Clarification NCAA Bylaw 17.26.5 "Tennis Dates of Competition"
December, 2006 - Upon our request last month, the ITA has received clarification of the interpretation of NCAA Bylaw 17.26.5 "Tennis Dates of Competition" provided in the NCAA Educational Column published on October 26, 2006. The NCAA has informed us that the round robin, pool play formats that have been used in what were sometimes referred to as "hidden" and "mock" dual matches will continue to be an acceptable tournament format, so long as overall individual champions are determined in some manner. Coaches are strongly encouraged to refer to these formats as round robins or pool play events and not "hidden" or "mock" duals, as those terms create a negative, clandestine image that is contrary to the positive purpose of this type of structured event.

 
NCAA Division I Official Interpretation
Date: November 2, 2006, item ref. 1
Definition of a Tournament. (I)  The committee determined that, in sports other than basketball, for purposes of NCAA Division I Bylaw 17 legislation related to maximum contest or date of competition limitations, a tournament is an event that culminates in the determination of a winner.  A tournament may be conducted in round-robin, pool play or bracket formats.  [References:  NCAA Division I Bylaws 17.1.5.1.1 (Exception – Golf Practice Round), 17.3.5.1(Maximum Limitations – Institutional), 17.3.5.2(Maximum Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.6.5.1(Maximum Limitations – Institutional), 17.6.5.2(Maximum Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.11.5.2(Annual Exemptions), 17.12.5.1.1 (Tournament Limitations), 17.21.5.2.1 (Tournament Dates), 17.22.5.1(Maximum Limitations – Institutional), 17.22.5.2(Maximum Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.25.5.1(Maximum Limitations – Institutional), 17.25.5.2(Maximum Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.26.5.1(Maximum Limitations – Institutional), 17.26.5.1.2 (Individual Singles or Doubles Tournament Limitations – Institutional), 17.26.5.1.3 (Participation in Tournament Played under the Team Tennis Format – Institutional), 17.26.5.2(Maximum Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.26.5.2.1 (Individual Singles or Doubles Tournament Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.26.5.2.2 (Individual Singles or Doubles Team Tennis Tournament Limitations – Student-Athlete), 17.28.10 (Once-in-Four-Years Exemptions – Certification Required) and 17.28.14.1.1.2 (May 1 Exception – Women's Volleyball).]
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