Ron Wellman, Wake Forest's athletics director, called his first year on the selection committee for the NCAA men's basketball tournament very rewarding.
"I anticipated going in depth with each team, but I don't know that I anticipated the extent of that depth," Wellman said yesterday by telephone from Jacksonville, Fla., where he will be this weekend for first- and second-round games.
As one of the eight ADs and two conference commissioners on the committee for the first time, Wellman saw first-hand what goes into selecting the 65 teams. He'll be on the committee for four more years.
The committee met in Indianapolis for five days and spent as many as 15 hours a day discussing candidates for at-large bids.
"Every team was discussed, and the data that we had on each team was discussed in great detail, whether it was the RPI or the strength of schedule," Wellman said. "We discussed whether they had good wins or bad losses or results against top-50 teams, top-100 teams or even top 150-teams -- it went on and on."
And as happens every year once selections are revealed, there were upset fans and coaches across the country, with Virginia Tech and Mississippi State supporters probably among the most upset.
Wellman said that during discussions of individual teams, rules required that he leave the room whenever Wake Forest came up. The Deacons made the field as a No. 9 seed.
"I did not discuss Wake Forest during the official meetings," Wellman said.
"I left the room every time Wake Forest came up and even at the dinners or the down time when we weren't meeting officially I never discussed Wake Forest with any committee member."
He also said that when opinions were needed on ACC teams, he had to abstain.
"I was not permitted to discuss any ACC team unless somebody asked me a factual question about an ACC team," Wellman said. "I could not render my opinion about any ACC team."
Wellman said that the most difficult part of the process came Saturday night, with most conference tournaments over.
He said the committee met until 1 a.m., and then met again starting at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
"I didn't add up all the hours, but it was a good, full week," he said.
Wellman said that committee members did not discuss tournament expansion, which has been a topic of discussion in recent weeks. Wellman said that if the tournament does expand, it won't necessarily make the selection process easier.
"If we expanded to 96 then Nos. 97, 98, 99 or even 100 would be very unhappy if they don't get in," Wellman said. "There's always going to be controversy when anyone is left out. Unless we expand to include all teams, somebody is going to feel slighted."
As for disappointed Virginia Tech fans, Wellman said he has heard from some.
"Yes, a few of them have found my e-mail address," he said.
jdell@wsjournal.com
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