Why can’t Mercyhurst play in NCAA Tournament even if it wins NEC title

The Northeastern Conference tournament isn’t over yet, but the conference has already determined who it will send to the NCAA tournament.

Long Island will enter March Madness with its first official ticket to 2026 after defeating Wagner in the NEC Tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 7. Although the division regular-season champion Sharks have yet to win the tournament, they have clinched a spot thanks to the opponent they will face in the championship game.

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The NEC championship game will pit Long Island against Mercyhurst, but Mercyhurst is ineligible for the NCAA tournament. As it defeated Stonehill to reach the final, it paved the way for other entrants to receive automatic bids.

Why didn’t Mercyhurst qualify for the NCAA tournament?

Mercyhurst is unable to participate in March Madness because it is in the process of transitioning to Division I football.

The Lakers will officially jump from the second level to the first level in July 2024, starting a four-year mandatory process under NCAA rules. This means Mercyhurst will not be eligible to participate in the NCAA tournament until the 2027-28 season.

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Another NEC team is going through a similar process in Le Moyne. The Dolphins make the leap in July 2023 and won’t reach the NCAA tournament until the 2026-27 season.

There was a scenario where Mercyhurst and Le Moyne made it to the NEC conference championship game. If both teams manage to advance, a match will be played between the two losing semi-final teams to determine who gets the automatic spot.

Long Island will have a chance to win the conference title, making their choice a no-brainer. The Sharks and Lakers will compete for the NEC Championship on Tuesday, March 10th.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Mercyhurst can’t make March Madness even if it wins NEC title