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The committee shall select the 34 best teams to fill the at-large berths, regardless of conference affiliation.

There is no limit on the number of teams the committee may select from one conference.

Procedures for Selecting At-Large Teams

First Ballot

1. Prior to selection weekend, each committee member will receive one ballot with two columns listing all eligible Division I teams in alphabetical order.
   
   Each committee member will submit the ballot by a designated time Thursday evening of selection weekend.
   
   
   1. In the first column, each committee member shall identify not more than 34 teams that, in that member’s opinion, should be at-large selections in the tournament based upon play to date, even if they could eventually represent conferences as automatic qualifiers.
   
   
   
   2. In the second column, each committee member shall identify all other teams that should receive consideration for atlarge berths. There is no minimum or maximum limit in the second column.


2. A member need not vote for a team that has earned automatic qualification at the time the ballots are submitted.



3. Any team receiving all but two of the eligible votes in Column 1 shall move into the tournament field as an at-large selection.



4. The committee will form an "at-large nomination board" consisting of an alphabetical listing of all teams that:
   
   
   1. Received more than one vote in either of the initial ballot’s columns but did not receive enough votes to move into the tournament as at at-large team;
   
   
   
   2. Did not receive more than one vote in the initial balloting, but subsequently was recommended by more than one member prior to closing initial nominations, or
   
   
   
   3. Won or shared the regular-season conference championship or conference divisional championship.


5. The process for creating the initial "at-large nomination board" will then be closed.
   
   A team may be added to the nomination board at any time providing it receives at least three votes. A team may be removed from the nomination board if it receives all but two of the eligible votes. Verbal nominations are permitted.

Remaining Ballot

1. The committee will begin evaluating those teams on the at-large nomination board.



2. Each committee member will submit a list of eight teams to be added to the at-large field.



3. Those teams receiving all but two of the eligible votes shall be added to the at-large field.



4. From those teams not moving to the at-large field in Step No. 3, the top four vote-getters will be held for the next ballot.



5. Each committee member will submit a listing of eight teams to be considered in the next at-large ballot. Those teams receiving the most votes will be included with the teams held over from Step No. 4 to provide a pool of eight teams for the next at-large ballot.



6. Committee members then rank the eight teams, using a cross-country scoring system (i.e., the best team is valued at one point).



7. The four teams receiving the fewest points shall be added to the at-large field. The other four teams will be held for the next ballot.



8. Steps No. 5, 6 and 7 will be repeated until all at-large berths are filled.



9. If a team fails to be included among the four teams receiving the fewest points (Step No. 7) for two consecutive at-large ballots, it shall be returned to the nomination board.



10. A team may be removed from the at-large field by a vote of all but two of the eligible votes. Such a team would be returned to the nomination board.



11. At any time during the process, the chair may suggest that the committee begin reviewing teams that should be eliminated from consideration. The same voting procedures will be used.



12. At any time during the process of selecting the at-large teams, the committee may elect to begin seeding the teams. This will permit the committee to move ahead and still consider the results of games played during selection weekend.



13. At any time during the process, the chair may call for a cross-country vote of the teams remaining.



14. The number of teams eligible to receive votes may be increased or decreased by the chair if circumstances warrant. Further, the chair has the option to revise the number of teams from four to two to be moved into at-large berths per Procedure No. 7.