INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The NCAA announced Thursday the qualifier allocations for the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships with the ACC getting 27 automatic spots.

Each qualifying tournament was awarded spots per weight class based on current year data. Each wrestler was measured on the following: Division I winning percentage; rating percentage index (RPI); and coaches ranking. A threshold of a 0.725 winning percentage, top 28 in the RPI and top 28 in the coaches ranking was established to allocate 278 of the 330 championships field positions.

For each wrestler that reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his qualifying tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. Each qualifying tournament was awarded a minimum of one wrestler per weight class, which will go to the tournament champion, even if they did not have any wrestlers reach at least two of the three thresholds. NCAA tournament spots for each qualifying event will be awarded at the tournament based solely on place-finish. So for the ACC, since it gets three spots at 157 pounds, the champion, runner up and third-place wrestler qualify, while at 125 pounds, just the champion and runner-up go since just two spots are allocated for the ACC there.

After all of the qualifying events have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select the remaining 52 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 11.

All weight classes will consist of 33 wrestlers. The at-large selections will be made based on the following criteria: head-to-head competition; qualifying event placement; quality wins; results against common opponents; winning percentage; RPI; coaches ranking and the number of matches contested at that weight class.

For the ACC, 27 automatic spots is nearly double of the 14 spots it received last year. The only weight classes that will send only one wrestler automatically are thr 165 and 174-pound classes. The 141-pound weight class will send five of its six wrestlers to the Big Dance, meaning a wrestle-off for a fifth-place match may have to take place.

The 2009 ACC Tournament will take place on March 7 at Cassell Coliseum.

125: 2

133: 3

141: 5

149: 3

157: 3

165: 1

174: 1

184: 2

197: 4

285: 3