Empire 8 Conference Tiebreakers

Seeding for the Championship tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tiebreakers below. The format of the championship will be a final four single-elimination playoff hosted by the top-seed. (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3 on day one with winners advancing to the championship match on day two).
 
The tiebreakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more-way tie, once one team is advanced by a tiebreaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Head-to-head results
2. If three or more teams still tied, total points earned vs. other tied teams
3. If three or more teams remain tied, total points earned in all Empire 8 matches
4. If three or more teams remain tied, total points earned vs. teams in descending order, starting with the 1st place team
 
Examples:
Team A, B and C all finish at 5-3. The record amongst tied teams would have Team C at 2-0, Team A at 1-1 and Team B at 0-2. Team C would be advanced to the highest seed, leaving Team A and Team B to revert to head-to-head results. 

Team A, B and C all finish at 5-3. They all finished 1-1 amongst each other. The points earned vs the other tied teams would be...

Team A at 7 (L 2-7, W 5-4)

Team B at 9 (W 7-2, L 2-7)

Team C at 11 (L 4-5, W 7-2)

Team C with the most points earned would be advanced from the tiebreaker and Team A and Team B would revert to head-to-head.

The team with the highest winning percentage in conference play will be named the Empire 8 Champion and will earn the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. In the event of a tie, all tied teams will be named co or tri- champions. The following criteria will be used to determine the E8's NCAA automatic qualifier: (in the instance of a three or more-way tie, once one team is eliminated by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Head-to-Head results
2. Results vs. lowest ranked conference teams (6th, 5th, etc) based on final season standings.
3. Results versus common non-league opponents (All teams must have played the same opponents).
4. Fewest overall losses (Minimum of 9 games).
5. The team’s overall strength of schedule (as determined by the NCAA Overall OWP, opponents’ winning percentage: not OOWP, the opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage).

There will be a six-team seeded championship the week prior to the NCAA championship. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match.
 
Seeding for the Championship tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tie-breakers below. The format of the championship will be a five-team single-elimination playoff. The No. 3 seed will host the No. 6 seed and No. 4 seed will host No. 5 seed in a first round match on the Tuesday of Championship week (both matches at the higher seed). From there, a final four single-elimination playoff will be hosted by the top seed. (1 vs 4/5, 2 vs 3/6 on day one with winners advancing to the championship match on day two).

* Note that the Empire 8 will not re-seed after the opening round

The tie-breakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once one team is advanced by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Head-to-head record amongst all tied teams
2. Percentage of sets won versus sets played amongst tied teams
3. Percentage of sets won versus sets played amongst all conference teams
4. Record versus all teams ranked higher than the tied teams
5. Point differential amongst tied teams

Coin toss

There will be a six-team seeded championship the weekend prior to the NCAA tournament. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match. Host must have a turft field. If they do not, they must have the ability to secure a nearby turf site, otherwise host duties will go to the next highest seed. 

Seeding for the Championship tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tie-breakers below. The format of the championship will be a six-team single-elimination playoff in 2022. The No. 3 seed will host the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed will host the No. 5 seed in a first round game on the Wednesday, Nov. 2. From there, the No. 1 seed will host the winner of the 4/5 game and No. 2 seed will host the winner of the 2/3 game on Friday, Nov. 4 (The E8 does not re-seed after the opening round) with the two semifinal winners winners advancing to the championship match at the highest remaining seed on Sunday, Nov. 6.
 
The tie-breakers shall be as follows:

1. Head-to-head record
2. (2 teams) Head-to-head conference game results; If teams play more than once, the game which counts toward conference standings, shall be pre-determined by the official contract for the participating schools. 
3. (3 or more teams) When a team is advanced at any point from the three-way tie, refer back to 2.
4. Best head-to-head records amongst tied teams.
5. Results against common opponents
6. Goal differential among conference opponents with a cap at +/-3 per game.
7. The conference office shall compare conference game results using the best conference record against the highest seeded remaining teams in descending order. For example:
   1. If three or more teams are tied for first, the conference record of the tied teams versus the remaining teams would be compared in descending order until the tie is broken. In this case, the three teams tied for first would compare conference records against the fourth team.
   2. If three or more teams are tied for fifth, then their conference records versus the #1 team would be compared, then 2, 3 etc.

There will be a six-team seeded championship. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match. In the event of a tie after overtime in the championship game, co-champions will be declared and penalty kicks will determine the conference automatic qualifier.

The participants in the tournament will be determined by a point system (three points for a win, one point for a tie) in round-robin conference play. The school with the highest point total will have the right to host regardless of the type of playing surface.

The format of the championship will be a six-team single-elimination playoff in 2022. The No. 3 seed will host the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed will host the No. 5 seed in a first round game on the Tuesday, Nov. 1. From there, the No. 1 seed will host the winner of the 4/5 game and No. 2 seed will host the winner of the 2/3 game on Thursday, Nov. 3 (The E8 does not re-seed after the opening round) with the two semifinal winners advancing to the championship match at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The tie-breakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once one team is advanced by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Head-to-head record
2. Most wins in Empire 8 play.
3. Goal differential in all Empire 8 games (max of plus / minus 4 per game)
4. The conference office shall compare conference game results using the best conference record against the highest remaining teams in descending order, starting with the 1st place team.
5. This process will determine seeds for the entire conference.

There will be a six-team seeded championship the weekend prior to the NCAA tournament. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match. In the event of a tie after overtime in the championship game, penalty kicks will determine the conference automatic qualifier. 
 
The participants in the tournament will be determined by a point system (three points for a win, one point for a tie) in round-robin conference play. The school with the highest point total will have the right to host regardless of the type of playing surface.

The format of the championship will be a six-team single-elimination playoff in 2022. The No. 3 seed will host the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed will host the No. 5 seed in a first-round game on the Tuesday, Nov. 1. From there, the No. 1 seed will host the winner of the 4/5 game and No. 2 seed will host the winner of the 2/3 game on Thursday, Nov. 3 (The E8 does not re-seed after the opening round) with the two semifinal winners advancing to the championship match at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, Nov. 5.
 
The tie-breakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once one team is advanced by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Points earned among head-to-head competition between tied teams.
2. Most wins within the conference.
3. Goal differential in matches between the tied teams in games against each other.  
4. Least total goals allowed by each of the tied teams in games against each other.
5. Most total goals scored by each of the tied teams in games against each other (to a maximum of 3 per game).
6. Points earned against the highest remaining conference teams in descending order.
7. Goal differential in all conference games (max +/- 3 per game).
8. Least total goals allowed in all conference games (max +/- 3 per game).
9. Most total goals scored in all conference games (up to a maximum of 3 per game).
10. Points earned against all common opponents.
11. Coin toss by conference office.

There will be a six-team seeded championship the weekend prior to the NCAA championship. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match.

Seeding for the Championship tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tie-breakers below. The format of the championship will be a six team single-elimination playoff (No. 3 seed hosts No. 6 seed and No. 4 hosts No. 5 on Tuesday of Championship week) followed by final four format hosted by the top seed. (1 vs 4/5, 2 vs 3/6 on day one with winners advancing to the championship match on day two).

* Note that the Empire 8 will not re-seed after the opening round

In case of a tie for any finish in the regular season standings, the following tie-breaking procedure shall be followed in order to seed teams (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once one team is advanced by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):

1. Head-to-head record
2. Best record vs. subsequent finishers in descending order beginning with the 1st place team
3. Road record vs. conference opponents
4. NCAA strength of schedule index within region

EXAMPLES

         a. Two Team Tie
i.Results of head-to-head competition during the regular season.
ii. Each team’s record vs. the team occupying the highest position in the final regular season standings (or in the case of a tie for the championship, the next highest seeded position in the regular season standings), continuing on down until one team gains an advantage. 
When arriving at another pair of tied teams while comparing records, use each team’s record against the collective tied teams as a group (prior to the groups own tie-breaking procedures), rather than the performance against the individual tied teams.  When comparing records against a single team or group of teams, the higher winning percentage shall prevail, even if the number of games played against the team or group of teams are unequal (i.e., 2-0 is better than 3-1); in the case of tied percentages vs. the team or group of 1.000 or .000, the following shall apply: 2-0 is better than 1-0; 0-1 is better than 0-2.

1. Multiple Team Ties

Overall head-to-head record against teams in the tie. Any team that can be seeded after head-to-head is applied will be seeded. For example: Team A is 4-0, Team B is 1-3,and Team C is 1-3. Team A will be advanced. Team B and C, who are still tied, will revert to original tiebreakers for a 2-team tie.
ii. If there is still a tie involving more than 2 teams. For example: Team A is 2-2, Team B is 2-2, Team C is 2-2. Each team’s head-to-head record will be compared in descending order starting with the highest seeded team. If there is a tie in question at one of seeded spots below the tie, the overall record against the tied teams will be used.

iii. In the event of a multiple team tie, where the records are not even, but a single team cannot be placed, the teams that are tied within the pod will be slotted into another pod slotted in the position that they were in. The tiebreakers will be determined as previous set for the number of teams involved.
For example, Team A is 4-2, Team B is 4-2, Team C is 2-4 and Team D is 2-4. Team A and B will now revert to the tiebreakers for a 2-team tie to claim the 1st and 2nd seed in that pod. If Team A was 2-0 vs Team B, Team A would receive the highest seed amongst the tie, Team B the 2nd highest seed in that pod. Team C and D would then go to head-to-head to claim the 3rd and 4th seed in the pod. If the tie could still not be broken, then the head of head records of each team shall be compared to the highest seeded team continuing in descending order until the tie is broken.
iv. If a multiple team tie can’t be determined after head-to-head and record against opponents in descending order. Overall Conference Road record will be used as the next tie breaker.

The conference champion shall be decided by the winner of the post-season conference tournament. The top four teams will advance to the conference tournament to be played the week before the NCAA Tournament. On Wednesday of championship week, No. 4 will play at No. 1 and No. 3 will play at No. 2. The winners will advance to the championship to be played at the higher seed on Saturday.

Seeing for the conference tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tiebreakers below.

Two-way tie: Result of the in-season head-to-head conference competition shall be used to break the tie.
 
Three or more team tiebreaker (if at any point one team is advanced in this process, the process immediately goes back to two-way tie-break). 

i.) Head-to-head conference record amongst the tied teams will be considered. The team(s) with the best record versus each other shall be given the highest seed.
Example: Team A is 2-0, Team B is 1-1 and Team C is 0-2. Team A would be advanced and Team B and C would go head-to-head.
 
ii.) If there is still a tie involving more than 2 teams. For example: Team A is 1-1, Team B is 1-1, Team C is 1-1, then compare in the following order.

               a.) Least goals against amongst the tied teams in conference games against each other.
               b.) Least goals against amongst all conference opponents.
               c.) Goals for verse the tied teams only.
               d.) Goals for verse all conference opponents.

Multi- team tie example:
Team A, B and C all finish 5-3, and they all went 1-1 amongst each other leading them to least goals against amongst the tied teams. Team A had 22 GA, Team B had 21 GA, Team C had 19 GA. Team C would be advanced because they allowed the fewest goals amongst the tied teams. Team A and B would revert to a head-to-head comparison. 

There will be a four-team seeded championship the week prior to the NCAA championship. The conference champion shall be determined by the winner of the championship match.
 
Seeding for the Championship tournament will be determined by conference standings using best conference records and/or tiebreakers below. The top four teams will advance to the conference tournament to be played the week before the NCAA Tournament. On Wednesday of championship week, No. 4 will play at No. 1 and No. 3 will play at No. 2. The winners will advance to the championship to be played at the higher seed on Saturday.

Two-way tie: Result of the in-season head-to-head conference competition shall be used to break the tie.
 
Three or more team tiebreaker
i.) If there is a tie among three or more teams for a place in the standings, head-to-head conference record amongst the tied teams will be considered. The team(s) with the best record versus each other shall be given the highest seed.
Example: Three teams are tied with a 4-3 conference record - Team A is 2-0, Team B is 1-1 and Team C is 0-2 amongst the tied teams. Then clearly team A has the best record and would advance to highest available seeding, leaving team B and C to revert to a two-team tiebreak. 
*Anytime a team is advanced (based on record/results) from the three or more-team tie-break the remaining teams will revert to a two-way tiebreak scenario.
 
ii.) If there is still a tie involving more than two teams. For example: Team A is 1-1, Team B is 1-1, Team C is 1-1 against each other. Each team’s head-to-head record will be compared in descending order starting with the highest seeded team.

• Example 1:  Naz, Fisher, Utica are all tied for third place.
• Their records against each other are all 1-1. So they move into step two. The rankings are as follows:
• 1- Ithaca
• 2- Stevens
• 3- Naz, Fisher, Utica
• 6- Hartwick
• 7- Alfred
• 8- Elmira
• 9-Houghton
• Naz, Fisher, and Utica all have the same head to head record except Fisher beat Stevens which means that Fisher advances to third place leaving Naz and Utica tied for fourth place so they would go to the two-way tie breaker.
• Example 2:  Naz, Fisher, Utica are all tied for third place.
• Their records against each other are all 2-1. So they move into step two. The rankings are as follows:
• 1- Ithaca
• 2- Stevens
• 3- Naz, Fisher, Utica
• 6- Hartwick
• 7- Alfred
• 8- Elmira
• 9-Houghton
• Naz, Fisher, and Utica all have the same head to head record except Fisher and Naz beat Stevens which means that Fisher and Naz would be advanced and compared head to head in the running for third place and fourth place and Utica would be placed fifth. 

 
iii.) If there is still a tie among three or more teams, use goal differential of the tied teams only. Goal Differential- the goal differential of the tied teams only at the end of the contest shall be used up to maximum of six goals. 
Example:
Team A – Goal Differential +2
Team B – Goal Differential –0
Team C – Goal Differential –2
Team A would earn the highest possible seed, leaving Team B and Team C to be compared in a two-way tiebreaker. 
 
iv.) If there still remains a tie between three or more teams, use goal differential for games against teams in descending order starting with the highest seeded team. 

The 2023 Empire 8 Conference Baseball Tournament will feature the conference's top four teams from regular season play. The No. 1 seed will host a double elimination tournament, starting on Thursday, May 10 and concluding on Saturday, May 12 (raindate is Sunday, May 13). The Empire 8 Champion earns an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.

Seeding
Total points will determine seeding for the conference tournament. Each win is worth 2 points, each tie is worth 1 point.  
 
Tiebreakers
The tie-breakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more way tie, once a team(s) is advanced by a tie-breaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):
 
Criterion #1: Head to head record amongst tied teams
[Teams A and B are tied at 10-8 in conference. Team A was 2-1 against Team B. Team A wins the tiebreaker.]
 
Criterion #2: The team with the best record against highest remaining teams in descending order shall win the tie-breaker. For example: If two teams are tied for 1st then the record versus the 3rd team would be compared. This procedure would continue through 4, 5, 6, … etc until tie is broken.  If two teams tie for 7th, then their records versus the 1st team would be compared, then 2nd, 3rd etc until the tie is broken.
 
[Team A was 2-1 against Team B and 1-2 against Team C for a 3-3 record.  Team B was 2-1 against Team C and 1-2 against Team A for 3-3 record. Team C was 2-1 against Team A and 1-2 against Team B for 3-3 record.
 
Team A was 1-2 against the #1 seed, Team B was 1-2 against the #1 seed, Team C was 0-3 against the #1 seed. Team C is seeded behind Teams A and B.
 
Since Team A and B both had a win against the #1 seed, they would be advanced and compared head to head to determine the tiebreaker.  Since Team A was 2-1 against Team B, Team A would be seeded above Team B.
 
Criterion #3: Run differential amongst tied teams with a cap at +/- 8 per game.
[Team A was 2-1 against Team B and 1-2 against Team C for a 3-3 record.  Team B was 2-1 against Team C and 1-2 against Team A for 3-3 record. Team C was 2-1 against Team A and 1-2 against Team B for 3-3 record. Each team was 0-3 against the #1 and #2 seeds.]

The 2023 Empire 8 Conference Softball Tournament will feature the conference's top five teams from regular season play. On Tuesday, May 9, the No. 4 seed will host the No. 5 seed in a first-round game. The winner of that game will advance to the four-team double elimination tournament, hosted by the No. 1 seed, starting on Thursday, May 10 and concluding on Saturday, May 12 (rain date is Sunday, May 13). The Empire 8 Champion earns an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

Tournament seeding shall be determined by the best winning percentage in conference play. All teams must play all games of their conference schedule. The tiebreakers shall be as follows (in the instance of a three or more-way tie, once a team(s) is advanced by a tiebreaker, the remaining teams will begin the tie-breaker process anew starting with the first criteria):
 

1. (Any Place) If there is a tie(s) for any place(s) in the standing the results of in-season head-to-head competition amongst tied teams shall determine the tiebreaker.
2. If two teams split their conference games, the team with the best record against highest remaining teams in descending order shall win the tiebreaker. For example:
   1. If two teams are tied for 1st then the record versus the 3rd team would be compared. This procedure would continue through 4, 5, 6, … etc until tie is broken.
   2. If two teams tie for 7th, then their records versus the 1st team would be compared, then 2nd, 3rd etc until the tie is broken.
3. (3 or More Teams) If there is a tie among three or more teams for a place in the standings the records of conference games amongst the tied teams shall be compared. The team(s) with the best record versus each other shall be advanced and awarded the higher seed. Between the remaining two teams, the two-team tiebreaker shall be used.
4. If there is still a tie amongst three or more teams after C, the committee shall use the best record against the highest seeded teams remaining in descending order as noted in example B1.
5. Won/loss record vs. common in-region opponents as long as the number of games is equivalent.
6. Strength of schedule quotient taken from the NCAA Softball Northeast Region primary criteria page.
7. Coin toss conducted by the commissioner or their designee.