What is NAQT's target field size for the MSNCT? Is there any expectation that the field will increase drastically in the near future? I'm disappointed to see so few teams from Illinois in the
current field. Is there any on-going effort to recruit additional teams from Illinois?
Teams like Normal Metcalf, Lincolnshire Daniel Wright A/B, Palatine Quest, Barrington Prairie, Rockford Washington, Bloomington, Buffalo Grove Aptakisic, St. Raymond, King's Academy, and St. Mary's Visitation (Elm Grove, WI) all played well-enough (in my opinion) at the Jr. Wildcat (house-write), Barrington Invitational (CMST II), and/or Gladiator Open (NAQT MS-01) to contend on the national stage. It's likely that NAQT has already reached out to these schools.
Still, I thought there would be more Illinois teams in attendance with the tournament being held in Chicago. Has there been any outreach to downstate Illinois teams who don't have as much access to good quizbowl but could probably be competitive at the MSNCT. Several schools from primarily north central Illinois were pretty successful at the 2010 Albus Dumbledore Memorial (CMST I ) and at least have some experience with good quizbowl: Sycamore, Bloomington Holy Trinity, Stephen Mack, Flanagan, PORTA, etc.
Based on seeding for the IESA state series (not necessarily a reliable metric), I'll try to mention some remaining schools that have been historically successful within Illinois and appear to be having similar success this season: Ottawa Wallace, Ottawa Marquette (formerly St. Columba), Sterling St. Mary's, Peoria Academy, Peoria Norwood, Peoria St. Vincent de Paul, Metamora St. Mary's, Bloomington Cornerstone, Normal Epiphany, Aviston, Columbia ICS, Effingham St. Anthony, DeKalb Huntley, Antioch, Frankfort Summit Hill, Bolingbrook Brooks, Lemont Old Quarry, Dunlap, Streator Northlawn, Ottawa Shepherd, Springfield Franklin, Macomb, Jacksonville Turner, Quincy, Beecher City, Paris Crestwood, Bushnell-Prairie City, Charleston, Dunlap Valley MS, Wilmington, etc. By no means is this list complete or necessarily accurate. I know there are schools/teams that can't afford the registration/travel expenses, haven't heard about the tournament, don't play good quizbowl, don't know about good quizbowl, haven't played enough matches or tournaments to make convincing wild-card bids, etc. But, I do believe there are probably a handful of teams within the list that would make nice additions to the MSNCT.