The NCAA's new starting date for Division I baseball could adversely affect the two University of Hawai'i teams.

On Monday, the NCAA passed legislation to set the starting date for practice on Feb. 1 starting with the 2008 season. The Los Angeles Times reported the change was to start next season. But the NCAA Web site said the rule would go into effect Aug. 1, 2007, about a month after the College World Series.

The rationale behind the change was that cold-weather schools were at a disadvantage because they could not work out, at least outdoors, in January like the warm-weather schools. Besides the practice date, a mandatory starting date to play games also was set for the last week of February.

Hawai'i-Manoa coach Mike Trapasso and UH-Hilo coach Joey Estrella weren't surprised at the change because it had been an issue for about three years. But each had concerns because the starting dates for practice and games mean both schools will have at least three fewer weekends to schedule approximately 9 to 12 games. Both schools will have 13 weeks to schedule up to 56 games, the maximum allowed by NCAA rules. That means both might have to schedule more games in the middle of the week to complement the games during the weekends.

"It's hard to get teams to play here in midweek" because of traveling, Trapasso said.

He added that the Rainbows might have to schedule more trips to the Mainland to play midweek games, or extend their existing road trips with more games. The Rainbows already schedule midweek games on their road trips during conference play. This season is the first that UH will travel away (to Loyola Marymount) for a non-conference series that is not part of a WAC road trip.

"More money will be spent and more class time will be missed," Trapasso said.

For Estrella, the change might force his program to take another approach.

"We would need to take a look at our schedule to see if it's an advantage to continue at the Division I level or go to Division II," he said.

The Vulcans have traditionally been among the first Division I schools to play games, usually as early as the end of January. It is harder to schedule teams in March and April because most schools are already in conference play. Also, some schools like to come to Hawai'i in February to avoid the cold weather while getting their players some practice and games in warm conditions.

Division II, which Hawai'i Pacific competes at, already has a mandatory starting date for games as Feb. 1.

Trapasso said college baseball has made nice strides in terms of popularity in the past 10 years but thinks the schedule change is a step back.

"I think it's going to hurt in some way," he said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.