I've seen several posts (on this board and in The Lions Den) stating that Nick can't go to the NCAA tournament if he doesn't participate in B1Gs. Where does that come from? The NCAA Selection Criteria Grid (linked) doesn't address that situation. We are talking about the NCAA here, so the chart is not a model of clarity, but it sure seems that Nick would/should qualify for the NCAAs regardless of his participation in the conference tourney.
The chart suggests that a wrestler meets the gold standard for earning an allocated conference spot if he meets the threshold level in winning %, RPI and coaches ranking, and meets the silver standard if he meets two of those three criteria. The minimum number of D1 matches to have a qualifying winning % is 8; the minimum number to have a qualifying RPI is 17 (excluding medical forfeits). With a 16-1 record -- as best I can tell, all against D1 opponents -- Nick qualifies on both counts.
I don't know what the threshold levels are for winning percentage, RPI and coaches ranking (perhaps the standards identified in the very last line of the chart), but with a 94% winning percentage (89% if you count the medical forfeit against him) and being the #2 ranked 125er by all sources I'm aware of, Nick unquestionably far exceeds whatever minimum threshold levels will be (or are) established. I would assume he qualifies as a gold standard wrestler, and certainly qualifies as a silver standard wrestler.
If I'm reading the chart correctly, it does appear that not participating in the conference tourney would be fatal to Nick's qualifying as an at-large participant. One of the secondary criteria is "one win against a wrestler receiving AQ via an earned position" and the comments about that criterion require that the win be against an opponent in a qualifying tournament that had an earned automatic qualification. By not participating in the B1G tourney, Nick would not be able to claim a win against an AQ wrestler in a qualifying tournament.
Can anyone add some certainty or firsthand knowledge to this situation?
http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/DI_Wrestling_Qualifying_Grid_100114_AH_hw.pdf
The chart suggests that a wrestler meets the gold standard for earning an allocated conference spot if he meets the threshold level in winning %, RPI and coaches ranking, and meets the silver standard if he meets two of those three criteria. The minimum number of D1 matches to have a qualifying winning % is 8; the minimum number to have a qualifying RPI is 17 (excluding medical forfeits). With a 16-1 record -- as best I can tell, all against D1 opponents -- Nick qualifies on both counts.
I don't know what the threshold levels are for winning percentage, RPI and coaches ranking (perhaps the standards identified in the very last line of the chart), but with a 94% winning percentage (89% if you count the medical forfeit against him) and being the #2 ranked 125er by all sources I'm aware of, Nick unquestionably far exceeds whatever minimum threshold levels will be (or are) established. I would assume he qualifies as a gold standard wrestler, and certainly qualifies as a silver standard wrestler.
If I'm reading the chart correctly, it does appear that not participating in the conference tourney would be fatal to Nick's qualifying as an at-large participant. One of the secondary criteria is "one win against a wrestler receiving AQ via an earned position" and the comments about that criterion require that the win be against an opponent in a qualifying tournament that had an earned automatic qualification. By not participating in the B1G tourney, Nick would not be able to claim a win against an AQ wrestler in a qualifying tournament.
Can anyone add some certainty or firsthand knowledge to this situation?
http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/DI_Wrestling_Qualifying_Grid_100114_AH_hw.pdf