2015 Conference USA Baseball Umpires Information

Home , Conference USA, Ejection (sports)

Britton B. Banowsky Richard Fetchiet Alfred B. White Commissioner Coordinator of Baseball Umpires Senior Associate Commissioner

Conference USA 2015 Baseball Umpires Information Table of Contents

Baseball Umpires Policies ...... Attached

Umpire Evaluation Instructions ...... Attached

Independent Contractor Agreement ...... Attached

Physical Certification ...... Attached

Travel Contact Information ...... Attached

Baseball Sport Administrators ...... Attached

Hotel Contacts ...... Attached

Baseball Regulations ...... Attached

Championship Format ...... Attached

Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship ...... Attached

CONFERENCE USA BASEBALL UMPIRES POLICIES

The administration of Conference USA baseball umpires shall be directed by the Commissioner, or his designee, and the Coordinator of Umpires. The Conference baseball umpires’ program shall be conducted in accordance with NCAA rules and requirements.

Umpires. a. Application. Umpires who did not work the previous season in Conference USA shall make written application to the Conference and be approved by the Coordinator of Umpires. The following criteria will be used to consider umpires invited to join the Conference in the future:

(1) NCAA Division I postseason umpire experience; (2) NCAA Division I conference umpire experience; (3) Professional baseball umpire experience; (4) NCAA Division I non-conference umpire experience; (5) NCAA annual rules test scores; and (6) NCAA annual Umpire Improvement Program meeting attendance record.

Geographic location may also be a consideration. b. Conflicts of interest. An umpire assigned by the Conference, shall neither socialize with, nor be employed by, student-athletes, employees or representatives of athletics interests of institutions participating in Conference baseball and shall at all times avoid conduct that would compromise or appear to compromise the umpire's impartiality or credibility. c. General. The umpires that are assigned to Conference baseball games shall consist of individuals assigned by the Coordinator of Umpires. The total number of umpires shall be determined by the Commissioner, or his designee, and the Coordinator of Umpires. d. Institutional staff restriction. An individual who is employed by a member institution shall not umpire games in Conference USA. e. Insurance. The Conference shall have no responsibility for maintaining insurance coverage for the benefit of the umpire. The umpire shall provide his own medical and health insurance, which shall include coverage for any accident suffered or injury sustained while umpiring. The umpire shall also be responsible for maintaining comprehensive general liability insurance in an amount equal to not less than $250,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 in the aggregate per annum. The umpire agrees to provide evidence of insurance coverage to the Commissioner upon request. f. Philosophy. Umpires are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is above reproach that demonstrates the ethics and sportsmanship necessary to be an official. g. Physical examination. Each umpire is required to undergo a complete physical examination on an annual basis and submit certification of the exam to the Conference office on forms to be provided by the Conference.

h. Prohibition against gambling. An umpire assigned to a Conference game shall not be involved with wagering related to the outcome of any athletics contests. Failure to adhere to the provisions of this policy shall be grounds for immediate cancellation of all assignments. i. Relationship with Conference. The umpire is an independent contractor and not an employee of the Conference for that season only. As an independent contractor, the umpire shall not be entitled to participate in any employee benefit plans or fringe benefits established by the Conference for its employees. Aside from contractual obligations to the Conference, the umpire shall be free to devote time and attention to such activities as the umpire deems appropriate, including umpiring games of other conferences and athletic associations. j. Rules/Rules knowledge. In games assigned by the Conference, no umpire shall deviate from the baseball rules and regulations of the NCAA and the regulations herein set forth unless permission is specifically granted by the Coordinator of Umpires and the Commissioner. Umpires are expected to be well versed in current NCAA baseball rules and points of emphasis and to apply same consistently. k. Tobacco. NCAA and Conference rules strictly prohibit the use of tobacco products during practice and competition by coaches, student-athletes and umpires. This will be strictly enforced. l. Uniform. It is the responsibility of the crew chief to ensure the crew is dressed consistently. Umpires shall provide the following basic uniform:

Black base or plate shoes (contrasting white manufacturer’s logos on shoes are acceptable) Black socks Gray slacks Black belt Black or gray ball bag(s) (K40B or K40Sin Honig’s catalog) Black short sleeve shirt with white trim (HMLS-B in Honig’s catalog) Black undershirt, black crew neck or black turtle neck should be worn under shirt or pullover Black plate coat (B3S in Honig’s catalog) or shell pullover may be worn on plate Black sized C-USA hat (black sized Pro Mesh C-USA hat is permissible) Black gloves as needed Black foul weather hood or ear protector as needed

Optional shirt is the black long sleeve shirt with white trim (HMLLS-B in Honig’s catalog) Optional shirt is the light blue short sleeve shirt with black trim (KMLS-PB in Honig’s catalog) Optional pullovers include the black shell with white trim over the shoulder (K17P-B in Honig’s catalog) worn tucked-in; or the removable/short-sleeved pullover (K14 in Honig’s catalog).

Umpires must remove all association/league/professional patches, logos, etc. from uniforms. Conference USA does not wear numbers on uniforms; however, umpires are permitted to wear numbers on their shirts and/or pullovers. Likewise, American flags are permissible and should be worn on the back of shirts or pullovers just below the collar mid-way between the shoulders (behind the bottom of neck). It is permissible for umpires to use a hockey-style helmet on the plate instead of a C-USA hat and mask.

Umpires are not required to order uniforms/equipment from Honig’s; however, Honig's does stock all C- USA uniform necessities. Honig’s in Ann Arbor can be reached at 888-468-3284 or via E-mail at: [email protected]. Umpires may also contact Honig’s Southwest at 800-666-7827 or by E-mail at [email protected]. 4

Shoes should be shined and clothing items should not be wrinkled.

Assignments. a. Contractual commitment. The assignment of an umpire to a series will be binding upon receipt of a signed contract by the Conference office. After an assignment has been completed, it shall not be canceled or altered in any way (other than to address schedule adjustments or emergencies) except by the Coordinator of Umpires. b. Crew size. Three-person crews shall be utilized for all games. c. Suspensions/Ejections. If a participant(s) is suspended, the crew chief is to call the Coordinator of Umpires after the game and report the suspension. If a participant(s) is ejected and/or suspended, umpires shall promptly file an electronic written report with the Coordinator of Umpires using the appropriate NCAA form. d. Protocol for Review of Baseball Umpiring Special Circumstances.

(1) Crew chiefs are required to alert the Coordinator of Baseball Umpires following the completion of any contest that involves “special circumstances.” The Coordinator will immediately notify Alfred White at the Conference office.

(2) Situations involved in special circumstances will include, but not be limited to:

 Any ejection that carries a suspension  Bean ball incidents  Fights  Major crowd control issues  Sportsmanship

(3) The Coordinator is required to submit to Alfred White all of the applicable NCAA playing rules that apply to the situation.

(4) Schools (coaches and/or administrators) are required to submit description of plays involving “special circumstances” in-writing via E-mail to the Conference office by 6 p.m. on the day following the game involving “special circumstances.”

(5) Schools (coaches and/or administrators) are required to post applicable video of plays involving “special circumstances,” if available, on XOS ThunderCloud XChange by 6 p.m. on the day following the game.

(6) Judy MacLeod, Alfred White and the Coordinator will review the description and video of the plays involving “special circumstances” and meet by teleconference by close of business 48 hours following a game.

(7) MacLeod, White and the Coordinator will make a recommendation of further action, if any, to the Commissioner by Noon the day following the teleconference referenced in item No. 6.

e. General. The Coordinator of Umpires shall make the assignments for all Conference games involving Conference member institutions. Every effort will be made to work in conjunction with other conference supervisors to utilize all members of the staff to the betterment of the Conference. It is the policy of the Conference to assign the best possible umpires available to each game. f. Institutional schedules. The Commissioner, or his designee, and Coordinator of Umpires shall be furnished with institutional baseball schedules at the earliest possible date, generally no later than December 1. Information regarding games scheduled or adjusted after the initial release shall be furnished as soon as possible. g. Notification of assignments. The Coordinator of Umpires will notify umpires in a timely manner of game assignments. Conference institutions will be informed of umpires’ assignments in a timely manner. h. Pre-game umpires' meeting. The crew chief should assemble the umpires before the first game of the series for a pre-series meeting. i. Reporting to game site. Umpires are to be at the stadium 90 minutes before game time for game one of a series and 60 minutes before game time for games two and three of a series. j. Umpires' dressing rooms. Umpires' dressing rooms are off-limits to anyone except Conference personnel or as otherwise stated in Conference rules. Friends of umpires, family members, etc., are not permitted to enter the umpires’ dressing rooms.

Statements to the Media.

In situations where a statement is warranted to explain an umpires' ruling in a game, statements to the news media may only be issued by the sports information director of the home team, who shall serve as the pool reporter and relay the statement, in written form, to the media. Requests will only be honored for situations involving rules interpretations and explanations, not situations involving judgment calls.

Assignment Changes/Cancellations. a. Emergency situation/travel no-shows. If the crew chief is unable to contact the Coordinator of Umpires he is to call the Conference office and inform the Senior Associate Commissioner (Alfred White) of the problem. Umpires are to give the Conference office as much advance notice as possible so there will be time to find a replacement.

Conference USA Office 214-774-1300

Richard Fetchiet Office 734-647-4016 (Coordinator of Umpires) Cell 734-637-2861 Fax 734-913-6025 Home 734-913-6078 E-mail [email protected]

Alfred White Office 214-774-1350 (Senior Associate Commissioner) Cell 214-808-8486 Home 972-462-7072 E-Mail [email protected]

Russ Anderson Office 214-774-1351 (Assistant Commissioner) Cell 214-773-1737 E-Mail: [email protected] b. Institutional responsibility. In the event that a game is canceled or postponed because of weather or other reasons, and one or more of the umpires have not been notified and are on site and ready to work, the host institution shall pay the fee or fees. c. Notification. The host institution shall be responsible for notifying the Conference office immediately of any changes in games (e.g., times, facilities, dates). The Coordinator of Umpires shall be responsible for notifying the host institution immediately of any changes in umpires assigned to games. d. Reduced crew. If, for any reason, an umpire is prevented from appearing at an assigned game, the Coordinator of Umpires shall be notified and an attempt will be made to locate an umpire on the staff within the immediate vicinity of the host institution. If a substitute cannot be located, the game may be played with fewer umpires. e. Substantiation. If an umpire is unable to be present at a game assigned to him because of weather conditions, the umpire must be able to substantiate to the Coordinator of Umpires that his preparation and schedules were sufficient and timely for appearances at the game assigned. f. Umpires’ responsibility. If, for just cause, the umpire finds it necessary to request cancellation of an assignment, such request must be made directly to the Coordinator of Umpires, who will notify the other umpires and the institutions involved.

Public Criticism of Umpires.

Coaches, student-athletes or athletics administrators who publicly criticize game umpires may be reprimanded and/or suspended by the Commissioner. Public criticism includes negative comments made about umpires by coaches or administrators in a public forum or meeting and/or to members of the media. The appropriate public response by coaches, student-athletes or athletics administrators to media questions regarding umpiring is: “per Conference policy, I am unable to comment”. Any other response is a violation of the sportsmanship policy.

Disciplinary Procedure.

The Commissioner, after consultation with the Coordinator of Umpires, may reprimand or relieve an umpire of future assignments for conduct unbecoming an official, failure to cooperate with the Coordinator of Umpires, or for any action detrimental to the Conference. Umpires will not receive compensation for revoked assignments.

Evaluation. Umpires will be evaluated after each conference series. Three evaluations will be submitted using the Arbiter website on each umpire after each series – one from each coaching staff and one from the crew chief. Evaluation instructions and evaluation forms are provided on the Arbiter web site.

Education. a. Annual meeting. Umpires are expected to attend an annual NCAA Clinic/Rules Meeting. b. Umpires. Umpires are encouraged to participate and maintain active membership in geographically appropriate collegiate umpiring associations and participate in study sessions. They should work pre- season scrimmages and/or nonconference games. c. Coordinator communication. The Coordinator of Umpires shall communicate directly (in writing and by telephone) as needed with umpires, Athletics Directors and coaches to review areas of concern.

Financial Procedures. a. Budget process. In order to facilitate financial planning by member institutions, the Coordinator of Umpires shall submit to the Commissioner recommendations regarding umpires’ fees, expenses and travel policy no later than March 1. b. General. The fee and expense structure for baseball umpires shall be established by the Conference USA Officiating Committee and Athletics Directors; and approved by the Conference Board of Directors. c. Payment. Umpires’ payments for game fees, per diem and travel will be processed by the Conference office through RefPay at-least twice monthly. It is the responsibility of each umpire to notify the Conference Office of a change in mailing address and to update their Arbiter account. It is the responsibility of the umpire to submit receipts to the conference office (Catrina Gibson, Conference USA, 5201 N. O’Connor Blvd., Suite 300, Irving, TX 75039; 214-774-1380-fax; [email protected] – E-mail) within 14 days of the event for travel reimbursement.

d. 2015 game fees and travel expenses.

Game Fees for Three-Game Series - $750

Per Diem - $90 per series ($30 per day for three days). Per Diem includes airport parking and incidental expenses.

Travel – 1.12 mileage reimbursement for travel over 30 miles one way (includes tolls) not to exceed lowest airfare available (through Conference travel service) or 300 miles, whichever is less.

Airfare – Travel arrangements must be made through Conference travel services a minimum of 21 days in advance. Conference travel service information is attached. *Umpires will automatically be reimbursed for one (1) checked bag for those who fly based on each airline’s posted fees (no receipt required).

Lodging – Three (3) rooms will be reserved for each Conference series. Umpires (or the crew chief on behalf of the crew) are responsible for contacting host institution 14 days in advance if a hotel is not needed. Hotel Contacts are attached. If the Umpire cannot reach that person they must contact the Conference Office. DO NOT make your own reservations, as it will not be reimbursed. A maximum of three hotel rooms (single occupancy) may be reserved by the host institution. Room, hotel parking and tax billed directly to the host institution. All incidental expenses are the responsibility of the umpire.

Rental Cars – Rental cars will be provided as needed with the approval of the Conference office (limit one vehicle per crew per series) and booked through the Conference travel service. Conference travel service information is attached. Rental options (prepaid gas, insurance, never lost, etc) will not be reimbursed. Umpires must submit receipts to the conference office (Catrina Gibson, Conference USA, 5201 N. O’Connor Blvd., Suite 300, Irving, TX 75039; 214-774-1380-fax; [email protected] – E-mail) for reimbursement within 14 days of event along with gas receipts.

Receipts submitted for reimbursement must be received within 14 days of the expense.

Procedures For Boycotted Games. Conference USA has developed procedures for its member institutions to follow in any instance where a boycott of baseball competition may occur. Please see the Conference USA Baseball Regulations.

UMPIRE EVALUATION INSTRUCTIONS (Coaches, Independent Evaluators, Crew Chiefs)

Umpires are to be rated in four categories—plate work, base work, people/situation management, and effort/enthusiasm. The evaluation form requires a grade of 1-5 (with 5 being the highest) in each of the four categories.

Adding comments is always encouraged. A grade of 2 should be accompanied by an explanation and a grade of 1 must be accompanied by an explanation. There is also room to note any concern about rules knowledge or interpretation.

The final section requires answering three simple questions about recommendations for future assignments within the league and for post-season play.

Since coaches, independent evaluators, and crew chiefs all bring various levels of expertise to the evaluation process, below are a few helpful hints:

*Make sure your scores are based only on the umpire’s performance during the game or games you are evaluating. Try not to let past history (good or bad) influence your grades. We want the evaluation to reflect what that umpire did in that game or series. Just because an umpire has been around a long time does not automatically justify high grades; likewise, just because you may not know a new/young umpire does not mean you should grade them lower and that they can only earn good grades after years of service. Base your grades solely on what you see during that game or series.

*Comments are always helpful and are encouraged. If there are specific on-field issues that you feel need to be addressed with an individual umpire or if you are aware of inappropriate off-field behavior, it should be noted.

*Please submit your evaluations by fax, mail, or email within three days of the completion of a series. Coaches—please complete a post-game cool-down period before completing evaluations.

Some things to think about when determining grades (1-5) in each of the four categories. Every umpire starts out as a 3 in each category. Their performance determines upgrades or downgrades from that start point. The bolded areas are primary.

*Plate Work—interpretation and consistency of strike zone, style and timing, positioning and individual mechanics, rotations and crew mechanics.

*Base Work—judgment, style and timing, positioning and individual mechanics, reaction to plays, rotations and crew mechanics.

*People/Situation Management—communication skills with players and coaches, inappropriate fraternization, handling of unusual situations, handling pressure.

*Effort/Enthusiasm—focus, intensity, hustle, mobility, appearance.

(umpireevaluationinstructions.doc)

CONFERENCE USA Independent Contractor Agreement Baseball Umpiring Assignments- 2015 Season

Conference USA has assigned you to officiate for the 2015 baseball season as set forth on http://www.arbitersports.com/. Your acceptance of these dates and games at the listed website will confirm these assignments. As a condition precedent to this offer and your acceptance of any of these assignments you agree:

1. You are not an employee of Conference USA or any of the member institutions. Further, your signature on this agreement indicates that you have a full and complete understanding and agree that you are not employee and, therefore, not entitled to any employee benefits. Your total compensation and benefits are only as specified in the 2015 Conference USA Baseball Umpiring Policies (the “Policies). Your signing of this agreement and acceptance of this offer is an irrevocable waiver of any rights to any additional compensation or benefit from Conference USA and its member institutions and/or any claim of any type or kind against the Conference for any benefits, including workman’s compensation benefits or other rights over and above those specified herein; 2. You are solely responsible for obtaining health, medical, disability and life insurance benefits that may be necessary to cover any claims you may have in the event of injury or illness to you in connection with your officiating activities at assigned games. You understand that workers’ compensation laws do not apply to any accident or injury sustained as a result of your services as an independent contractor; 3. That this acceptance is limited to the assignments for the 2015 season; 4. To hold Conference USA, Coordinator of Baseball Umpires, and all other Conference employees, and all its member institutions, harmless from any and all liability for injury or damage sustained as a result of any assignment; 5. That any assignment is subject to cancellation by the Commissioner, or Coordinator, when in their sole judgment they deem such cancellation to be in the best interest of the Conference, and 6. That you are physically fit to accept this assignment 7. To hold harmless from any liability of any nature, type, kind or description, Conference USA resulting from his/her umpiring a scheduled Baseball game for Conference USA, including travel to and from said game. By accepting these assignments, you represent, warrant and agree that (a) you have received a copy of the policies, (b) you are subject to none of the disqualifications against serving as an umpire set forth in the policies and (c) you will be bound by the policies as if fully set forth in this Agreement.

Signature of Umpire Commissioner

Date January 1, 2015 Date Print Name

Print Address

Print City, State Zip Sign and return by February 15, 2015 to: SS# Alfred B. White Fax: 214-496-0046 E-Mail Address

CONFERENCE USA 5201 N. O'Connor Blvd. Suite 300 Irving, TX 75039 P 214.774.1300 F 214.496.0046 conferenceusa.com

PHYSICAL REPORT FORM

PLEASE NOTE: CONFERENCE USA DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR THOROUGHNESS OF THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION PROCURED BY THE UNDERSIGNED UMPIRE.

UMPIRE’S NAME

ADDRESS

DATE OF BIRTH

Based upon a physical examination that I personally conducted, I hereby certify that the above named individual is physically qualified to umpire college baseball during the 2015 season.

DATE: M.D. Signature

PLEASE PRINT DOCTOR’S NAME

DOCTOR’S ADDRESS

DOCTOR’S TELEPHONE NUMBER ( )

Please return completed and signed form by February 15, 2015 to the Conference USA office.

CONFERENCE USA 5201 N. O'Connor Blvd. Suite 300 Irving, TX 75039 P 214.774.1300 F 214.496.0046 conferenceusa.com

Short’s Travel Contact Information

Telephone Assistance

x From 8:00am – 5:00pm CST Monday – Friday call: Toll Free 877-464-6191

Travel Portal

x Travelers can access this system by going to the customized Conference USA travel portal http://www.shortstravel.com/cusa

STEP 1: Click the New User button on the left side of the logon screen. Create all mandatory fields of your personal registration. We highly recommend completing the cell phone section, although it is not mandatory. This number is only used to locate travelers during emergency situations.

STEP 2: Please select Travel Profile from the options on the left side of your screen. Each profile section is in blue, please go through each section and add all of your traveler preferences, frequent flyer programs and applicable information for the travel department to use for your reservation. After you have completed each section you are done!

2015 Conference USA Baseball Sport Administrators

School Name Office Cell E-mail Charlotte Darin Spease 704-687-0400 980-253-4947 [email protected] FAU Brian Battle 561-297-3714 561-945-5514 [email protected] FIU Bobby Staub 305-348-3159 318-267-1204 [email protected] LA Tech Marco Born 318-257-2933 318-224-1081 [email protected] Marshall Jeff O’Malley 304-696-4310 304-633-4681 [email protected] Middle Tennessee John McMillan 615-494-8616 615-396-7664 [email protected] Old Dominion Deb Polca 757-683-3360 757-647-2039 [email protected] Rice Rick Mello 713-348-8872 786-251-8050 [email protected] Southern Miss Kent Hegenauer 601-266-4646 517-896-6495 [email protected] UAB Shannon James Ealy 205-934-1900 205-910-1334 [email protected] UTSA Jim Sarra 210-458-5036 210-458-8573 [email protected] Western Kentucky Jim Clark 270-745-6064 270-792-4183 [email protected]

Conference Staff Alfred White 214-774-1350 214-808-8486 [email protected] Russ Anderson 214-774-1351 214-773-1737 [email protected] Rich Fetchiet 734-647-4016 734-637-2861 [email protected] 2015 Conference USA Baseball Umpires Hotel Contacts

School Name Office Cell E-mail Charlotte Michael Garrett 704-687-1049 859-576-7951 [email protected] FAU Wesley Sargent 727-488-1501 727-488-1501 [email protected] FIU Dave Scott 305-348-1043 305-905-0890 [email protected]

LA Tech Kim Tanner or Chris Haller 318-257-3314-Kim 318-801-4022-Kim [email protected] 318-257-4111-Chris 785-313-5056-Chris [email protected] Marshall Tom Ponietowicz 304-696-7280 786-514-6558 [email protected] Call Pat at office between 8 Middle Tennessee Pat Fones 615-898-2450 am and 4 pm [email protected] Old Dominion Greg Smith 757-683-6026 757-642-7431 [email protected] Rice Daniel Watson 713-348-8864 713-816-3558 [email protected] Southern Miss Michael Shields 601-266-6542 318-237-5481 [email protected] UAB Dave Henze 205-934-3040 205-572-5197 [email protected] UTSA Sherman Corbett 210-458-8668 210-445-8316 [email protected] Western Kentucky Matt Myers 270-745-2277 270-535-2305 [email protected]

Conference Staff Alfred White 214-774-1350 214-808-8486 [email protected] Russ Anderson 214-774-1351 214-773-1737 [email protected] Rich Fetchiet 734-647-4016 734-637-2861 [email protected]

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

I. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION / GAME MANAGEMENT

A. Administration. An administrator that is not the coach (e.g., AD, Associate AD, Assistant AD, SWA, or SID) must be present at each Conference game.

B. Amenities. The home team must provide similar amenities to the visiting team (e.g., cooling fans, cages, locker rooms).

C. Apparel & Equipment Requirements. For Conference play, the official and practice uniforms, as well as standard equipment, shall bear only Conference, institutional, American flag and/or commercial logos or symbols. Commercial logos must appear only within NCAA guidelines.

D. Ball. The official Conference baseball to be used in all Conference play shall be determined annually prior to the start of the season by the head coaches. The official ball for conference games and conference championships will be the Rawlings R1NCAA-C-USA.

E. Bat Specifications. The NCAA Baseball Rule Book (Rule 1, Section 12, “The Bat”) shall be followed regarding bats.

F. Batting Practice. The home team shall take the first batting practice and infield time slot before games. The host institution shall provide visitors a minimum of 40 minutes batting practice on the field. Teams shall not stretch in fair ground if batting practice is on the field. For Sunday games, there is no required batting practice.

G. Bullpen Mound. A regulation, well-maintained bullpen mound (equivalent to home teams') shall be provided for the visiting team by the home team.

H. Communication. Each home site press box used by a Conference member will be equipped with the communication necessary to announce concurrent Conference game scores. Scores should be given several times during the course of games.

I. Complimentary Tickets. Fifty-four (54) complimentary tickets will be provided for the visiting team during the regular season.

J. Crowd Control. Each institution shall formulate a crowd-control policy for its home games.

K. Doubleheaders. If doubleheaders become necessary to complete a series and the start times are not split in order to get two gates, there shall be a NCAA Baseball Rule Book minimum of 20 minutes.

L. Facilities. All C-USA baseball facilities, for regular season and the championship, are required to have restroom facilities (permanent or temporary) for visiting teams separate from the general public.

M. Field Lights. Coaches' requests to turn on field lights must be made through the umpire-in-chief. Lights will be turned on only upon completion of a full inning unless the umpire-in-chief feels that conditions warrant immediate use. To avoid delay, the host institution must provide someone at all late afternoon and night games to turn on the lights.

N. Game Times. The host institution shall establish game times. The last game of the series must have a scheduled start time a minimum of four hours plus necessary time to change and travel to the airport in order for the visiting team to arrive one hour before the scheduled flight. Further, the visiting team must contact the host institution with travel plans no later than December 1 if those plans will cause a game to be scheduled prior to 1 p.m. The last Conference series preceding the Championship shall be played on Thursday/Friday/Saturday. The starting time of that Saturday game must have a scheduled start no later than 1 pm local time.

O. Game Length. All games will be nine innings, except Sunday double headers, which shall be seven. Sunday nine innings games will use the 10-run rule. The second game of the series will use the 15-run rule.

P. Infield Tarp. Each institution must have an infield tarp to cover the infield in case of inclement weather. Every precaution should be taken by the home team to avoid rainouts during Conference play. Fields should be covered ahead of time if there is any threat of inclement weather. If the visiting team practices and the infield requires tarping on the night prior to the first game of a Conference series, the visiting team is responsible for covering the field.

Q. Laundry. The home team's manager shall be responsible for doing the visiting team's laundry for a fee of $60 per day.

R. Management. Administration and conduct of Conference play will be under the control and direction of the Commissioner (or an appointed representative), subject to the standards and requirements of the Conference USA Membership Handbook. Annually, one head coach shall be designated as chair of the coaches' committee to advise the Conference office as called upon.

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

The coaches committee shall meet annually at the Conference Baseball Championship after the Administrative Meeting and by teleconference.

S. Marketing. 1. Facility Signage. The Conference USA Corporate or Branding Mark must appear as signage in each institution sponsoring baseball. Color guidelines will be determined depending on which mark is required. - The Conference office will provide general guidelines and minimum size specifications for the signage. - The guidelines will be designed to provide each institution flexibility due to different types of venues/constraints. 2. Uniforms. The Conference USA Branding Mark must appear on all uniforms, including, but not limited to, the official uniform, practice gear (where feasible), warm-ups and apparel worn by coaching staffs and game management personnel, within the guidelines of NCAA rules.

T. Media. The Conference office will submit releases to institutions, media outlets, and national ranking representatives throughout the season.

U. Media / Sports Information. 1. Conference Standings. There should be a display of current conference standings made viewable to the public at each Conference home game. 2. Logo Use in Publications. The Conference USA Corporate Mark must appear on the cover of all institutional athletic department team and individual sport media guides. The Conference USA Branding Mark must appear on all institutional athletic department publications including, but not limited to, letterhead, ticket brochures, press releases and schedule cards. 3. StatBroadcast. StatBroadcast real-time statistics is required as a game day media service.

V. National Anthem. All Conference USA teams, including coaches and players, are to be on the field for the playing of the national anthem prior to the start of all Conference contests.

W. Practices. Practice on the day before the first day of the series shall be available to the visiting team under the following conditions: 1) Proper notification is given to the home team no later than Monday evening prior to the practice; 2) the field is available (i.e., not required to remove tarp or break rules regarding light restrictions); 3) Practice on the day before the first game of the series shall be a maximum of two (2) hours; and 4) The home team shall be responsible for monitoring practice for a fee of $60. Practice on game day is limited to batting cages, and running and throwing in the outfield.

X. Pre-series Communication. No later than 48 hours prior to the first pitch of the first game of the three-game series, the host should stimulate a conversation with the visitor about pertinent administrative details relative to the upcoming competition. The conversation should include a minimum of the sport administrator, Head Coach and Director of Baseball Operations. The topics of the conversation should include, but not be limited to: primary point(s) of contact, arrival date/time, hotel/address/telephone number, mode of local transportation, parking, practice time and/or special arrangements for day prior to first game, radio needs, ticket needs, game day team arrival, batting/infield practice times, dugout/dressing room requirements (drinks, ice, towels, coolers, etc.) and weather forecast/possible schedule modification(s)

Y. Public Address Announcer. The public address announcer is considered part of the games management staff and should introduce the teams and announce the game in a professional manner. He or she should set the stage for a positive response from the spectators and shall refrain from baiting or taunting the teams or commenting on the umpire’s call. He or she should also refrain from providing excessive or running commentary of the game. The public address announcer’s actions are in an administrative capacity; he/she should not be a "cheerleader" for either team.

The following announcement must be read prior to all conference play:

“Conference USA encourages and promotes good sporting behavior by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. We request your cooperation by supporting the participants in a positive manner.”

Z. Rain. Doubleheaders should be played Saturday or Sunday if there is a strong probability of rain predicted for Friday or Saturday. During the pre-series communication, the weather forecast and possible schedule modification(s) shall be discussed and all options should be vetted and agreed to prior to the visitor’s departure from home. While the head coaches may and should be part of the decision-making process the decision should be made by the Athletics Director or designated sports administrator (not coach) with the understanding that the goal is to play all possible games.

AA. Rain-outs. Saturday doubleheaders (caused by rain-outs, etc.) should be two nine-inning games. They can be split times in order to get two gates if home team desires (e.g., 1 pm and 6 pm). Sunday doubleheaders should be seven innings in both games. (Exception halted games - see below.) When there is a likelihood of rain on Sunday, doubleheaders shall be played on Saturdays. The decision for the doubleheader shall be made by the Athletic Director or designee (i.e., baseball administrator, 33

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

this may not be a coach). No make-up game after Sunday is allowed. The home team must do everything possible to complete the games, but no more than two games will be played on Sunday. Starting times should be set by the home institution, except Sunday games must have a scheduled start no later than 1:00 p.m. (Rain delays can start later, but subject to visiting team’s travel.)

Halted games on Friday should be completed (9 innings) on Saturday, followed by Saturday’s game (9 innings). Halted games on Saturday should be completed Sunday (9 innings) followed by a 9 inning game. If interrupted or rained out on Friday AND Saturday games will be played under the NCAA halted game rule (Rule 58), unless the halted game exceeds the Conference USA policy of no more than two games on Sunday.

In that case:

1. In the halted game, if one team is ahead after five (5) * innings (NCAA Rule 5-7 Regulation Game), the game shall be a complete game and a winner declared. Two seven (7) inning games shall be played on Sunday. * 4 1/2 innings if the home team is leading. 2. In the halted game, if less than five (5) innings have been completed, the first game Sunday would be a completion of the halted games and would be a nine (9) inning game as originally scheduled. The second game Sunday would be a nine (9) inning contest. The third game would be canceled and deemed a rainout. 3. In the halted game, if more than five (5) innings have been played, but the score is tied, the contest will be ruled a tie and go on each team's record as such. Two seven (7) inning games shall be played on Sunday. 4. In halted games, umpires are responsible for determining if games will be played on next day (not the host institution).

BB. Regular Season Champion. The regular season champion will be determined by the best winning percentage of all Conference games played. The Conference regular season shall consist of 30 games. Ten (10) three-game series shall be played over 11 weeks.

1. Tie-Breakers. If a tie-breaker is needed to determine any of the championship teams, the following procedure will be used:

a. Three-Team Tie (or more). When there is a tie involving three or more teams, the following procedure will be used: (1) The won/lost percentage of the Conference vs. Conference games played among the tied teams. Example: If teams A, B and C are tied for second place, take A's records vs. B and C; B's record vs. A and C; and C's record vs. A and B. If the records are: A is 2-1 vs. B A is 2-1 vs. C B is 1-2 vs. A B is 1-2 vs. C C is 1-2 vs. A C is 2-1 vs. B

The results would be: Second place - Team A (4-2) Third place - Team C (3-3) Fourth place - Team B (2-4) (2) If three or more teams are tied and the group includes two or more teams that did not play each other during the season, the process moves to the next tie-breaker. (3) If a tie between three or more teams persists, the won/lost percentage of the tied teams vs. the team with the highest winning percentage after Conference play. (and proceeding down, if necessary) will be used. (4) If a tie remains, seeding will be based upon the most recent RPI standings. (5) If two teams still are tied, the Commissioner will flip a coin. (6) If three or more teams still are tied, the Commissioner will conduct a draw for places.

b. Two-Team Tie. When there is a two-team tie, the following system will be used to break the tie. (1) The won/lost results of head-to-head Conference competition between the two tied teams. (2) If a tie continues, the won/lost percentage of the two tied teams vs. the team with the highest winning percentage (and proceeding downward, if necessary). (3) If a tie remains, seeding will be based upon the most recent RPI standings. (4) If a tie persists, it will be broken by a flip of a coin conducted by the Commissioner.

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

CC. Replay Policy. NCAA Baseball Rules for scoreboards, Video and Audio apply for all Conference USA baseball games regardless of stadium or venue.

DD. Roster Exchange. Coaches shall exchange rosters that include names and numbers of eligible players before the start of each series and provide a copy to the umpire.

EE. Rules. All Conference regular season and tournament play shall be governed by the NCAA baseball rules. In Conference games, the 15-run mercy rule will be used for the second game of a series and the 10-run mercy rule will be used on Sundays only.

FF. Scheduling. The regular season scheduling format shall consist of a 3-game series against each Conference team with single games to be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ten (10) three-game series shall be played over 11 weeks. In the last weekend of play before the Conference Championship, contests shall be conducted on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Also, in the last weekend of play, the Thursday, Friday and Saturday series shall be conducted in the same manner as a Friday, Saturday and Sunday series, including Sunday rules applying on Saturday.

Best efforts shall be made by the conference scheduler to have teams that finish their season on the road two (2) consecutive years, play their last Conference series at home in the third year.

All games will be nine innings, except double headers on Sunday, which will be seven. Sunday nine innings games will use the 10-run rule. The second game of the series shall use a 15-run rule. Games except the last Conference series shall be Friday/Saturday/Sunday unless a change is agreed upon by both coaches and approved by the Commissioner or designee. The last Conference series preceding the Tournament shall be played on Thursday/Friday/Saturday.

On the final game of a series, a set time for completion of a game may be established in order for the visiting team to travel home. A shortened game must have finished 4.5 – 5 innings by rule in order to be considered complete. In addition, the last game of the series must have a scheduled start time a minimum of four hours plus necessary time to change and travel to the airport in order for the visiting team to arrive one hour before the scheduled flight. Further, that the visiting team must contact the host institution with travel plans no later than December 1 if those plans will cause a game to be scheduled prior to 1 p.m.

1. Game Times. The home team will establish the starting time for all games, with the provision that Sunday games will not be scheduled to begin after 1:00 p.m. local time, unless dictated by the Conference office for television.

2. Non-Conference Schedules. For the spring season, no more than four games may be scheduled against non-Division I opponents. Teams should schedule Division I non-conference opponents with the best RPI possible relative to the strength of their team. The goal of non-conference scheduling is minimally to have the conference have a collective .667-.750 winning percentage with a minimum of 24 games in the Spring season.

3. Probable Rain. Doubleheaders should be played Saturday if there is a strong probability of rain predicted for Sunday. This decision should be made by the Athletics Director or designated sports administrator with the understanding that the goal is to play all possible games.

GG. Score Reporting and Exchanging. During conference home games, GameTracker should be utilized to obtain scores of other Conference games. Please announce scores to fans every couple innings to continue to build name recognition and develop interest in the conference race.

HH. Scoreboards and Audio. Should any of the following policies be violated, umpires have the authority to stop the game to have the matter corrected. Umpires are to inform the conference office concerning any violation. Per NCAA rules:

1. Scoreboards (and monitors) must not be used to “show up” an umpire, visiting team members, incite the crowd, or distract a player.

2. All music, chants, or crowd-cuing messages must stop when the batter enters the dirt circle.

3. Audio (music, organists, etc.) may not be played in a manner that may incite spectators to react in a negative fashion to umpire’s decisions or to visiting players.

4. It is the home team’s responsibility to monitor its video and audio operations and abide by all guidelines and policies, including between-inning entertainment.

II. Scouting Reports. It is strictly prohibited to provide any form of scouting report on a Conference team to any other Conference or non-conference opponent. A C-USA team cannot make arrangements with non-conference schools to exchange scouting reports. 35

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

JJ. Sponsored Items in Visiting Team Bench Area and Visitor’s Bullpen. As it relates to the player bench area for each member institution, the visiting institution shall be permitted, within its bench area and bullpen only, to display a sponsor’s name/logo or brand name/logo on team uniforms, staff and coaches apparel, coolers, cups, squeeze bottles, towels and cooling fans (brand name only permitted). No other visual display of sponsors’ names/logos and advertising shall be permitted within the visiting team bench area.

If the home school has a specific facility with category exclusivity in any of the product areas listed above, it is the host institution’s responsibility to communicate this product exclusivity to the Conference office, as well as, all visiting opponents. Where the visiting team is not allowed to bring their own product with them because of a sponsorship conflict, the host institution must provide the visiting institution with neutral bench and bullpen items (i.e., blank towels, cups, coolers, etc.) as needed by the visiting team.

KK. Sportsmanship. Conference USA member institutions value the principles of sportsmanship and the ideal of pursuing victory with honor in intercollegiate athletics. The Conference believes that athletics should be conducted in a way that reflects positively on the individual participants and institutions. The standards of sportsmanship in the Membership Handbook are written to emphasize the basic expectations of the Conference related to sportsmanship and provide the Commissioner with broad authority to ensure that Conference activities are consistent with these principles. For specific sportsmanship policies, see Sportsmanship Section.

LL. Statements to the Media. All coaches and players are to refrain from criticism of Conference USA, its member institutions and its officials in statements to the media. The appropriate public response to media questions regarding officiating is “per conference policy, I am unable to comment.” Any other response is a violation of the sportsmanship policy and is subject to penalties and fines.

MM. Squad Size. The maximum squad size is 27. The home team is permitted an unlimited number of individuals in uniform; however, prior to the opening contest of each series, the coaches must exchange a list identifying the 27 student-athletes that are eligible to compete. No changes or deletions in this list of 27 is permitted for any reason during the three-game conference series.

The failure of an institution to comply with the squad limitation (27 eligible players in uniform) will result in automatic forfeiture of the game to the opposing institution. This is not an "appeal play," further, there will be no delay of the contest to allow a competing institution to conform to the rule.

NN. Tobacco Policy. NCAA rules shall be followed.

OO. Umpires. 1. Assignment. Three-person umpiring crews are assigned to all Conference games by the Conference.

2. Hotels. The host institution shall provide three (3) rooms for umpires per conference weekend. Umpires will schedule Sunday travel as late as possible. If a Sunday game is delayed due to weather, the following will occur: a. Umpires assigned to the game will be asked to stay late with the institution providing for additional lodging and travel expenses; b. If an umpire has to leave, a local umpire from the designated Conference list shall be used, and c. If neither options above can be met, the game will proceed with two umpires.

3. Evaluations. Umpire evaluations are available and should be completed on the Arbiter Sports website by all coaches after the game.

4. Payment. The Conference office will issue an assessment to the institutions at the beginning of the season and be responsible for payment of umpires for Conference games. At the conclusion of the season, the Conference office will calculate all member institutions’ officiating expenses and each institution will pay an equal amount for Conference games.

PP. Uniforms. All players must appear in the official uniform dress and colors of that institution.

QQ. Visiting Team. Visiting team must contact the host institution prior to arrival in order to confirm practice and playing times, media needs (e.g., radio needs, parking, tickets, accommodations).

II. CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

A. Administrative Meeting. At the championship site, head coaches and media relations directors will meet to review the Championship on Tuesday night of championship week. The coaches committee shall meet annually at the Conference Baseball Championship after the Administrative Meeting and by teleconference.

B. Artificial Noisemakers. NCAA rules shall be followed regarding artificial noisemakers. At no time will fans be allowed to use whistles, air horns, megaphones or electronically amplified noisemakers.

C. Bat Girls/Bat Boys. Participating institutions shall be allowed to bring their own crews; otherwise, the host institution shall provide crews if requested.

D. Communications. The sponsoring agency shall provide a system of communication (telephone, walkie-talkie, etc.) between the press boxes if two fields are used for the championship.

E. Criteria for hosting the Championship.

1. Complete compliance with the Conference USA Championship Hosting Agreement 2. A meeting room and refreshments for a pre-championship administrative meeting is a requirement 3. Availability of an adequate second field and practice facilities is a requirement 4. Seating for a minimum of 2,000 fans is a requirement 5. Once every two years on a rolling basis, an average of at-least 1,000 in actual attendance for all home baseball games is desired 6. A tarp in good condition is a requirement 7. A minimum of a five (5) person grounds crew at all games is a requirement 8. Television and radio broadcast capabilities for three (3) crews (two private and enclosed radio booths and one private and enclosed television booth) 9. The ability to produce live on-field postgame interviews with coaches and players for games streamed on the Conference Digital Network is required 10. The ability to produce highlights and interview packages for each game of the Championship is required 11. Lights available on the primary field is a requirement and recommended on the second field 12. Hospitality area and food for officials, workers and administrators is a requirement 13. Production of a scorecard (including complimentary to all teams) is a requirement 14. Restroom facilities in, or near, dugouts and separate from the general public is a requirement 15. The supplying of a photographer is a requirement 16. Communication system for staff and officials (e.g. walkie-talkies) is desired 17. The availability of wireless or high speed internet for media use is a requirement 18. The availability of ISDN lines for radio broadcasts is a requirement 19. The availability of quality hotels (some full service and some budget) nearby the competition site (a minimum of 20 rooms per team at teams' expense) is a requirement. Hotel must not be associated with any type of gaming. 20. A separate hotel for umpires is required 21. A marketing, ticket sales promotion and publicity plan for the event at the host’s expense is required 22. The provision of dugout supplies (e.g., water, towels, etc.) is required 23. The provision of a laundry facility and coordinator at the host’s expense is required 24. The presence of a physician and/or certified athletic trainer at all games and practices; and access to medical facility is required 25. The availability of a defibrillator and trained staff on site is required 26. A dressing room for umpires to dress and lounge with food and beverage is required 27. The provision of expenses (e.g., game fee, lodging, etc.) for the official scorer, PA announcer and staff to manage event is required 28. The provision of expenses for live stats (software, web link, and staff) is required 29. The provision of expenses for experienced media relations support (e.g., conducting interviews, writing game stories, transcribe quotes and develop game notes, etc.) and staff is required.

(Additional items may be required for television, in which case the Conference will contact the host.)

F. Date and Site. The Conference USA Championship dates and sites will be determined by the Athletics Directors.

G. Dugout Supplies. There shall be available in each dugout an adequate supply of towels, ice, cups and liquids.

H. Equipment. Teams will provide all equipment needed, except game baseballs, which shall be provided by the Conference.

I. Format. The Conference Championship shall consist of an eight-team, double elimination format with a single-elimination championship game to be played Wednesday-Sunday the weekend of NCAA selections. (See Supplement A.)

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

J. Game Length. The 10-run rule after seven (7) innings will be in effect except for the championship game. If play has been stopped before a nine-inning game has been completed, (e.g., inclement weather), it shall be resumed at the point of interruption.

K. Game Times. Game times will be set by the Conference Office in conjunction with the host institution. Supplement A includes tentative game times. Game times for the 1st round will be established to maximize attendance (e.g., host team in evening game). Pairings with game times are announced after seeds are determined following the final league series of the season.

L. Home Team Determination. Determination of the home team shall be by the NCAA Championship system. The home teams for first-round games are determined through seeding.

In all subsequent games the home team shall be as follows:

1. The institution that has been the home team the fewer number of times in that particular Championship. 2. If the two teams are equal in this respect but unequal in the number of times they were the visitor, then the team that has been the visitor more often will be designated the home team. 3. If the two teams are equal in the number of times that they have been home and visitor, the Conference liaison shall observe the following procedures in the order stated: a. If the two teams have met previously in the Championship, the visitor in the previous game shall be the home team in the game in question; b. The team that was visitor in its preceding game shall be the home team, unless both teams were visitors in their preceding games; or c. If the above procedures do not resolve the matter, the home team shall be determined by coin flip.

The home team shall wear white uniforms if it owns white uniforms. The visiting team must wear a uniform of contrasting color. The Conference staff administrator will resolve any conflict in the selection of uniforms in consultation with the participating coaches. The home team shall occupy the third base dugout. The home team shall take infield practice first. If only one practice field is available, the home team shall take batting practice first.

M. Hotel. The host shall secure full-service hotel rooms for eight (8) teams during the Conference Championship. All teams are required to stay at the selected hotel(s). Further, potential participating teams must commit to staying at the hotel(s) secured by the host no later than December 1.

N. Inability to Play Due to Unforeseen Circumstances. If in unforeseen circumstances it becomes impossible to complete a championship game, the Conference Commissioner or designee is authorized to determine which team(s) shall advance in the Championship. If it is impossible to complete the Championship, the Commissioner is authorized to declare the tournament champion and recipient of the Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. If the Championship is cancelled prior to the final game, no champion will be declared and the recipient of the automatic bid shall be the highest remaining seed. If only the championship game is cancelled, co-champions will be awarded and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship will go to the highest remaining seed.

O. Laundry. Laundry service should be provided to all teams by the host institution at a fee of $60 per day.

P. Management. Administration and conduct of the championship shall be the responsibility of the Tournament Director and the Commissioner, or an appointed representative.

Q. Mascots. Team mascots and cheerleaders are not to be allowed on the field at any time.

R. Media. The sponsoring agency shall provide adequate facilities for media representatives at the championship. All head coaches will be available for interviews and make their best efforts to cooperate with the media.

S. Medical. A physician or certified athletic trainer will be in attendance at all games. Arrangements shall be made by the Tournament Director for access to a medical facility.

T. NCAA Representation.

1. The winner of the conference championship shall be the Conference champion and the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship.

2. At-Large Representative. The Conference office and individual institutions shall do everything possible (e.g., send statistics, write and call NCAA committee members) to lobby for at-large berths to the NCAA Championship. 38

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

U. Official Scorers. Official scorers for each game shall be assigned by Conference office.

V. Parking. Parking for conference staff, team buses and vans, and for members of the media shall be provided by the sponsoring agency.

W. Passes. Each participating institution will receive a maximum of 37 passes for coaches, players and members of the official party. These passes are nontransferable.

X. Practice Times. The alternate site playing field and facilities shall be made available to all participating teams for practice on the day prior to the start of the Championship. The host institution shall provide a practice coordinator for these purposes. Practices are one hour in length. Practice times shall be established based on seed (i.e., lowest seed gets earliest time through highest seed getting latest time). During the remainder of the Championship, the host institution shall provide adequate practice facilities for teams.

Y. Protest Procedure. Any protest by the coach of a competing team must be made at the time of action or incident that caused the protest and before play is resumed. If the game ends (legal contest) in a situation or protest, the offended team must start protest procedures immediately (within 20 seconds). All protests must be made to the umpire-in-chief. No protest shall be allowed that involves a judgment decision by an umpire. All protests must be ruled upon immediately by the Protest Committee, which shall consist of the Conference representative, standby umpire and Tournament Director.

Z. Radio Coverage. Participating teams shall be allowed to bring their own radio crew. Those teams that bring radio crews shall be responsible for making arrangements with the sponsoring agency prior to the Championship.

AA. Rain Conditions. Every effort should be made to complete all scheduled games in the Championship. The Conference representative and Tournament Director will control the start of games under rain conditions. If rain delays games to the point where the Championship cannot be completed by Sunday night, with no more than four games in a day and a team playing no more than two games a day, the Championship format will change to single elimination.

BB. Scouting Seats. Scouting seats will be reserved behind home plate in the stands and plainly marked “C-USA Scouts” for coaches of teams that could play teams of the game in progress. Only two coaches per institution will be seated.

CC. Seeding. The Championship consists of the top eight teams in regular-season league play and teams are split into two four- team pools or pods, with the winner of each pod playing in a single championship game. Teams are be assigned pods based on seed, which are determined by the order of finish in regular-season conference play.

DD. Squad Size. Each team will be limited to 27 eligible players in uniform to be designated prior to the Championship. Rosters of 27 eligible players will be due at the coaches meeting. After the championship has begun, no changes may be made to a team roster for any reason.

EE. Team Introductions and National Anthem. The National Anthem shall be played prior to the first game of each session each day. On the first day of the championship and before the Championship final, each team will line up along their respective foul lines facing the grandstand and be introduced before their respective games.

FF. Training Room and Trainer. The host institution shall make its training room and staff available to all participating teams.

GG. Umpires. Umpiring assignments shall be under the direction of the Conference office. Championship umpires shall consist of two four-person crews.

III. AWARDS

A. All-Academic Team. An All-Academic Team consisting of 11 players, not to be limited by position, will be selected by the Media Relations Director for the sport of baseball. Nominees must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA, be at least a sophomore, and be a starter or key reserve on the squad.

B. All-Conference Team. There will be a first and second All-Conference Team selected. Awards shall be presented to the players selected by the coaches at the following positions: 1C, 4IF, 3OF, 4P, 2RP, and 1UP.

BASEBALL REGULATIONS

Upon request, voting will be made public to all conference coaches and sports information directors in an effort to create accountability in voting.

C. All-Freshman Team. The team will consist of 11 players and shall not be limited by position.

D. All-Tournament Team and Tournament MVP. The team will consist of 3OF, 4IF, 4P, 1C and 1DH. All will be selected by the Media Relations Director, media and Conference representative. The tournament MVP will be a member of the All- Tournament Team and selected on a separate ballot.

E. Keith LeClair Coach of the Year. Coaches will vote for the Head Coach of the Year.

F. Assistant Coach of the Year. Coaches will vote for the Assistant Coach of the Year.

G. Freshman of the Year. The freshman with the highest vote count on the All-Freshman ballot shall be Freshman of the Year.

H. Hitter and Pitcher of the Week. A Hitter and Pitcher of the Week will be named each week during the season of competition and selected by the Conference office.

I. Defensive Player of the Year. Coaches will vote for the Defensive Player of the Year.

J. Newcomer of the Year. This player will be selected by separate ballot. Nominees will be any student-athlete, with at least a sophomore classification, completing their first year of competition at the institution. Student-athletes who have transferred from another C-USA institution will not be eligible.

K. Player of the Year. The player with the highest vote count in a separate ballot shall be named Player of the Year.

L. Pitcher of the Year. The pitcher with the highest vote count in a separate ballot shall be named Pitcher of the Year.

M. Team Awards. The first and second place teams will receive trophies at the Championship.

N. Regular Season Champion Awards. Team and individual awards shall go to the regular season champions.

In all of the above awards, coaches may not vote for their own players.

Supplement A

CONFERENCE USA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT

Bracket One

Winner Game 7 Game 1 Wed. 9 am

Game 7 Thurs. 4 pm *Game 13 Sat. 4pm

Game 2 Winner Game 9 Wed. 12:30 pm Game 11 Sat. 9am Loser Game 7

Loser Game 1 Game 9 Fri. 3 pm Game 5 Championship Thurs. 9 am Game Loser Game 2 Sun. CHAMPION

Bracket Two

Winner Game 8 Game 3 Wed. 4 pm

Game 8 Thurs. 7:30 pm **Game 14 Sat. 7:30 pm

Game 4 Winner Game 10 Wed. 7:30 pm Game 12 Sat. 12:30 pm Loser Game 8

Loser Game 3 Game 10 Fri. 6:30 pm Game 6 Thurs. 12:30 pm Loser Game 4

Game numbers may change after seeding. * Game 13 will be necessary if the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11. ** Game 14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12. # If game 13 is not necessary, game 14 will remain at the originally scheduled time.

The Conference Office, in conjunction with the host institution, shall select the optimum game times for the 1st round of the Championship in an effort to enhance attendance. Subsequent game times shall follow the natural flow of the bracket.

PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OF SPORTSMANSHIP

1. Preface.

Conference USA member institutions value the principles of sportsmanship and the ideal of pursuing victory with honor in intercollegiate athletics. The Conference believes that athletics should be conducted in a way that reflects positively on the individual participants and institutions. The standards of sportsmanship below are written to emphasize the basic expectations of the Conference related to sportsmanship and provide the Commissioner with broad authority to ensure that Conference activities are consistent with these principles.

2. Principles of Sportsmanship.

The essential elements of sportsmanship and ethics in sports are embodied in the concept of character building and six core principles: respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, integrity and good citizenship. The highest potential of sports is achieved when competition reflects these six principles.

3. Standards of Conduct.

a. Member institutions' student-athletes, coaches and staff shall conduct themselves in an appropriate manner in connection with all intercollegiate sporting events in which they participate ("Events"). They shall conduct themselves as positive role models and represent their institutions in a manner that exhibits the principles of sportsmanship. They shall exhibit respect and courtesy towards all participants, and comment about other institutions, coaches and student-athletes only in a positive manner.

b. Behavior that is not considered sportsmanlike or appropriate in connection with Events includes, but is not limited to, the following:

i. Striking (e.g., kicking, hitting, throwing objects at) or other acts of violence, attempted acts of violence or attempts to incite violence; ii. Obscene, profane, demeaning or unduly provocative language, gestures or actions directed towards an opposing team, institution, contest official, staff member or spectator; iii. Public criticism of or publicly disparaging statements about an opposing team, institution, contest official, staff member, or spectator; iv. Failure to immediately leave the playing area when ejected from a contest; v. All other actions, as determined by the Commissioner, in violation the principles and standards of sportsmanship.

c. The appropriate public response to media questions regarding officiating is “per Conference policy, I am unable to comment”. Any other response is a violation of the sportsmanship policy.

4. Recruiting.

a. Institutional staff members shall maintain the highest standards of integrity in their recruitment of prospective student-athletes. b. The staff shall only comment about other institutions, coaches, and student-athletes in a positive manner. c. The staff shall fully disclose to prospective student-athletes all relevant information regarding the institution, its programs and the nature of any financial aid being offered.

5. Competitive Environment.

a. The management and conduct of Events is the responsibility of the hosting institutions. In their discharge of this responsibility, through the appropriate seating of students and the provision of adequate support personnel and security, all member institutions shall ensure a competitive environment that is safe, fair, and consistent with the principles and standards of sportsmanship. b. All ancillary support groups subject to institutional control (e.g., spirit squads, bands, mascots) shall conform to the principles and standards of sportsmanship. c. Institutions are responsible for the conduct of spectators at Events they are hosting. Spectators whose conduct is abusive to officials, participants or spectators, or that violates reasonable social standards of conduct, should be removed from the Event. d. Spectators should not be permitted on the court or the field of play until the visiting team and officials have made safe transition to the locker room.

6. Member Institution Obligations.

a. Each member institution shall be responsible for promoting sportsmanship and appropriate conduct and for ensuring that its participants conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner in connection with intercollegiate sporting events. b. Each member institution shall adopt policies and procedures to implement the Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship. c. Each member institution shall take appropriate disciplinary or remedial actions in response to any conduct in connection with sporting events that is not sportsmanlike or appropriate by its participants.

PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OF SPORTSMANSHIP

d. The athletic director of a member institution shall promptly inform the Conference Commissioner of any conduct or actions by participants in connection with events that are not sportsmanlike or appropriate, and of any actions to be taken in respect of such conduct.

7. Powers of the Conference Commissioner.

It shall be the responsibility of the Commissioner to promote and enforce these principles and standards of sportsmanship in connection with all Conference activities involving a member institution, including competition against non-conference opponents. The Commissioner shall have broad authority to interpret the standards, review disciplinary action taken by member institutions, and further penalize those deemed to have violated the standards.

8. Penalties.

a. Specifically and without limitation, the Commissioner has the authority to require a member institution to take any one or more of the following actions: (i) publicly or privately reprimand any participant; (ii) forfeit any sports events or competitions; (iii) suspend or expel any person from attendance at or participation in one or more events; or (iv) pay a fine to the Conference (not to exceed $50,000) for each occurrence of unsportsmanlike or inappropriate conduct. b. In instances of flagrant misconduct, all individuals involved shall receive a minimum penalty of a suspension from one contest. Flagrant misconduct shall include, but not be limited to, striking (e.g., kicking, hitting, throwing objects at), or attempting to strike an official, coach, player or spectator. In the sport of basketball, standard NCAA penalties will apply for Flagrant Fouls. However, all Flagrant 2 Fouls will be reviewed by the conference office which has the authority to implement further penalties for egregious actions. c. If a coach, student-athlete, or administrator is ejected from a contest, they must immediately leave the playing area. Any delay or contrary action will result in an automatic suspension from the following contest. d. Repeat violations by an individual, team or institution will subject them to increasingly greater penalties. e. In instances in which there is a failure of host institutions security measures which places the visiting team or officials at risk, the hosting institution shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 on the first offense, $20,000 on the second offense, and $30,000 for each offense thereafter in the same five-year period.

9. Procedure.

a. Incidents that may involve violations of these standards shall be immediately reported to the president and the director of athletics of the involved member institution and the Commissioner. b. The director of athletics shall immediately review the incident to determine whether these standards have been violated. c. As soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours or prior to the next competition, whichever is first, the director of athletics shall advise the Commissioner in writing of the finding and specific disciplinary action, if any, imposed by the institution. A copy shall go to the institution's president and faculty representative. d. The Commissioner shall promptly review the incident and action taken, and make a determination regarding whether additional penalties should be imposed. The Commissioner will notify the institution of any directive with additional penalties accordingly. e. Penalties shall be imposed prior to the next competition. f. Subject to the right of appeal established in Section 10 below, each member institution shall comply with all written directives issued by the Commissioner. g. The Commissioner and athletic director may designate another member of their respective staffs to act on their behalf, and the Commissioner shall have the authority to waive the timing requirements set forth above.

10. Right of Appeal.

a. Any member institution shall have the right to appeal any directive of the Commissioner to the Conference Board of Directors' Executive Committee. To properly appeal a directive, the member institution must submit a written statement to the Conference office within 24 hours of receipt of the directive. The appeal should include the nature of the institution's objections to the proposed directive, supporting information, and the actions, if any, that the institution contends should have been taken or required by the Commissioner in the directive at issue. b. The Commissioner shall promptly notify the Executive Committee and provide them with the institution's appeal materials, a summary of the directive, and supporting information. c. The Executive Committee may affirm, modify or set aside the directive with or without affording the appealing institution a formal or informal hearing. All decisions by the Executive Committee shall be final. d. If the Executive Committee finds that the appeal was made without basis, and determines that it was done in an effort to gain competitive or other advantage, it shall have the power to impose a fine to the institution no less than $5,000 and no greater than $50,000. e. An Executive Committee member from the institution making the appeal shall be excused from hearing the appeal.