August 3, 2011
WFTDA has released the regional team rankings for the second quarter of 2011. In addition to being the rankings that determine seeding for the 2011 WFTDA Playoffs, this quarter also saw 15 newer WFTDA member leagues receive a ranking for the first time.
WFTDA member leagues vote on rankings within their respective regions each quarter, using WFTDA-sanctioned bout data as the guiding force in determining those rankings. The top 10 teams in each region at the time of the second quarter rankings receive an invitation to their respective region’s Playoffs. The top three finishers in each of the Region Playoffs will compete in the 2011 WFTDA Championships.
In the East Region, the top three seeds for the East Region Playoffs will be a repeat from 2010: Gotham Girls Roller Derby at #1, followed by Philly Rollergirls and the Charm City Roller Girls. Charm City is also co-hosting this year’s Playoffs in Baltimore, Maryland, along with the DC Rollergirls.
The London Rollergirls made their rankings debut this quarter, coming in at #10 and earning a trip to the Playoffs. They will be the first European league to compete in a WFTDA “Big 5” tournament. Also newly ranked this quarter were Central NY Roller Derby (#20), New Hampshire Roller Derby (#21), Lehigh Valley Rollergirls (#22), Green Mountain Derby Dames (#23), and Hudson Valley Horrors (#24).
2009 WFTDA Champions the Oly Rollers are back on top of the West Region, earning them the #1 seed going into the West Region Playoffs. 2010 Champions the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls earned the #2 seed, and the neighboring Denver Roller Dolls will go into the Playoffs as #3.
Among the three newly ranked West Region teams, Wasatch Roller Derby comes in the highest at #18. The Pueblo Derby Devil Dollz debut at #23 in the region, and the Choice City Rebels follow at #24.
In the South Central Region, the Kansas City Roller Warriors will enter the South Central Region Playoffs as the #1 seed, and as tournament hosts. Mirroring the results of the 2010 South Central Region Playoffs, the Texas Rollergirls follow at #2, and Nashville Rollergirls are at #3.
Kansas City and Texas both already have prior WFTDA championship titles under their belts as well. Two teams in the region were ranked for the first time: Oklahoma City Derby (#26) and the Jacksonville RollerGirls (#19).
The top three seeds in the North Central Region are also no strangers to tournament play. The #1-seeded Windy City Rollers have held steady as the top team in the region over the past year. The Detroit Derby Girls are back at #2, where they started the 2010 Playoffs. The Minnesota RollerGirls, who had a surprise second place finish in the Playoffs last year, will enter this year’s North Central Region Playoffs as the #3 seed.
Four North Central teams earned their first spot in the rankings in the second quarter cycle: Tri-City Roller Girls (#17), Killamazoo Derby Darlins (#19), Demolition City Roller Derby (#21), and NEO Roller Derby (#22).
Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.