Open Bid Watch 2023

Only one week of regionals is finished, and already the open bid list is generating a lot of discussion. Two teams who were at Nationals last year (BU and Wisconsin) find themselves among the 23 teams on the open bid list. There are also already 22 open bids due to the larger number of regionals giving out fewer than 6 bids compared to past years. While there are just 3 regionals this week, all of them do have potential implications for the open bid list.

East Lansing
No new open bids can be created here, but there are still a few teams to watch. Case Western A getting a bid would move their team on the open bid list lower. Hillsdale B/C and Michigan State A/C are also teams to watch. Both programs are deep and have the potential to earn three bids, although their third teams will not compete until week 3.

Jackson
Rhodes B/C both getting a bid would create one new open bid. Emory A/B getting bids would remove Emory C from the open bid list. Alabama C/D are also teams to watch. Bama's A/B compete week 4 in Waco, and Alabama has enough depth to potentially get more than two teams out.

Evanston
Michigan A/C both getting out would create one open bid. Northwestern C/D are teams to watch, as Northwestern has consistently got at least 3 teams out over the past few years. Illinois C/D are also teams to watch, as the Illini got 3 bids last year and have had a successful invitational season. Miami A and Indiana A are top teams from historically strong programs that could also look to get 3 bids this year as well.

Overall, that means 2 additional open bids could be created this weekend, while a number of other schools could set themselves up to create more open bids in the upcoming weeks.

Here's a recap of how Week 2 went:

East Lansing
Case Western got a bid, meaning their team moves lower on the open bid list. Four different teams -- Hillsdale B/C, Northwood B, and Xavier B -- got added to the list by getting at least 4.5 ballots.

Jackson
Rhodes B got a bid, giving Rhodes two bids in total. Their D and E teams will have a chance to create additional open bids Week 4. Emory A/B got bids, removing their C from the open bid list. Dillard and Tulane A/B got added to the open bid list.

Evanston
Michigan A/C got bids, creating one new open bid. Northwestern D got a bid and Northwestern C was placed on the open bid list. Northwestern A/B will have a chance to create an open bid or at least remove Northwestern C from the top of the open bid list this week.

Just one new open bid was created this weekend, and we are now at a total of 24 heading into Week 3.

Houston
No open bids can be created at this regional. Texas A/C and Baylor C are teams to watch. Their other teams compete in Waco Week 4, and both of those programs have the potential to earn 3 bids.

Chapel Hill
Two open bids can be created here. If South Carolina A/B both get bids, one new open bid would be created. Duke A/C can also create an open bid by both getting bids.

Colorado Springs
No new open bids can be created here.

Columbus
One open bid can be created here. Ohio State B/C can create an open bid by both getting bids.

New London
Three open bids can be created here. Tufts C can create an open bid. MIT A/C can create an open bid if their B also gets a bid out of Princeton.  Wesleyan A/C can create an open bid if their B also gets a bid out of Princeton. Yale B/C are teams to watch, as Yale A competes Week 4 but all three teams have the potential to bid.

Princeton
One open bid can be created here. MIT B and Wesleyan are covered above. Boston University B/C can move BU A down on the open bid list if either gets a bid, or off it entirely if both bid. Maryland A/B are teams to watch. Tufts B can create an open bid.

Providence
One open bid can be created here. Wellesley C can create an open bid.

St. Louis
Two open bids can be created here. Indiana B/C can create an open bid by both getting out. Northwestern A/B can create an open bid by both getting out; either one getting a bid would remove Northwestern from the open bid list. Missouri C, Notre Dame C, and WashU B/C are teams to watch.

Tempe
Four open bids can be created here. ASU B/D can each create an open bid. UCLA B/D can also each create an open bid. Arizona B/D can remove Arizona A from the open bid list by both getting out, while either getting out would move Arizona A down the open bid list. UC Irvine A/D are teams to watch.

Washington DC
Two open bids can be created here. American A/C can create an open bid by both getting out. Howard C can also create an open bid.

Williamsburg
No open bids can be created here. Georgetown B/C are teams to watch.

That makes a total of 16 open bids that can be created this weekend. Please let me know if I missed anything or made any other mistakes.

Heading into the final weekend of regionals, there are currently 32 Open Bids available. Here is a preview of what additional open bids can be created this weekend.

Springfield: 3
Rhodes D/E can each create an open bid. Arkansas C/D both getting out would create one open bid, while either team getting out would remove Arkansas B from the open bid list.

Wheaton: 2
Miami B/C both getting out would create an open bid. Notre Dame A/B both getting out would create an open bid. Hillsdale A getting out would remove their C team from the Open Bid list.

Buffalo: 0
No new open bids can be created here. Yale A getting out would remove Yale C from the Open Bid list.

Fresno: 5
Cal Berkeley C/D can each create an open bid. Arizona State A can create an open bid. UCLA E can create an open bid. UC Irvine B/C both getting out would create an open bid, and either getting out would remove Irvine D from the open bid list. UCSB B/C both getting out would create an open bid. While there are six different ways an open bid can be created, as this regional has only 6 bids to give out, no more than 5 total open bids can be created. Additionally, UCSD B/C both getting out would remove their A from the open bid list, while either getting out would drop their A further down the open bid list.

Lawrence: 0
Nothing here will affect the open bid list.

Madison: 3
Minnesota A/B getting out would create an open bid. Chicago B/C can each create an open bid. Loyola B/C both getting out would remove Loyola A from the open bid list, while either getting out would move their A further down. Macalester A getting out would remove Macalester C from the open bid list. Wisconsin B getting out would move their A further down the open bid list.

Owings Mills: 3
Penn State A/C both getting out would create an open bid. Maryland C can create an open bid. Cornell A/B both getting out would create an open bid. Princeton C getting out would remove Princeton B from the open bid list.

Spartanburg: 5
Georgia Tech C/D can each create an open bid. Furman B/C both getting out would create an open bid. Florida A/D can each create an open bid. Davidson C getting out would move their A further down the open bid list.

Waco: 2
Texas B can create an open bid. UT Dallas B/C both getting out would create an open bid.

That is a total of 23 potential open bids that can be created this weekend. The 23 regionals that have already occurred have produced 51 teams on the open bid list. I would expect that the 9 regionals this weekend will put around 20 additional teams on the list and create about 10 or so more open bids. It's tough to say for certain, especially since it's impossible to know which teams may or may not decline open bids, but I would suspect that not a lot, if any, 4.5 ballots teams will receive open bids.

Bumping this in hopes the OP will update for this year.