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SAC Sports Policy - Women's Tennis

SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
WOMEN'S TENNIS COMMITTEE

Paul Thompson, Brevard College

Jean Love, Carson-Newman College

Jeff Childress, Catawba College

Bobby McKee, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Chair, 2008-09, 2009-10

Benny Collins, Lincoln Memorial

Jim Lavender, Mars Hill College

Catherine Dunagan, Newberry College

Tommy Arnett, Tusculum College

Michael Cabana, Wingate University

Frankie Debusk, Tusculum College, Women’s Tennis Committee Athletic Director Liaison

SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE SPORTS PROGRAMS
WOMEN'S TENNIS


SECTION 1. TITLE

 1.1. South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Committee

SECTION 2. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

 2.1. The committee shall be comprised of the head tennis coach of each member institution.  Each coach shall have one vote.

 2.2. The Tennis Committee shall be a recommending body to the Athletic Directors Council regarding tennis matters.

SECTION 3. OFFICERS

 3.A.  Status and Term of Office

 3.A.1. The Committee's chair shall serve in rotation by institutional alphabetical order.  The term shall be for two years.

 3.B.  Duties

 3.B.1. The chair shall call and preside over meetings of the Committee, make all necessary arrangements and report in the proper format all recommendations to the Athletic Directors Council through the Athletic Director Liaison for the Tennis Committee.

 3.B.2. A copy shall also be submitted to the SAC Commissioner.

SECTION 4. MEETING AND QUORUM

 4.A. Date and Site

 4.A.1. Committee may meet twice each academic year.  Final recommendations should be made at the meeting closest to March. One meeting may be held on the campus of the committee chair or SAC arranged sports committee date and one meeting may be held at the Conference tournament site.

 4.B.  Reporting

 4.B.1. The annual report of the Tennis Committee shall be filed with the AD Liaison for tennis and the South Atlantic Conference office no later than March 1.

 4.C.  Quorum

 4.C.1. A majority of all Conference college representatives present constitutes a quorum, but five (5) votes are necessary to recommend change in policies or procedures.

SECTION 5. CONFERENCE PLAY

 5.A.  General Policies and Procedures

 5.A.1. All Conference teams will play at least once each academic year in head to head competition. Matches must be played in the spring, and all must be played to completion. All Conference matches must be completed by the Sunday preceding the tournament in order to determine Conference standings.

 5.A.2. The host school (in conference matches) shall hire a USTA certified official to act as referee for the match.  His or her duties will include; assignment of tennis courts, decisions to call off play due to darkness or weather, to act as final interpreter of rules and maintain sportsmanlike conduct by the spectators. (Revised, 2002)

 5.A.3. The host coach shall arrange for scoreboards for each court being used throughout the match.

 5.A.4. Both teams provide their own towels.

 5.A.5. Each coach shall submit their singles and doubles line-up according to strength.  In case of injury or sickness, all players must move up (1999).

 5.A.6. Protests must be in writing and have the signature of the head coach and Athletic Director and are to be addressed to the AD Liaison for tennis and a copy sent to the SAC Commissioner.

 5.A.7. Net sticks will be used for all matches.

 5.A.8. Match format will consist of three doubles matches (eight-game pro set playing first), followed by six singles matches, best two out of three sets. All matches will be played to completion in the regular season.

 5.A.9. All SAC games and matches will be played. Teams which are unable to play will play at the next avaliable playing date.  If this date can not be agreed upon by the two head coaches, each coach shall involve their Athletic Director and a date will be set be the Athletic Directors.  If the Athletic Directors are unable to agree upon a date, the conference office will set a date (1999).
 
  5.A.9.a Rain Make-up Policy: Once a visiting team is on site, and unable to play the scheduled contest, then you do not have to return, except in the sports that play single-date schedule (football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis and softball). Make-up games should be rescheduled at the first available date. (Revised, July 2005)

 5.B.  Playing Rules

 5.B.1. ITA Rules

 5.B.2. South Atlantic Conference Rules

 5.C.  Game Officials

 5.C.1. The host school shall be responsible for providing a USTA certified official to oversee all conference matches. (Revised, 2002).

 5.C.2. Two neutral officials will officiate the Conference Tournament (Revised, 2000).

 5.D.  Protest of Officials Decision

 5.D.1. Public comments about game officials by coaches or institutional representatives is prohibited.

 5.D.2. Protests must be in writing and have the signatures of the Head Coach and Athletic Director.  Correspondence should be to the AD Liaison for tennis and a copy to the SAC Commissioner.

SECTION 6. CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS

 6.A.  Conference Tournament Format

 6.A.1. The Conference tournament site shall be determined by the approved rotation schedule. The dates shall also be set one year in advance.
  2007 - Tusculum
  2008 - Mars Hill
  2009 - Catawba
  2010 - Lincoln Memorial
  2011 - Newberry
  2012 - Lenoir-Rhyne
  2013 - Wingate
  2014 - Carson-Newman

 6.A.2. All conference teams will participate in the tournament.

 6.A.3. All players entering the tournament must play at the position which they have played the majority of their regular season matches.

 6.A.4. Two neutral officials will officiate the Conference Tournament (Revised, 2000).

 6.A.5. A method of keeping (posting the) scoreboards and identifying players on court should be established for all matches.

 6.A.6. Net sticks will be used for all matches.  The assigned host institution for each  SAC tennis tournament will be responsible for providing net sticks for all tournament matches.

 6.A.8. Tournament play will be: Quarterfinals at the home of the higher seed on Tuesday following the last weekend of the regular season. Semifinals and finals will be held on the Saturday following the quarterfinals. Sunday will be the rain date.  Play will not begin on Sunday before 12:00 noon. (Revised, July 2004)

 6.A.9. The tournament will be team format, using eight teams. The matches will be paired as follows: #4 vs. #5, #3 vs. #6, #2 vs. #7, #1 vs. #8.

 6.A.10. Match format will consist of three doubles matches (eight-game pro set playing first), followed by six singles matches, best two out of three sets.  All matches will stop upon determination of team winner.

 6.A.11. New balls will be made available for third sets if requested by either player.

 6.A.12. Matches will not start earlier than the scheduled times.

 6.A.13. There will be a 20-minute warmup period for each team prior to each match, regardless of scheduled match time.

 6.A.14. A lineup form will be completed by each head coach prior to the tournament, listing all roster players (singles and doubles) in order by strength.  The SAC office will accumulate all forms and fax to all member institutions prior to the tournament.

SECTION 7. AWARDS

 7.A.  Player of the Year

 7.A.1. Selected following the end of the regular season by a vote of all coaches.

 7.A.2. Plaque awarded.

 7.B.  Freshman of the Year

 7.B.1. Selected following the end of the regular season by a vote of all coaches. Freshman of the Year is available to any player in his first year of athletic competition. (Revised, March 2005)

 7.B.2. Plaque awarded.

 7.C.  Coach of the Year

 7.C.1. Selected following the end of the regular season by a vote of all coaches.

 7.C.2. Plaque awarded.

 7.D.  Regular Season Winner

 7.D.1. Team that wins the regular season (Revised, 2000).

 7.D.2. Trophy awarded (Revised, 2000).

 7.D.3. Personalized certificates will be awarded to each team member the week following the conference tournament (Revised, 2000).

 7.E.   Tournament Winner

 7.E.1. Team that wins the Conference tournament.

 7.E.2. Trophy awarded.

 7.E.3. Personalized certificates will be awarded to each team member the week following the conference tournament.

 7.E.4 The Tournament Champion will receive the SAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. If the automatic bid date is before the tournament, or if the tournament    is not able to be completed due to weather, the regular season champion will be    selected. (Revised, March 2004)

 7.F.  All-Conference

 7.F.1. The All-Conference team shall consist of the eight first-team and eight second-team members, as voted by all coaches following the end of the regular season.

 7.F.2. Personalized certificate awarded.

 7.G.  All-Tournament

 7.G.1. The All-Tournament team shall consist of eight members, regardless of flight.  The team will be selected as voted by all coaches following the conference tournament.  Coaches may vote for their own players for All-Tournament.

 7.G.2. One player will be named as Tournament Most Valuable Player as voted by all coaches following the conference tournament.  Coaches may vote for their own players for Tournament MVP.

 7.G.3. Personalized certificate awarded.

 7.H.  SAC Honor Roll

 7.H.1. All South Atlantic Conference tennis players who have a 3.20 or better GPA at the conclusion of the spring semester and have completed the season of play shall be a member of the SAC Academic Honor Roll.

 7.H.2. Composite certificate awarded.

 7.I.  SAC Presidents Award

 7.I.1. Nominees for the SAC President's Award will be the top male and female Scholar-Athlete as selected by each institution (if applicable). The nominees shall represent the best of academic, athletic, and community/leadership qualities.

 7.I.2. Plaque awarded.

 7.J SAC Athlete of the Year Award

 7.J.1. Nominees for the SAC Athlete of the Year Award shall be the top male and female selected as the Player of the Year from their respected sport (Revised, 1999).

 7.K.  South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete Award

 7.K.1. Nominees for the South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete Award shall have a minimum of 3.3 cumulative GPA, at least sophomore status, excel in academics, athletics and community/leadership activities.
 
 7.K.2. Plaque awarded.

 7.L.  South Atlantic Conference Senior Participation Award

 7.L.1. Awarded to each athlete who is completing his or her eligibility.

 7.L.2. SAC senior memento awarded. (Revised, 2004)

SECTION 8. AMENDMENTS TO OPERATING POLICIES

        8.1. All recommended amendments must be in the annual report of the Tennis Committee and submitted no later than March 1 to the Athletic Director liaison for tennis and the South Atlantic Conference office.  The Athletic Directors' Council will act on all recommendations during their spring meeting.  Amendments shall be for the next academic year's tennis season.

SECTION 9. PUBLICITY

 9.1. Match results will be reported to the Conference Information Director on Tuesday morning of each week. Weekly press releases will provide conference standings and statistics.

        9.2. A SAC Player of the Week will be selected by the SAC Sports Information Directors each week during the regular season as part of the weekly report.

 9.2.a Certificate awarded (Revised, 2004)

SECTION 10. PROTOCOL

 10.1. All teams will exercise a hospitable attitude in treating visiting teams as guests, and in the manner that they would want to be treated.
 
 10.2. Tobacco ban.

  10.2.a. The use of tobacco products by any individual on the tennis courts or the area around the courts (i. e. spectator stands) - as well as Conference activities such as banquets, autograph sessions, press conferences and post game interviews is prohibited.  Violations of this policy shall be dealt with by the tournament official with a warning that is applicable to all team members, and then ejection.

 SECTION 11. PRACTICE SCHEDULE

 11.A.  In Season 

 11.A.1. Determined by institutional rules and the rules of our Conference and National Association.

 11.B.  Out of Season

 11.B.1. Determined by institutional rules and the rules of our Conference and National Association.

SECTION 12. UNIFORMS

        12.1. Proper tennis attire with school and/or Conference logo.

SECTION 13. BALLS

 13.1. Conform to USTA standards.

 13.3. New balls should be furnished by the host team during the regular season for any third set player if requested.

  13.2. The tennis coach of the host institution shall, before the match is started, inform the visiting coach of the name or brand of tennis balls to be used.

SECTION 14. INCLEMENT WEATHER

 14.1. The host tennis coach shall decide if any match should be called off in case of inclement weather or darkness.
           
 14.2. If a tennis match cannot be played as scheduled because of weather, the match shall be played on the next available playing date open and agreeable to both opponents.

SECTION 15. ELIGIBILITY

15.1. All rules and regulations of the SAC and our National Affiliation shall apply to all participants.

15.2 Transfers: Conference requires 1 year in residence at the certifying institution for student-athletes transferring from another South Atlantic Conference member institution. Appeals are handled on a case-by-case basis through the institution the student-athlete desires to leave. (July, 2006)

SECTION 16. TIE GAMES

16.1. The 12-point tie-breaker shall be used in all dual match at six games all in every set.

SECTION 17 METHOD OF BREAKING TIES FOR TOURNAMENT SEEDING

17.1 Method of determining regular season champion and tournament seeds in case of a tie: (1) Head to head competition among all tied teams; (2) Head to head against all  seeds beginning with the highest seed, (3) Match scores against all tied teams, (4) Coin flip by Commissioner. (Revised, April 2003)

SECTION 18. MISCELLANEOUS

 18.1. The winner of the Conference regular season shall be the Conference champion and gain points towards the SAC Athletic Excellence Award (2000).

 18.2. The winner of the Conference Tournament will be the conference’s post-season champion and earn the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. In the event inclement weather prevents the tournament from being played to completion, then the regular-season champion will receive the automatic bid. (Revised, March 2003, March 2004))

 18.3. Wherever applicable, polices and procedures governing the administration and conduct of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II men's and women’s tennis championship shall be utilized.

Revised August 8, 2006

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