The RPI women’s hockey team mysteriously dropped out of the Division III polls this week after the women’s D-III Rating Percentage Index (RPI) was revealed. The problem was Rensselaer had no RPI rating, and it was confirmed that the Engineers are not eligible for the 2005 NCAA D-III playoffs. RPI, who is in a transition year from D-III to Division I, will be excluded from the NCAA postseason tourney due to NCAA regulations.
“We have known about this since the beginning of the year,” RPI women’s hockey Head Coach John Burke said Tuesday. “I’m surprised we were in the polls to begin with.”
Burke insists the news has not been a distraction, and pointed out the team will still be eligible for the ECAC-East tournament. The Engineers are now focusing all their attention on conference play in hopes of winning their first ever ECAC-East tournament in their last year at the D-III level. Should RPI win the ECAC tournament, the conference will forfeit its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
