
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 14, 1993                   TAG: 9308140183
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From staff reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

S.C. LOSES AUTOMATIC BID IN BASEBALL

The Southern Conference lost its automatic bid to the NCAA baseball tournament for next season after playing one of the weakest schedules in the country.

The Ratings Percentage Index is the guide the NCAA uses to rate a conference's strength of schedule. The RPI, based on how many non-NCAA Division I teams a conference's members play, also helps decide which leagues receive automatic bids.

The Southern Conference consists of VMI, The Citadel, Furman, Marshall, Western Carolina, Georgia Southern, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Appalachian State and East Tennessee State.

Walt Nadzak, athletic director at The Citadel, said his league played about 44 games against non-Division I schools.

"We're in the process of changing that right now," Nadzak said. "Next year, we play only two non-Division I schools."

The winner of the Southern Conference tournament still can qualify for the NCAA Tournament by winning a best-of-three playoff with the Ohio Valley Conference winner.

by CNB