First 2012 NCAA regional rankings

The first (and second-to-last) NCAA regional rankings have been released.

Remember that regional rankings primarily take regional games into account. Teams are listed with their regional record first, followed by their overall record. For more information about the playoff format and how participants are determined, check out our FAQ.

Teams which have clinched automatic bids are in bold.

EAST
1    Hobart    8-0    8-0
2    Widener    8-0    8-0
3    Cortland State   7-1    7-1
4    Rowan    6-1    6-2
5    Salisbury    5-2    6-2
6    Lycoming    6-2    6-2
7    St. John Fisher    5-2    6-2
8    Salve Regina    8-1    8-1
9    Framingham State    8-1    8-1
10    Bridgewater State    8-1    8-1

NORTH
1    Mount Union    8-0    8-0
2    Concordia-Chicago    8-0    8-0
3    North Central (Ill.)    7-1    7-1
4    Wabash    5-1    7-1
5    Elmhurst    7-1    7-1
6    Heidelberg    7-1    7-1
7    Wittenberg    7-1    7-1
8    Adrian    7-1    7-1
9    Ohio Wesleyan    6-1    7-1
10    Franklin    6-1    6-2

SOUTH
1    Mary Hardin-Baylor    7-0    8-0
2    Wesley    5-1    7-1
3    Johns Hopkins    8-0    8-0
4    Waynesburg    9-0    9-0
5    Huntingdon    4-2    5-2
5    Washington and Lee    6-2    6-2
7    Louisiana College    4-2    6-2
8    Muhlenberg    5-2    6-2
9    Hampden-Sydney    6-2    6-2
10    Hardin-Simmons    4-3    5-3

WEST
1    Linfield    6-0    7-0
2    Wisconsin-Oshkosh    7-0    8-0
3    St. Thomas    8-0    8-0
4    Bethel    7-1    7-1
5    Concordia-Moorhead    6-1    7-1
6    Cal Lutheran    6-1    6-1
7    Coe    8-0    8-0
8    Pacific Lutheran    5-2    5-2
9    UW-Platteville    6-2    6-2
10    Lake Forest    8-1    8-1

How to use these regional rankings: If you are an at-large candidate, you want to be sure you are the top at-large candidate in your region. That will ensure you get discussed by the national committee and have a chance to be put in the field.

For example, if you are Huntingdon, remember that Mary Hardin-Baylor, Johns Hopkins and Waynesburg will each get automatic bids if they remain undefeated. Wesley would get the one Pool B slot (set aside for teams without a conference or automatic bid to play for). Then Huntingdon would hit the table from the South Region and be discussed with the top candidate from each of the other regions.

There are 24 automatic bids, one Pool B bid and seven Pool C (true national at-large) bids. Selection Sunday is Nov. 11.

Being listed in these rankings is not a guarantee of selection to the playoffs. There is no guarantee an at-large team will be taken from each region.