WAC Champ not eligible for Tourney

[MADHAT1]

California Baptist won the WAC Tournament and was undefeated in Conference play (14-0) and had a perfect 24-0 season.
But no NCAA Tourney for the Lancers , they’re headed to the NIT because they’re not eligible for a NCAA bid yet.
This is only California Baptist's third season at the Division I level, and the NCAA requires a four-year transition period before a program like the Lancers qualify for the NCAAs

You got to feel for those players and wonder if that 4 year rule is fair, if a team played a full division I level schedule?
Even if it played a couple of lower level programs, winning the WAC Tournament should have allowed for an exception

 

[TAWRUReady]

California Baptist won the WAC Tournament and was undefeated in Conference play (14-0) and had a perfect 24-0 season.
But no NCAA Tourney for the Lancers , they’re headed to the NIT because they’re not eligible for a NCAA bid yet.
This is only California Baptist's third season at the Division I level, and the NCAA requires a four-year transition period before a program like the Lancers qualify for the NCAAs

You got to feel for those players and wonder if that 4 year rule is fair, if a team played a full division I level schedule?
Even if it played a couple of lower level programs, winning the WAC Tournament should have allowed for an exception

I hear what you are saying but the program and the players knew it all season long that they could not play in the NCAA tournament. They are undefeated and are aiming to win the WNIT, which is a somewhat realistic goal (more realistic than winning the NCAA tournament). They did play a lower level schedule but not lesser than most low level mid-majors. They played some teams from the Big West for out of conference games. This year was unusual in that they played some conference mates in clusters, to minimize travel.
They seem to recognize the progression from the NCAA Div 2 to Div 1 and these rules are not new. Peculiar but not new.
Go RU!

 

[Scarlet Beach]

Once that school becomes eligible for the tournament, both their women's and men's basketball teams should be quite competitive in their conference based on recent history.

 

[RUich]

Rule makes absolutely no sense other than the usual expectation that any school making this transition would probably struggle for some years until they became competitive.
They are being penalized for being too good too soon. Stupid!

 

[Knight Time Fan]

Rule makes absolutely no sense other than the usual expectation that any school making this transition would probably struggle for some years until they became competitive.
They are being penalized for being too good too soon. Stupid!

This has been the rule since I started following in the '90's. I suspect there are several reasons for the rule. What you say makes perfect sense.