A revised seeding approach
Starting this fall, the CIAC will use a new seeding formula for both boys and girls soccer tournaments that moves beyond simple winning percentages. The model now factors in the strength of each team's schedule, counting victories and defeats against in‑league and non‑conference opponents.
Tournament director Mark Berkowitz explained that the previous system often left teams with strong tournament runs under‑seeded, resulting in mismatched pairings in later rounds. "The seeding wasn't matching who was making it deeper in the tournament," he said.
Historical context
An analysis of recent finals shows how limited the top‑seed matchups have been: only one 1‑versus‑2 showdown occurred in the boys' soccer championship over the past three seasons, while the girls' bracket featured just two No. 1 seeds and a handful of double‑digit seeds.
The pattern mirrors results in other sports. In boys lacrosse since 2023, only one team seeded lower than third reached a championship game, and in girls lacrosse only a single No. 6 seed made a final. These precedents informed the CIAC's decision to adopt a more nuanced approach.
Adjusting participation thresholds
To ensure sufficient teams advance to the postseason, the qualifying benchmark for girls soccer has been lowered from 40 percent to 35 percent of wins and ties. Boys teams will continue to qualify at the 40 percent threshold. This change is intended to fill brackets and avoid double‑byes, particularly in the Class S division where only 21 teams qualified last season.
Committee members anticipate that the new formula will be well received by coaches, who have long argued that win‑loss records alone do not reflect a team's true competitive strength. Berkowitz believes the adjustment will create more balanced matchups and increase overall interest in the tournaments.