"The stage is set. The perfect show / is put before the mass"

In Ames, Iowa, at approximately noon today in the Central time zone, in ACUI College Bowl Program Team Chair Gail Ferlazzo's office in Memorial Union, a student, whose name I forgot to write down but whom I understand will be President of the Iowa State University Student Government next year, reached into a box and drew out a ping pong ball with the number "1" on it. Accordingly, the 2007 College Bowl NCT Wild Card Bid has been offered to, and excitedly accepted by, Providence College!

All Regional Champions except Region 9's accepted their bids. Illinois declined their bid, and the Region 9 NCT spot was offered to, and accepted by, runner-up Purdue. Thus, the NCT field is composed of:

Region 1: Williams College
Region 2: St. Bonaventure University
Region 3: Seton Hall University
Region 4: University of Maryland - Baltimore County
Region 5: Southern Virginia University
Region 6: University of Florida
Region 7: The Ohio State University
Region 8: Northwestern University
Region 9: Purdue University
Region 10: University of Minnesota
Region 11: University of Missouri - Columbia
Region 12: Baylor University
Region 13: University of New Mexico
Region 14: University of Washington
Region 15: University of Southern California
Wild Card: Providence College

RCT thoughts/reactions/experiences, and more on the NCT, will be blogged next week.