primary Criteria for Selecting At-Large Teams

The Division I Men's Lacrosse Committee employs criteria specified in NCAA Bylaws.  When selecting teams for possible at-large berths, primary factors considered when reviewing teams' won-loss records and strength of schedule are (not in priority order) as follows:
  1. Strength of Schedule Index which is based on the 10 highest-ranking opponents in the ratings percentage index RPI.
  2. Results against teams in descending order, as determined by the "normal RPI [Ratings Percentage Index] rank" used during the selection process, that is, the record against teams ranked 1-5, 6-10, 11-20, and team ranked greater than 20. See current results against teams ranked by RPI.
  3. Average RPI win (average RPI of all wins)
  4. Average RPI loss (average RPI of all losses)
  5. Significant wins (wins against teams ranked higher in the RPI)
  6. Significant losses. (losses against teams ranked lower in the RPI)

    7. what if? rankings are listed here.

    Criteria below: (7) - (9) are at the discretion of the committee for possible tie-breaking.

  7. Head-to-head competition.
  8. Results against common opponents.
  9. Locations of contests.

Input is also provided by regional advisory committees. However, coaches' or other polls or rankings are not used by the selection committee.



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