DIII Championship Adding Day Off Between Semifinals and Championship

[Scott_TG]

When the elimination of the 3rd Place Game was announced by the committee, the change to championship weekend showed the national championship game moving up to an afternoon game, but remaining on Saturday, the day after the semifinals.

However, the 2023 NCAA DIII WIH Pre-Championship Manual published last month lists the date of the championship game as Sunday, adding in a day off between Friday's semifinal and the championship game. When the elimination of the 3rd Place Game was announced, they did state that the money saved would be used to "enhance participant athlete experience" on championship weekend. Could they have decided the best use of those savings was to spend on an additional night's lodging for the teams involved to provide a full day's rest for both finalists?

I have to laugh that Natalie Darwitz is no longer coaching in DIII to the fruits of her whining. For those who don't remember, after her Hamline Pipers lost the championship game 4-0 to Plattsburgh in 2019 Natalie Darwitz's first statement on the mic at the press conference was how the lack of an off day affected the outcome.

[Russell Jaslow]

When the elimination of the 3rd Place Game was announced by the committee, the change to championship weekend showed the national championship game moving up to an afternoon game, but remaining on Saturday, the day after the semifinals.

However, the 2023 NCAA DIII WIH Pre-Championship Manual published last month lists the date of the championship game as Sunday, adding in a day off between Friday's semifinal and the championship game. When the elimination of the 3rd Place Game was announced, they did state that the money saved would be used to "enhance participant athlete experience" on championship weekend. Could they have decided the best use of those savings was to spend on an additional night's lodging for the teams involved to provide a full day's rest for both finalists?

I have to laugh that Natalie Darwitz is no longer coaching in DIII to the fruits of her whining. For those who don't remember, after her Hamline Pipers lost the championship game 4-0 to Plattsburgh in 2019 Natalie Darwitz's first statement on the mic at the press conference was how the lack of an off day affected the outcome.

This is interesting.

The D3 men eliminated the third place game ages ago (the last one was in 2001 when RIT hosted -- I was assigned to cover that third place game, and it was horrible) and they have never talked about going to an off-day format.

[Pioneer247]

This is interesting.

The D3 men eliminated the third place game ages ago (the last one was in 2001 when RIT hosted -- I was assigned to cover that third place game, and it was horrible) and they have never talked about going to an off-day format.

According to the schedules listed on team's websites (Utica has it for example), the men's Semifinals are scheduled for Friday the 24th, with the championship game on Sunday the 26th

[Scott_TG]

According to the schedules listed on team's websites (Utica has it for example), the men's Semifinals are scheduled for Friday the 24th, with the championship game on Sunday the 26th

The document for the men's tournament only lists semifinal dates and doesn't include the final.

[Scott_TG]

Clarifying my own last post:

The 2023 Bid Information and Checklist doc I linked doesn't specify the date of the final, but the longer Pre-Championship Manual does have a bracket showing that the men have in fact added the off day and that the final will be on Sunday the 26th as Pioneer247 indicated

[Russell Jaslow]

Clarifying my own last post:

The 2023 Bid Information and Checklist doc I linked doesn't specify the date of the final, but the longer Pre-Championship Manual does have a bracket showing that the men have in fact added the off day and that the final will be on Sunday the 26th as Pioneer247 indicated

The NCAA website is listing the women's as March 17-19 and the men's as March 24 and 26.

Wow.

Selfishly, this changes a lot with a schedule I don't like. Because it makes me wonder what USCHO's budget will be to have us cover these championship weekends.

[spwood]

The NCAA website is listing the women's as March 17-19 and the men's as March 24 and 26.

Wow.

Selfishly, this changes a lot with a schedule I don't like. Because it makes me wonder what USCHO's budget will be to have us cover these championship weekends.

FWIW, Adrian's website shows March 17 and March 18 for the Phinal Phour... Utica does show the 17th and 19th.

[Russell Jaslow]

FWIW, Adrian's website shows March 17 and March 18 for the Phinal Phour... Utica does show the 17th and 19th.

I'm sure the change was late and many teams either didn't bother/know about the change or originally just went on the usual assumption.

The NCAA site I'm sure is accurate, and like others have pointed out, official documents are also indicating the new dates.