But nonetheless, under the current format, all three would be allowed to compete as a division winner and the two conference wild cards.
And in fact, that seems to be the reason for the rule. Although aren't there other olympic events where teams are only allowed to qualify two athletes?
It varies wildly by sport. In track and field, for example, you can most certainly sweep the medals in an individual event, at least in track events. But in other sports, you're limited to one or two entrants in the competition.
My take: if you've allowed people into the competition in the first place, you should not impose a lower maximum cap per team once the competition is underway. Let the results dictate who goes on and who watches from the sidelines.
Other example of potential “medal sweeping” — teams could qualify up to 5 riders for the cycling road races. Also, on Saturday, the Italian women swept the fencing event.