The NCAA News - News and FeaturesJuly 20, 1998
Track committee proposes 'championships week' format
Championships issues dominated discussions the NCAA Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee's annual meeting June 22-27 in Indianapolis.
Included was a Division I proposal to revamp the outdoor championships; a Division III proposal to increase field sizes at the indoor championships; and the adoption of a maximum allowable wind velocity for qualifying.
The Division I outdoor championships proposal, which is the result of discussions between the Division I subcommittee and the Division I coaches association, replaces the current format with a "Championships Week" format that includes two days of qualifying rounds, two days of combined-events competition, and two days of championships finals.
As part of the proposal, an absolute qualifying standard would be established in each event, with the exception of the combined events. Student-athletes who attain the standard in their respective event(s) would be eligible to compete in the qualifying rounds. The top 16 finishers in each event would advance to the championships finals held during the last two days of Championships Week.
The top 16 student-athletes in the combined events, as based upon seasonal performances, would qualify for advancement to the championships.
Travel and per diem expenses for student-athletes competing in the qualifying rounds would be the responsibility of their institutions, while NCAA reimbursement policies would apply to combined-events competitors and competitors advancing to the championships finals.
In other championships issues, the Divisions I and II subcommittees voted that the maximum allowable velocity for sprints and horizontal jumps qualifying is 4.0 meters per second. Thus, qualifying performances attained in sprints and horizontal-jumps events in which the wind velocity is greater than 4.0 meters per second would not be acceptable.
The Division I subcommittee revised the indoor and outdoor qualifying standards to provide for indexing at altitude in the sprints events.
The Division III subcommittee recommended to the Division III Championships Committee that the women's pole vault be added as an event to the 1999 indoor and outdoor championships.
The Division III subcommittee also recommended that the men's and women's field sizes for the indoor track championships be increased from 158 to 200 for men and from 149 to 200 for women, effective with the 2000 championships.
Division I subcommittee actions
The Division I subcommittee of the Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee took the following actions:
Recommended to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet that Furman University serve as host of the 2001 Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships.
Determined that the minimum field sizes for all events (except for the relays) shall be 14 at the indoor championships.
Voted to permit student-athletes to compete in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs at the indoor track championships.
Determined that the 60-meter dash and hurdles would be conducted at the indoor track championships, effective in 1999. Previously, the dash and hurdles were conducted at a distance of 55 meters.
Met with Bob Fraley, president of the Division I coaches association.
Division II subcommittee actions
The Division II subcommittee took the following actions:
Recommended to the Division II Championships Committee that Cal Poly Pomona serve as host of the 2000 Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships.
Discussed the Division II Championships Committee request to review field sizes for the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track and field championships, and recommended the field sizes be increased for each championship.
Recommended to the Division II Championships Committee that the following institutions serve as hosts of the 1998 cross country regional championships: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (East); Hillsdale College (Great Lakes); Northern State University (North Central); Abilene Christian University (South Central); Kennesaw State University (Southeast); and Western Washington University (West).
Requested that the Division II Championships Committee reconsider the subcommittee's recommendation to extend the women's cross country championships distance from 5,000 to 6,000 meters effective with the 1998 championships. The Division II Championships Committee approved extending the distance, effective in 2000.
Division III subcommittee actions
The Division III subcommittee took the following actions:
Recommended to the Division III Championships Committee that the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, serve as host of the 1999 cross country championships; that Illinois Wesleyan University serve as host of the 2000 indoor track championships; and that North Central College serve as host of the 2000 outdoor track championships.
Recommended to the Division III Championships Committee that effective with the 1999-2000 academic year, institutions in New Jersey be realigned from the Mideast region to the New York region, and that the New York region be renamed the Atlantic region. Also, that institutions in Maryland be moved from the South to the Mideast region.
Voted to survey coaches on increasing the women's cross country championships distance from 5,000 to 6,000 meters; using metrics vs. imperial marks for recording results; and adopting the women's steeplechase in lieu of the 3,000-meter run at the outdoor championships.
Determined that effective with the 1999 championships, the minimum field sizes for all events shall be 10 at the indoor championships (except for the 1,600-meter relay, which will remain at eight) and 15 at the outdoor championships.
Rules actions
The Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee took the following actions pertaining to rules during its June 22-27 meeting in Indianapolis:
Determined that in the women's javelin the distance from the tip of the metal head to the center of gravity shall be 0.92 meters. (Rule 2-11-5)
Determined that in the high jump and pole vault, when there are two or three competitors remaining in the competition or when a competitor is taking consecutive attempts, high jumpers shall have two minutes and pole vaulters three minutes to initiate an attempt. (Rule 6-1-3)
Determined that when recording performances in the field events, metrics is the preferred system of measurement. Distances measured metrically shall be recorded to the nearest lesser centimeter (that is, fractions less than one centimeter must be ignored). The discus, hammer and javelin throws shall be measured and recorded to the lesser even centimeter, except when electronic measurement is used, in which case they may be measured to the nearest lesser centimeter. (Rule 6-1-15-b)
Determined that in the pole vault, the pole may be caught by an assigned official when circumstances warrant. (Rule 6-5-5)
Determined that in meets with five or fewer teams, scoring shall be recorded as follows (Rule 7-1-1):
No. of Teams
in Meet Individual Events Relay Events
2 5 3 2 1 5 3
3 7 5 4 3 2 1 7 5 4
4 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 7 6 5
5 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 7 6 5 4
The number of entries per event shall be determined by meet management. Only two individual entries per institution shall score. One relay entry per institution shall score.
Determined that in meets with six or more teams, scoring shall be recorded as follows (Rule 7-1-2):
No. of Teams
in Meet Individual Events Relay Events
6 10 8 6 4 2 1 10 8 6 4 2 0
7 or more
(6 scoring) 10 8 6 4 2 1 10 8 6 4 2 1
7 or more
(8 scoring) 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1
Championships meets shall use this method of scoring. The number of entries per event shall be determined by meet management. Individual entries shall have the ability to score in the competition. One relay entry per institution shall score.
Recommended in cross country that the area between the finish line and the false finish line be painted a checkerboard pattern. This pattern should begin two inches beyond the finish line. (Rule 8-4-3-g)
Voted to change multiple events to combined events. (Rule 9)
Voted to add men's indoor heptathlon to list of acceptable combined events, and that the heptathlon consist of seven events that shall be held on two consecutive days in the following order (Rule 9-1-3):
First Day Second Day
55-/60-Meter Dash 55-/60-Meter High Hurdles
Long Jump Pole Vault
Shot Put 1,000-Meter Run
High Jump
[Note: 60 meters is the recommended distance for the dash and hurdles.]
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