Fast Pitch News had Sandy Adkins, Chairman of the Softball Selection Committee, on their show today for about 45 minutes.

It was interesting. Some of the highlights:

The committee has already spent a ton of time watching softball. Process starts in the fall, meet regularly with regional advisory committees biweekly. Coaches on those committees give feedback about teams they are seeing. Watching teams trending up, trending down, trying to get a good understanding of the national landscape

There are 10 committee members including three coaches. Use lots of Data points and metrics – really in depth process

The goal is to make sure we get it right, 32 automatic qualifiers, 32 at large – make it be the best they can be.

Trying to be transparent with the process. Went to the coaches convention and walked them through the selection process.

Look at a team’s total body of work, overlay with the metrics

Has been an explosive year so far, looking forward to the home stretch.

Head-to-head outcomes? It certainly plays a role, but it’s not the ultimate answer. It’s one data point. Strength of schedule or a bad loss might nullify the head-to-head.

400 mile radius is in play in region assignment – not in seeds 1-16 but otherwise

1. No conference matchups in regionals
2. 400 mile proximity

It sounds like there is a movement to actually formally seed the top 32 instead of relying heavily on geography

RPI is not a perfect tool - it could be improved. It's not the ultimate, but the components of RPI play a big role

Strength of schedule, intent to schedule is a huge factor.

Team have to win the games they're supposed to win. Need to win those games in the 3rd and 4th quadrant. (VT is 13-1 vs RPI Teams 50-100 and 5-0 vs teams with RPI over 100)

Schedule games in the 1st quadrant even if you don’t win them. (Hokies are 12-4 vs RPI Teams 1-25)

Conference Tournaments are a factor but not huge. They look at the total body of work – can’t over emphasize one particular week/weekend

I included the link below.