Major Shake Up in the CCCMBCA Poll

As expected, this week's CCCMBCA Poll undertook a major shakeup as each team's Winning Percentage Index score was factored into their poll matrix. Ultimately, San Francisco City, the defending state champions, maintained its No. 1 ranking. Fullerton held off Cerritos for No. 2, with Modesto and Santa Rosa rounding out the top 5. Citrus, unbeaten Las Positas, Mt. San Antonio, West Valley and Santa Ana, one of only two remaining unbeaten programs, filled out spots 6 through 10. Five previously unranked programs either broke into the state poll or returned this week.

Must admit surprised at some of the teams who fell this week. But each had one thing in common, a bad loss as determined by the WPI software. Winning is important, but so is limiting losing to teams the software says you should beat. 

The Winning Index Percentage (WPI) software determines the value of the cumulative wins and losses that each team has against other teams, including out-of-state community colleges (something the NCRPI can't do). Results against junior varsity, club and alumni teams are excluded from earning points and being factored into a college's score. 

A win against a team with a winning record earns more value than a win against a team with a losing record. Conversely, a loss to a team with a winning record is less detrimental than a loss to a losing team. At the time of each report, each team's current winning percentage is assigned a number value from among 16 sectors (separated by 6.25 percent increments).  The value of a win or loss can change after each game due to potential "sector" changes to their opponent's sector. In other words, teams move up and down depending on each game's outcome, which is why we use the word dynamic to explain the value of a win and or loss.

Here ia an example of how the software calculates in wins and losses: A win vs. Sector 8 is 8 points, Sector 7.5 is 7.5, and so forth. A loss vs. Sector 8 is -0.5 point, Sector 7.5 is -1, Sector 7.0 is -1.5, and so forth. A team's cumulative rating points are then divided by the number of games played. Rankings are then sorted by highest to lowest ratings. The WPI also provides a strength of schedule for each conference.

Once completion of non-conference is completed, a team's WPI ranking will be used for the state poll. Since the WPI also provides a strength of schedule for each conference, it is used to break any possible ties for the state ranking. Since the baseline for conference ranking in the WPI is a bit early, this week's poll includes ties (interesting all for the 25th spot).
 

The first WPI report is released after the completion of all preseason play, and is released every two weeks, on Mondays - opposite of the state poll. First WPI is scheduled to be released January 12, with a regular poll on January 5.