The Men’s DIAA playoff picture is actually becoming clear even though some conferences and leagues aren’t quite sure what’s going on, or where they’re playing.

Maybe we can help.

Eight conferences will provide winners to a national quarterfinal round, which will be held in two venues, one in the east and one in the west. The East Coast venue will be Pittsburgh, while it appears Stanford has had to pull out of hosting the West Coast bracket.

There are actually 13 conferences that are considered DIAA, but five will not participate in the playoffs. The SCRC and ACRL are concentrating on either the Varsity Cup or 7s or both. The SWC is probably the least-strong conference, and finished its season in the fall. The MAC was thought to want to provide teams to a playoff, but when interest in having a fall playoff leading to a spring championship fell flat, MAC champs Bowling Green have turned their thoughts to 7s also. The ECRC was in the running to be part of this playoff, but opted out, with 7s once again holding much allure for winners AIC.

So that leaves the following conferences:

EAST BRACKET

Empire (Stony Brook are champions but USMMA will reportedly play for Empire)

SIRC (In progress)

Ivy League (Dartmouth are league champions but playing in the Varsity Cup. Four others will play off for this spot)

Keystone (West Virginia are champions)

WEST BRACKET

NCRC (CWU are favorites to win the league but will play in the Varsity Cup and won’t participate in the NCRC playoffs, so it will be the playoff winners)

Pacific West (In progress)

Gold Coast (In progress)

Heart of America (In progress)

The championship game will be played May 9 at the same venue as the DIA final and the finals for the Women’s DI and DII championships.