The NCAA Power Index (NPI) era for Division II will begin soon, bringing a new way to determine postseason qualification in various team sports.
NPI is a ranking system used in Division II to evaluate team performance, and considers game results and the strength of opponents to calculate a team's NPI value and ranking. NPI provides an objective, data-driven method to evaluate teams across the NCAA membership while maintaining consistency across sports.
It considers two key factors - strength of a schedule and team performance against its opponents, as measured by wins and losses. NPI also accounts for differences and sport-specific variances that occur on a sport-by-sport basis.
NPI calculations update throughout the season as teams play additional contests and opponent NPI values change. A team's final NPI is not determined until the final games and rankings of the season are complete.
In the fall, NPI will be used in men's and women's soccer, football, volleyball and field hockey. For Ashland University fall sports, NPI release dates will be:
- Men's and women's soccer – Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 (daily thereafter), and Nov. 2.
- Football and volleyball – Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 2 (daily thereafter), and Nov. 9.
NPI rankings will be available for viewing
HERE.
These rankings replace the previous way NCAA Division II postseason qualification was determined, which was via regional committees.
In the fall, automatic qualification to the NCAA playoffs for winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference continues in men's soccer, women's soccer, football and volleyball.
In the winter, NPI will be used to determine NCAA D-II postseason appearances in men's basketball and women's basketball. In the spring, it will be used in baseball, softball, women's lacrosse, men's lacrosse, men's tennis and women's tennis.
