Bates women: 30 seconds per person (avg.) ahead of Brandeis at the regional meet.
Carnegie Mellon women: 4 seconds per person (avg.) ahead of Brandeis at UAA's.
Carnegie AND the team after them at regionals got at-large bids.
Everyone is talking about how badly the Haverford men won at regionals, and they were only 17 seconds per person ahead of second place. The Bates women not going is absurd--could have challenged for a top 10 spot. Seems like it's not the first time New England women (and Bates in particular) have gotten hosed, but my memory is shoddy. Does the committee ever explain their reasoning?
For the record, looking at the same point of comparison (Brandeis), the Bates men being left at home seems reasonable.