2017 Western Athletic Conference Softball Tournament. May Las Cruces, New Mexico NM State Softball Complex Host: New Mexico State University

Transcription

1 2017 Western Athletic Conference Softball Tournament May Las Cruces, New Mexico NM State Softball Complex Host: New Mexico State University TEAM MANUAL

2 CONTENTS Section 1 Tournament Staff Directory... 3 Section 2 Tournament Dates & Deadlines... 3 Section 3 Tournament Schedule... 4 Section 4 Tournament Information... 5 Section 4 1 Facility Information... 5 Section 4 2 Ground Transportation... 5 Section 4 3 Lodging... 5 Section 4 4 Parking... 5 Section 4 5 Tickets... 5 Section 5 Tournament Operations Section 5 1 Artificial Noisemakers/Audio Systems... 6 Section 5 2 Awards... 6 Section 5 3 Awards Reception... 6 Section 5 4 Ball... 6 Section 5 5 Banners... 6 Section 5 6 Bat Testing... 6 Section 5 7 Cancellation of Tournament... 6 Section 5 8 Coaches Conference Call... 7 Section 5 9 Credentials... 7 Section 5 10 Dugout Assignments... 7 Section 5 11 Electronic Equipment... 8 Section 5 12 Game Times... 8 Section 5 13 Games Committee... 8 Section 5 14 Halted Games... 8 Section 5 15 Hitting Cages... 8 Section 5 16 Home Team Designation... 8 Section 5 17 Hospitality... 8 Section 5 18 Laundry... 9 Section 5 19 Locker Rooms... 9 Section 5 20 Maximum Number of Games... 9 Section 5 21 Media... 9 Section 5 22 Media Time-Outs... 9 Section 5 23 Medical Procedures... 9 Section 5 24 Merchandise... 9 Section 5 25 National Anthem... 9 Section 5 26 Officials...10 Section 5 27 Participant Gifts...10 Section 5 28 Player Introductions...10 Section 5 29 Post-Game Interviews...10 Section 5 20 Practice...10 Section 5 31 Pre-Game Schedule...10 Section 5 32 Pre-Game Warm-Up...11 Section 5 33 Protests...11 Section 5 34 Radio...11 Section 5 35 Rainout Policy

3 Section 5 36 Scouts...11 Section 5 37 Seeding...11 Section 5 38 Sportsmanship...12 Section 5 39 Squad Size...13 Section 5 40 Tiebreaker...13 Section 5 41 Travel Party/Travel Itinerary...13 Section 5 42 Uniforms...13 Section 5 43 Videotaping...13 Section 5 44 WAC Digital Network...13 Appendices Appendix 1 Tournament Bracket...14 Appendix 2 Guest Pass List...15 Appendix 3 NM State Campus Map...16 Appendix 4 Parking Map...17 Appendix 5 NM State Softball Complex Map...18 Appendix 6 Ground Transportation...19 Appendix 7 Lodging...20 Appendix 8 Restaurants...21 Appendix 9 WAC Concussion Management Policy...22 OUR MISSION The Western Athletic Conference is committed to providing student-athletes an exemplary university experience both on and off the field of play. With high standards of integrity at the core of our athletic and academic excellence, our goal is to unlock the potential of the nation s premier student-athletes and to prepare them to become the leaders of our future. 2

4 Section 1 Tournament Staff Directory Western Athletic Conference Representatives Mollie Lehman Hope Shuler Eric Danner Kristin Preble Senior Associate Commissioner and CFO Assistant Commissioner Media Relations Executive Producer WAC Digital Network Director Championships/Marketing o: (303) c: (303) o: (303) c: (303) o: (303) c: (516) o: (303) c: (520) mlehman@wac.org hshuler@wac.org edanner@wac.org kpreble@wac.org Sport Administrator Media Relations Administrator WAC DN Producer Championship Administrator New Mexico State University Representatives Braun Cartwright Herb Taylor John Vu DJ Downs Patrick Kennedy Mike O Larey Deputy Athletic Director / COO Tournament Director Senior Associate Athletics Director/Operations Tournament Manager Assistant AD / Media Relations Communications Coordinator Assistant AD / Marketing Marketing Coordinator Ticket Manager Ticketing Coordinator Certified Athletic Trainer Athletic Training Coordinator o: (575) c: (575) o: (575) c: (575) o: (575) c: (714) o: (575) c: (575) o: (575) c: (575) o: (575) c: (575) Louie Sandoval Equipment Manager o: (575) c: (575) braunc@nmsu.edu tdtaylor@nmsu.edu jvu@nmsu.edu ddowns@nmsu.edu patkenne@nmsu.edu molarey@nmsu.edu mgrlouis@nmsu.edu Local Emergency Numbers Las Cruces Police (575) Las Cruces Fire Department (575) EMS (575) Memorial Medical Center 2450 S. Telshor Blvd. Las Cruces, NM (575)

5 Section 2 Tournament Dates & Deadlines Please see below for important dates and deadlines. Wednesday, May 3 Travel Party/Banquet Form due to WAC (more information on page 13) Wednesday, May 3 Team Information Form due to WAC (more information on page 13) Thursday, May 4 All-Conference Ballot Due to WAC Office (more information on page 6) Monday, May 8 Coaches Conference Call -- 11:00 a.m. MT (more information on page 7) Monday, May 8 Communication of athletic training needs of participating student-athletes due to NM State (more information on page 9) Section 3 Tournament Schedule (All Times MDT) Wednesday, May 10 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (tentative) Team Practices NM State Softball Complex 6:30 p.m. Awards Banquet Fulton Athletics Center Thursday, May 11 11:00 a.m. Game 1: #4 vs #5 NM State Softball Complex 1:30 p.m. Game 2: #2 vs #3 NM State Softball Complex 4:00 p.m. Game 3: Winner G1 vs #1 NM State Softball Complex 6:30 p.m. Game 4: Loser G1 vs Loser G2 NM State Softball Complex Friday, May 12 1:30 p.m. Game 5: Winner G2 vs Winner G3 NM State Softball Complex 4:00 p.m. Game 6: Winner G4 vs Loser G3 NM State Softball Complex 6:30 p.m. Game 7: Loser G5 vs Winner G6 NM State Softball Complex Saturday, May 13 1:00 p.m. Game 8: Winner G5 vs Winner G7 NM State Softball Complex 45 minutes after conclusion of the previous game* Game 9 (if necessary) NM State Softball Complex *or earlier if there is mutual consent among both teams 4

6 Section 4 Tournament Information Section 4 1 Facility Information The NM State Softball Complex is located at 1830 Stewart St, Las Cruces, NM The complex seats 1,050 people. See Appendix 3 for a NM State campus map. Section 4 2 Ground Transportation Please see Appendix 6 for a list of NM State s ground transportation partners. Section 4 3 Lodging There is no host hotel for the tournament. Please see Appendix 7 for a list of NM State s preferred hotel partners. Section 4-4 Parking Parking will be located in the NM State Softball Complex Parking lot. Overflow parking will be located in the Presley Askew Baseball Complex or across the street from the softball complex. Please see Appendix 4 for a parking map. Section 4 5 Tickets Ticket Packages Tickets for the 2017 WAC Softball Tournament can be purchased as either an all-session pass or as single-session (one-day) tickets. All tickets are general admission. Ticket prices are as follows: All-Session Pass Single-Session Adults $25 $12 Youth (12 years & younger) $12 $5 WAC Students (w/ valid student ID) --- FREE Pass List There will be no complimentary admissions for team guests at the tournament. Per NCAA policy, institutions may purchase guest tickets (up to six tickets per student-athlete) to be administered by pass list. Each team will be charged for the tickets used on their guest list. Teams should provide the guest list to the ticket personnel at the home institution a minimum of 60 minutes prior to the gates opening for each day the team competes (See page 14 for the Guest Pass List). All-Session tickets will be available through the NM State Ticket Office beginning Monday, April 3. To purchase tickets, call the NM State Ticket Office at (575) Ticket Office hours are Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Single and all-session tickets will also be available at the NM State Softball Complex beginning Thursday, May 11th. 5

7 Section 5 Tournament Operations Section 5 1 Articial Noisemakers and Audio Systems The use of artificial noisemakers, air horns, cow bells, ball buckets, etc., and electronic amplifiers by student-athletes and team personnel is prohibited while on site for competition. For the purpose of this rule, the field, bullpens and dugouts are considered to be on site. See Rule 5.11 (page 53) of the 2016 and 2017 NCAA softball rules book. Fans are also prohibited from using artificial noisemakers while on site. NCAA regulations regarding video, audio or matrix boards shall be followed. See Appendix H (page 209) of the 2016 and 2017 NCAA softball rules book. Section 5 2 Awards The individuals who receive the following awards will be recognized during the student-athlete awards banquet prior to the start of the softball tournament: Regular Season Champion, Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and the All-Conference first and second team. The All-WAC team shall consist of 13 first team selections and 13 second team selections. All coaches are required to cast a complete ballot for the above awards. Athletes and coaches from institutions whose coaches do not vote or do not complete the entire ballot will not be considered for the awards. The following awards will be presented at the completion of the softball tournament: Tournament Championship Trophy, Most Valuable Player and the All-Tournament Team. The MVP shall be one of the All-Tournament team selections. The Most Valuable Player and All-Tournament team awards will be voted on by the media and SIDs in attendance. The votes will be tallied by the Conference office representative and the student-athlete(s) with the majority of the votes will receive the award. Section 5-3 Awards Banquet The student-athlete awards banquet will take place on Wednesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Stan Fulton Athletics Center on the New Mexico State campus (corner of Arrowhead Drive and Wells Street; across the street from the NM State Tennis Center). Dinner will be served, followed by the presentation of awards. Only those listed on the Official Travel Party Form will be provided a meal. Family and friends may attend the banquet to view the presentation of awards only. The banquet is expected to last minutes. Attendance is required by all teams and dress for the awards banquet is business casual. Section 5 4 Ball The official ball of the 2017 WAC Softball Tournament is the Rawlings NC12L. Game balls will be provided by the Conference office. Section 5 5 Banners Signs or banners promoting the participating institutions are permissible under the following circumstances: (1) They are hung only in areas designated by the host institution, and (2) the tournament manager approves them in regard to appearance and content. Commercial identification on banners cannot be visible. Section 5 6 Bat Testing Bat testing for the WAC Softball Tournament will be administered by the Conference office and conducted in compliance with the latest NCAA and Conference bat testing policies. Bat testing will occur on Wednesday during team practices at the NM State Softball Complex. Additional information will be discussed on the coaches conference call prior to the tournament. Section 5 7 Cancellation of Tournament The Conference tournament champion shall be the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Softball Championship. In the event the Conference tournament is unable to be completed due to weather or other extenuating circumstances, see below for determination of NCAA automatic qualifier. If the regular game schedule of a 5-team bracket needs to be altered due to weather or unforeseen circumstances, the following guidelines shall be used: 6

8 Section 5 7 Cancellation of Tournament (cont.) 1. No more than three games by any one team will be scheduled on any one day (Note that the halted game rule is in effect such that teams can play a maximum of a halted game + 2 games in any one day). 2. If possible, games will not be scheduled to begin before 9 a.m. or after 11:59 pm local time (Exclusions may apply due to city regulations at host institutions). 3. If the game schedule cannot be adhered to, time must be permitted for field maintenance and warm-up periods for both teams before the start of the next scheduled game. There should be no less than 30 minutes between games. The grounds crew should be allowed at least 20 minutes, with five minutes for shared line drills and five minutes for team introductions. 4. If play is suspended before the completion of the regular game schedule format the following advancement formula will be used: 0 games played Highest Seed 1 game played Highest Seed 2 games played Highest Seed 3 games played Highest undefeated seed 4 games played Highest undefeated seed 5 games played Highest undefeated seed 6 games played Highest undefeated seed 7 games played Highest undefeated seed 8 games played Winner of Game 8 unless each team has one loss, therefore the teams are tied, then: (1) Head-to-head competition; (2) Highest remaining seed Section 5 8 Coaches Conference Call In place of a coaches meeting at the tournament, a conference call will be held Monday, May 10 at 10 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. MDT / 12 p.m. CT to review tournament procedures, rules and policies. Participation by all head coaches is mandatory. Call-in information will be distributed at a later date. Section 5 9 Credentials Five types of credentials will be issued to various individuals by the Conference office for use during the tournament. All credentials are non-transferable and may be used only by the individual to whom they are issued. Any unauthorized use of credentials subjects the bearer to immediate dismissal from the tournament facility. Team: A Team credential, valid for admission and access to the locker rooms and playing field, will be issued to all student-athletes, coaches and trainers listed on the team s Official Travel Party form. Media: A Media credential, valid for admission and access to all media areas, will be issued to qualifying members of the working media covering the event. A media credential is not valid for entrance into the locker rooms. WAC Digital Network: A WDN credential, valid for admission and access to all media areas and the television compound, will be issued to the WAC Digital Network crew working the event. Official: An Official credential, valid for admission and access to the playing field, officials locker room and hospitality area, will be issued to officials working the event. All-Access: An All-Access credential, valid for admission and access to all areas of the championship facility at any time, will be issued to game management, working personnel and selected travel party members. Section 5 10 Dugout Assignments The home team shall occupy the third base dugout and take infield practice first. The visiting team will occupy the first base dugout and will take infield second. 7

9 Section 5 11 Electronic Equipment The use of electronic equipment (i.e. smartphones, tablets, laptops, video equipment) in team areas for purposes of obtaining statistical/scouting information during a game is prohibited for all WAC tournament games. Please refer to Rule 5.9 on pages in the 2016 and 2017 NCAA softball rules book. Section 5 12 Game Times Game times shall be set by the Conference office in conjunction with the host institution. Section 5 13 Games Committee The Games Committee shall consist of the Supervisor of Officials (if available) and/or the crew chief umpire, a Conference Office representative, and the host institution s tournament manager and/or director. Section 5 14 Halted Games All games shall be seven innings unless: [1] the game is extended due to a tie score (see Tiebreaker); [2] the eight-run rule is invoked (see NCAA Rule 6.13); [3] the game is stopped before seven innings has been completed. In this case, the halted game policy will be in effect (see NCAA Rule 6.17). Exception: For the Championship game, if a game is both halted and regulation, regulation will take precedence assuming that reasonable efforts made to complete the game have failed. Section 5 15 Hitting Cages Hitting cages (located on both the home and visitors side) will be available two hours prior to each game. Please note, cleats are not allowed in the third base (home) batting cage. Section 5 16 Home Team Designation Determination of the home team shall be as follows: The home team for each team s first game of the tournament will be the higher-seeded team. In subsequent games the home team shall be determined according to the following formula: [1] The games committee shall designate as home team the institution that has been home team the fewest times. [2] If two teams have been home team an equal number of times but visiting team an unequal number of times, the team that has been the visitor most often shall be designated as home team. [3] If two teams have been both home team and visiting team an equal number of times, and if the two teams previously met, the visitor in the initial game shall be the home team in the second game. [4] If games between the same teams are back-to-back, the home team shall be the visitor from the previous game regardless of the number of times either team has been home or visitor. [5] If two teams have been both home team and visiting team an equal number of times, the team that was the visitor in its preceding game shall be the home team, unless both teams were the visitor in their preceding games. [6] If the preceding formula does not prevail, the higher seeded team shall determine if it would like to be home or visitor. [7] When teams play back-to-back games, they must be prepared to change uniforms and dugouts, if necessary. Section 5 17 Hospitality The student-athlete hospitality will be located behind the press box. Fruit, granola bars or other similar snacks, and Gatorade and water will be provided. Teams may use the clubhouse located behind the third base dugout only for a 30-minute post-game meal. Teams must reserve the clubhouse in advance by contacting Kristin Preble at kpreble@wac.org or (520) Teams utilizing the clubhouse will be charged a $50 custodian fee per use. 8

10 Section 5 17 Hospitality (cont.) Hospitality for media, working personnel and administrators will be available throughout the tournament in the clubhouse located behind home plate. Lunch and dinner will be served on Thursday and Friday. Lunch will be provided on Saturday. A credential will be required for access into the hospitality area. Umpires will be provided meals and snacks in their locker room at the NM State Softball Complex, located down the third baseline by the home team hitting cages. Section 5 18 Laundry New Mexico State will provide team laundry service, free of charge, for teams who advance through the tournament. Laundry service should be arranged in advance of the tournament. To arrange laundry service, please contact Louie Sandoval, Equipment Manager, at (575) (office), (575) (cell) or mgrlouis@nmsu.edu. Section 5 19 Locker Rooms The locker rooms south of the Coca-Cola Weight Training Facility will be available upon request. For locker room access, please contact Louie Sandoval, Equipment Manager, at (575) (office), (575) (cell) or mgrlouis@nmsu.edu. Teams should arrive at the complex dressed and ready to play. Bathroom facilities will be available on both the home and visitors side of the complex during games. Section 5 20 Maximum Number of Games The maximum number of games that can be played during the Conference tournament in any day by any one team shall be three. Section 5 21 Media Media relations staff and sports information services will be provided by New Mexico State and the WAC. Box scores will be provided to all head coaches and media present at the tournament following the completion of each game. Media seating will be provided in the pressbox of the NM State Softball Complex. Due to limited space, only media relations staff from the participating teams will be allowed in the media area during its respective game. For more information on media hospitality please see Section 5-15 on page 7. Section 5 22 Media Time-Outs Media timeouts will be scheduled for televised games only. Media timeouts will be 75 seconds in length and will occur between each inning. No other timeouts will be scheduled. Section 5 23 Medical Procedures A certified athletic trainer will be on site for all practices and days of competition. EMTs will be on-site for all games. On-call ambulance services are located less than a mile from the NM State Softball Complex. Teams that will require any special training needs during the tournament should contact Nena Parsons, Certified Athletic Trainer, at (719) (cell), (575) (office), or nparsons@nmsu.edu. Teams traveling without a Certified Athletic Trainer are required by WAC bylaws to bring a written request for treatment of a student athlete. For athletes receiving additional treatments outside of ice and hot packs, the written request should include a list of desired treatments. Special treatment and taping instructions should be included in the written request along with any necessary supplies. Please see Appendix 9 for the WAC s Concussion Management Policy. Section 5 24 Merchandise Tournament merchandise will be available for purchase just inside the main entrance of NM State Softball Complex. Section 5 25 National Anthem The National Anthem shall be played prior to the first game each day of the tournament and prior to the first Championship game. 9

11 Section 5 26 Officials The officials for the tournament will be assigned by Dave Neidlinger, the WAC s Supervisor of Softball Officials. A total of six (6) officials will be assigned to the tournament. Three (3) umpires will work each tournament game. The umpires locker room will be located down the third base line next to the home team batting cages. Section 5 27 Participant Gifts Participant gifts will be provided to the individuals listed on each team s Official Travel Party list. The participant gifts will be distributed at team practices on Wednesday, May 10. Section 5 28 Player Introductions Each team shall be introduced prior to its first game of the tournament and the first Championship game. Each team shall line up on its respective foul line facing the stands. The visiting team will be introduced first followed by the home team. In all subsequent games, only the starting lineups shall be announced and teams do not report to the foul lines. Section 5 29 Post-Game Interviews Following each game, the WAC Digital Network will conduct a brief live video interview with the winning coach that will be posted on the WAC website and distributed to each school s SID. If post-game interviews are requested by media, the coach and/ or student-athletes requested are required to be available as soon as possible after the game, but no later than immediately following the 10-minute cooling off period. Hope Shuler will work with SIDs from the respective institutions to coordinate the interviews. All post-game interviews will be conducted on the field. Section 5 30 Practice Wednesday practice times will be scheduled according to seeds and team travel schedules. Each team wil receive a maximum of one-hour of practice time between 9am-5pm. The host school will be scheduled according to student-athlete class schedules. All practices will be held at the NM State Softball Complex. In the case of inclement weather, practice space will be provided indoors. Section 5 31 Pre-Game Schedule The following pregame schedule will be used for all WAC Softball Tournament games: With National Anthem (first game each day of the tournament) Game Clock Protocol Field Prep 28:00 Home Team Infield/Outfield 20:00 Visiting Team Infield/Outfield 12:00 Field Prep 8:00 Umpires/Coaches 6:00 National Anthem 3:00 Team Introductions 0:00 Game Begins Without National Anthem (all other games of the tournament) Game Clock Protocol 35:00 Field Prep 24:00 Home Team Infield/Outfield 16:00 Visiting Team Infield/Outfield 8:00 Field Prep 5:00 Umpires/Coaches 3:00 Team Introductions 0:00 Game Begins 10

12 Section 5 32 Pre-Game Warm-Up The NM State Softball Complex will be available two hours prior to the start of the first game each day. Practice fields are located adjacent to the NM State Softball Complex and will be available for limited pre-game warm-ups, including stretching, lines, throwing and catching. Warm-up for the first game each day shall occur in the team s half of the outfield or on the practice fields adjacent to the complex until the pre-game schedule begins on the competition field. For subsequent games, after both teams have completed use of the hitting cages and warm-up areas (use of those facilities is established by the tournament director), it is permissible to move onto the game field area for warm-up under the following conditions:* [i] The preceding game has ended and both participating teams have cleared the playing field area. [ii] Team equipment is stored in the dugout or along the outfield fence (or sideline fence in the outfield) so the grounds crew may water the entire infield area (in cluding foul territory). [iii] Warm up prior to the start of the designated pre-game schedule is limited to the team s half of the outfield. [iv] If time is available after the grounds crew has completed its work, and prior to the start of the designated pregame schedule, a team may field groundballs on the dirt in foul territory or remain in team s half of the outfield. *Pitchers: Pitchers for the upcoming game may use the bullpen area while a game is in progress only when the bullpen area is not in use by either of the participating teams (i.e., both bullpens must be open for this opportunity to be used and the opportunity ends if either participating team desires to use a bullpen). Equal opportunity will be given to participating teams and incoming teams. Section 5 33 Protests Any protest by the coach of a competing team must be made at the time of the action or incident that caused the protest and before play is resumed. If the game ends in a protestable situation, the offended team has one minute to voice its protest intentions. All protests must be ruled upon immediately by the games committee. Section 5 34 Radio There will be two areas designated in the press box for team radio. John Vu, Assistant Athletic Director/Media Relations Coordinator for New Mexico State, will assign the radio areas on a game-by-game basis. For questions regarding radio broadcasting, please contact John Vu at (575) (office), (714) (cell), or jvu@nmsu.edu. Section 5 35 Rainout Policy The umpires have the discretion and authority to suspend play. The games committee, in cooperation with local grounds crew, shall have sole authority to postpone/terminate all play in consideration of field conditions and weather, along with determining the proper course of action when play resumes. Section 5 36 Scouts All professional scouts must purchase a ticket. Section 5 37 Seeding The team with the highest won-lost percentage of regular-season Conference games played shall be the Conference champion. Two or more teams that are tied with the same Conference record shall be considered co-champions. In the event of a tie in the regular season standings, the WAC s Tie-Breaking Principles shall be used to determine participation and seeding for the Conference tournament. Tie-Breaking Principles - General Procedures The following procedures are to be used to determine seeding for a Conference tournament in sports in which regular season scheduling is required or to establish the automatic qualifier to an NCAA Championship subject to any sport regulation tie-breakers. For teams subject to postseason competition restrictions (NCAA or Western Athletic Conference), and thus not eligible to participate in WAC championship competition until the restriction expires, contests against Conference opponents shall count in the regular-season Conference standings for the respective sport. 11

13 Section 5 37 Seeding (cont.) [1] Ties for all places in the standings (between two teams or three or more teams) which can be broken based upon head-to-head competition are broken before the implementation of further tie-breaking procedures. [2] If more than two teams are tied, the three or more tie-breaking procedures shall be implemented. [3] In the case of ties for more than one place, the first tie broken is that of the highest place (i.e., first place, second place, etc.) and continues downward through the standings. [4] If the tie is for first place and cannot be broken by a head-to-head results, compare the tied teams winning percentage against the next highest finishing team that the tied teams have played the same number of times and continues through the standings. The team with the best winning percentage against the next highest-finishing team or group of tied teams advances. If the tie is for any position other than first place, the comparison shall begin at the top of the standings. [5] Once a tied team has been placed in a position/seed, that team shall be included in all further comparisons of other tied teams from the position/seed in which it has been placed. Following the application of the WAC s Tie-Breaking Principles, the following tie-breaking procedures shall be used in softball. [1] Two-Way Tie: [i] The winner of the head-to-head competition is the higher seed. [ii] If the tie is for first place, compare the tied teams records against the next highest finishing team and continue through the standings. The team with the best record/winning percentage against the next highest finishing team(s) or group of tied teams that the tied teams have played the same amount of times shall receive the higher seed. If the tie is for any position other than first place, the comparison shall begin at the top of the standings. [iii] If a tie still remains, the Conference office shall conduct a draw. The drawn team shall receive the higher seed. [2] Three or More-Way Tie. Once a tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tie-breaker is implemented. [i] Compare the records of the tied teams against each other. The team(s) with the best record(s) versus the other tied teams receives the higher seed or advances to the next tie-breaker; the team with the next best record versus the other tied teams receives the next highest seed or advances to the next tie breaker, etc. [ii] If the tie is for first place, compare the tied teams records against the next highest finishing team and continue through the standings. The team with the best record against the next highest-finishing team(s) or group of tied teams that al the tied teams have played the same amount of times shall receive the higher seed or advance to the next level of tie-breaker.if the tie is for any position other than first place the comparison shall begin at the top of the standings. [iii] If a tie still remains, the Conference office shall conduct a draw. The first team drawn shall receive the higher seed, the second team drawn shall receive the next highest seed, etc. Section 5 38 Sportsmanship All phases of intercollegiate athletic contests shall be conducted in a sportsmanlike manner. Each member institution shall endeavor to instill and maintain principles of good sportsmanship for the guidance of all persons participating in or witnessing contests. Conduct by student-athletes, coaches and other institutional athletics personnel which is patently unsportsmanlike in nature is subject to sanction. An institution s representatives shall refrain from making negative comments regarding another institution s student- athletes, teams, coaches, staff or the institution itself. Each institution is responsible for maintaining such measures as necessary to assure orderly conduct of contests, including control of spectators who interfere with conduct of contests and for maintaining standards of spectator behavior. 12

14 Section 5 39 Squad Size Participating teams, including the host team, may have a maximum squad size of 20 student-athletes. Teams will be required to designate their 20 student-athletes no later than 30 minutes prior to their first game of the tournament. No changes can be made for the duration of the tournament after that time. Section 5 40 Tiebreaker If, after completion of at least seven innings of play, the score is tied, the game will be played until the winning team is determined. The international tie-breaker will not be used. Section 5 41 Travel Party/Team Information Forms The official travel party size for softball is 30 individuals. Individuals listed on the Official Travel Party Form must be employees of the institution, student-athletes or other individuals (student managers, team doctors, athletic trainers, radio broadcasters, etc.) who will perform the same game or team-related duties during the tournament that they have performed during the season. Only those individuals listed on the Official Travel Party Form shall be provided a meal at the awards banquet, a championship participation gift from the conference office, and will be permitted to sit in the dugout during the tournament. Each institution is required to complete an Official Travel Party/Banquet form, along with a Team Information form. Coaches should access these forms at In the Softball section of the table, click Travel Party/Banquet form or Team Information form to fill out the respective form. Forms shall be submitted to the Conference office no later than Wednesday, May 3. Section 5 42 Uniforms Each team must have two sets of uniforms of different colors. The home team will wear white or light uniforms. The visiting team must wear a uniform of a contrasting color. The games committee will resolve any conflict. It is mandatory that the WAC logo appear on the left jersey sleeve via screen print or embroidery. If a jersey does not have sleeves, the WAC logo shall appear elsewhere on the uniform with the exception of the back of the neck. The logo should be 4.25 inches long and 1.38 inches high. During competition and the awards ceremony, competitors must wear the proper uniform (warm-ups included) of the institution they represent in the tournament. Section 5 43 Videotaping The Conference will refer to NCAA rule 5.9 regarding videotaping. A team may film or videotape only contests in which it is playing, but may record any game that is or will be televised. Only non-uniformed team personnel (including players) may be outside team areas for the purpose of videotaping, recording pitch speeds, charting pitches, and keeping score. A designated, team neutral area should accommodate both the home team s and the visitor s video cameras, but in the event that separate locations are necessary, the two areas shall be comparable. The intent of the rule is to prevent non-uniformed personnel from relaying information to anyone on the playing field, in team areas or to team personnel during the contest. This requires cameras to either be unmanned or personnel operating the video camera will be prohibited from accessing the playing field or team areas. Videotaping can occur from behind the centerfield fence only. There will be a platform available. Teams should bring their own extension cords. Section 5 44 WAC Digital Network Practice Presence The WAC Digital Network producer, director, and announcers are permitted to watch entire practices for research purposes and to engage in private conversations with coaches immediately following practice. Other crew members (camera operators, audio technicians, and utilities) are permitted in practice for setup purposes as well. Interviews Coaches and requested student-athletes must be made available for WAC Digital Network interviews post practice and winning coaches/student athletes must be made available for live post game interviews on the field prior to cool-down time. 13

15 Appendix 1 Tournament Bracket 2017 WAC Softball Tournament May NM State Softball Complex Las Cruces, N.M. May 11 Thursday Games 1, 2, 3 & 4 May 12 Friday Games 5, 6 & 7 May 13 Saturday Game 8 (Game 9 if necessary) No. 4 Seed Game 1 Thursday 11 a.m. (WAC Digital Network) No. 5 Seed No. 2 Seed Game 2 Thursday 1:30 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) No. 3 Seed Winner Game 1 Game 3 Thursday 4 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) No. 1 Seed Winner Game 2 Game 5 Friday 1:30 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) Winner Game 3 Winner Game 5 Game 8 Saturday 1 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) Winner Game 8 Loser Game 1 Game 4 Thursday 6:30 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) Loser Game 2 Winner Game 4 Game 6 Friday 4 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) Loser Game 3 Loser Game 5 Game 7 Friday 6:30 p.m. (WAC Digital Network) Winner Game 6 Winner Game 7 Game 9 Saturday (if necessary) (WAC Digital Network) Loser Game 8 (if first loss) All Times Local/Subject to Change WAC Champion (NCAA Automatic Qualifier) 14

16 Appendix 2 Guest Pass List WAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT GUEST PASS LIST INSTITUTION: Per NCAA & WAC policies, an institution may provide the following number of postseason complimentary admissions to studentathletes and coaches: Student-athlete 6 Head Coach 6 Assistant Coach 6 Volunteer Coach 0 Graduate Assistant Coach 4 Undergraduate Student Assistant Coach 4 Schools will be charged for the individuals listed below that attend the tournament. Please make as many copies of this list as necessary to fulfill your needs. Athlete/Coach Name Guest Name Guest Signature Person Submitting Form: Signature: Cell Phone: Institution s Billing Contact Name: 15

17 Appendix 3 NM State Campus Map 16

18 Appendix 4 Parking Map 17

19 Appendix 5 NM State Softball Complex Map 18

20 Appendix 6 - Ground Transportation TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS Enterprise Rent-A-Car El Paso International Airport (915) Enterprise.com All-Aboard America Charter 4601 Titanic El Paso, TX (915) epsales@allaboardamerica.com El Paso International Airport Serviced by Major Airlines (915) El Paso, TX (45 minutes from Las Cruces, NM) Las Cruces International Airport Francis Aviation FBO (575) francisaviation.com Las Cruces, NM (15 minutes from Las Cruces, NM) 19

21 Appendix 7 Lodging La Quinta Organ Mountains 1500 Hickory Dr. Las Cruces, NM (575) Springhill Suites 1611 Hickory Loop Las Cruces, NM (575) Holiday Inn North 2142 Telshor Ct. Las Cruces, NM (575) Staybridge Suites 2651 Northrise Dr. Las Cruces, NM (575) Comfort Suites I-25 North 236 N. Telshor Blvd. Las Cruces, NM (575) Ramada Palms 201 E. University Ave. Las Cruces, NM (575) Hotel Encanto 705 S. Telshor Blvd. Las Cruces, NM (575) Hilton Garden Inn 2550 S. Don Roser Dr. Las Cruces, NM (575)

22 Appendix 8 - Restaurants Hooters (Catering Available) 3530 Foothills Rd. Las Cruces, NM (575) Roberto s (Catering Available) 908 E Amador Ave Las Cruces, NM (575) Jimmy John s (Catering Available) 901 E University Avenue Las Cruces, NM (575) Andele s (Catering Available) 1950 Calle Del Norte Mesilla, NM (575) Wienerschnitzel 1028 El Paseo Rd. Las Cruces, NM (575) K-Bob s Steakhouse 1660 S. Valley Dr. Las Cruces, NM (575) St. Clair Winery & Bistro 1720 Avenida de Mesilla Las Cruces, NM (575)

23 Appendix 9 - WAC Concussion Management Policy WAC Concussion Management Policy Adopted 10/25/16 Revised 1/12/17 The NCAA requires all active member institutions to have a concussion management plan for their student-athletes. Championship hosted by the WAC (neutral site): Traveling institutions shall follow their concussion management plan while participating in WAC championships. If a participating team lacks appropriate medical staff to activate its concussion management plan, the championship physician/trainer will examine the student-athlete and will determine medical clearance. Championship hosted by an institution: Traveling institutions shall follow their concussion management plan while participating in WAC championships. If a participating team lacks appropriate medical staff to activate its concussion management plan, the host institution s concussion management plan will be activated. The NCAA legislation notes, in part, that a student-athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall be removed from athletics activities (e.g., competition, practice, conditioning sessions) and evaluated by a medical staff member (e.g., sports medicine staff, team physician) with experience in the evaluation and management of concussions; a student-athlete diagnosed with a concussion is precluded from returning to athletics activity for at least the remainder of that calendar day; and medical clearance for return to athletics activity shall be determined by the team physician or the physician s designee from the student-athlete s institution. In the absence of a team physician or their designee, the WAC tournament physician or their designee will examine the student-athlete and will determine medical clearance. Within the rules of the sport and policies established for the championship, medical staff should have access to the injured student-athlete without interference (e.g., coach). A concussion is a brain injury that may be caused by a blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the head. Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness or other obvious signs. A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the previous one (hours, days or weeks) can slow recovery or increase the likelihood of having more severe and/or long-term problems. In rare cases, repeat concussions can result in brain swelling, permanent brain damage and even death. 22