NCGA Updates Nationals Qualifying Procedure for 2024

With new DIII teams poised to enter the NCGA over the next few seasons, the league updated its nationals qualifying procedure for 2024.

Previously, the top three teams from both the East and the West regionals would automatically advance to the national championships.

Now, put simply, the top two teams from each region advance while the two additional teams, based on Season Average Score (SAS) ranking once automatic qualifying teams are removed, will also receive an at-large bid.

SAS is calculated using the top four team scores from regular season meets (including regionals) and using the following criteria:

• Three meets must be hosted by a Division III institution
• At least one DIII meet must be away
• Division I teams may be in attendance
• Scores can continue to be added to a team’s SAS until the second weekend of March, meaning regional scores can count. Teams not competing at a regional competition can continue to count scores regionals weekend.

In addition to the six teams that will qualify to nationals, six all-arounders and 20 event specialists per event will qualify.

All-Around

• Top scoring all-arounder from each regional (2 total)
• Top SAS non-team qualifying all-arounder from each region (2 total)
• Next top two SAS all-arounders regardless of conference (2 total)

Event Specialists

• Top five placement at regionals (10 total)
• Next top four placement through SAS for each conference (8 total)
• Next two SAS placement regardless of conference (2 total)
• If fifth place has a tie, all will qualify

Alternates

Alternates will be decided based on how the unavailable team or individual qualified. For example, if a gymnast who placed at regionals can no longer compete at nationals, the gymnast who placed after them will be given the spot. If a gymnast qualifies through SAS, the gymnast with the next highest SAS will qualify. A team has 24 hours after regionals to tell the NCGA director that they will not be competing in order for an alternate team to be named.

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Article by Mary Collier