National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 12, 1998

Association-wide -- Swim committee suggests daily drug testing during championships

Taking a proactive stand, the NCAA Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Committee voted to recommend that random drug testing be conducted daily during championships competition in addition to the post-championship testing that is currently administered.

The committee, which met September 20-22 in Kansas City, Missouri, took action after reviewing options and procedures with NCAA sports sciences.

The proposed procedure, which will be forwarded to the NCAA Executive Committee, would require the event winner and another competitor selected at random to be tested after their final performance of the day during championships competition.

The committee's action is in response to concerns expressed from the coaching community during last year's Division I championships. The committee hopes that the proposed daily testing will increase the likelihood of detecting substances that leave the body quickly, such as androstenedione.

Also, in a significant rules issue, the committee voted to change the factor used to convert short-course meters to yards back to 0.901, effective immediately. The factor for converting the 1,500-meter freestyle to the 1,650-yard freestyle also was changed from 1.006 to 1.003.

Review by the committee and research conducted by Bob Clauson, NCAA Division I entry coordinator, indicated that short-course meter times for events shorter than 400 meters were converted too slowly by the 0.914 standard used during the last four seasons.

The committee had requested the review after hearing concerns from the membership, particularly in light of the fact that Division I will hold its championships in short-course meters instead of yards in 2000.

The committee believes that changing the conversion factor immediately will ensure fairness to swimmers attempting to qualify for the 1999 championships.

The qualifying standards for the 1999 championships with the new conversion factors are listed below.

In another action that affects all three divisions, the committee will recommend to the Executive Committee that awards be presented to individuals finishing in first through eighth places, and in the unlikely event of a tie for the last qualifying position, the championships cap be increased by one individual.

Following are additional actions taken by the divisional subcommittees.

Division I

In preparation for the short-course meters championships to be conducted in 2000, the Division I subcommittee began setting the ground rules for the unique event by stipulating that all qualifying times for the 2000 championships be in yards or converted to yards in order to avoid confusion.

Proposed sites for the 2000 championships are the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, for the men's championships, and the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis for the women's meet. Both sites must be approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.

The 2000 championships will be the first conducted in short-course meters. The committee voted in 1996 to conduct Division I championships in short-course meters in Olympic years beginning in 2000.

In actions pertaining to the 1999 championships, the subcommittee voted to seed optional-entry relays from the fastest to slowest after all invited relay entries have been seeded.

The subcommittee also voted to move the time for preliminaries in the men's championships from 11 a.m. to noon.

In other actions, the subcommittee:

  • Recommended to the Championships/Competition Cabinet that fees for championships-meet starters, referees, diving referees, head judges and meet coordinators be increased by $100 each.

  • Voted to retain the current formula for selecting dates for the Division I championships.

  • Stipulated that beginning with the 2000 meet, all key officials hired must be experienced, working collegiate officials.

  • Agreed to study the field size issue and formulate a plan for requesting an increase in the number of competitors featured in the championships.

    Division II

    The Division II subcommittee determined that for the 1999 championships, a swimmer who has achieved an "A" standard in an individual event is not required to submit a Proof of Performance (POP) form for optional entries.

    The subcommittee also mandated that times equal to or better than a "B" standard must be submitted to Rob Nasser for the top-times list beginning this season. The subcommittee also recommended that institutional penalties be assessed for noncompliance with this requirement starting with the 1999-2000 season.

    The subcommittee also determined that for the 1999 championships, preliminaries will begin at 10:30 a.m. and diving trials will begin at 1 p.m. each day. The finals will start at 6 p.m. daily.

    Division III

    The Division III subcommittee had forwarded a proposal to increase the field size for the championships to the Division III Championships Committee in July. The proposal was remanded back to the committee for further consideration.

    The subcommittee is studying the possibility of increasing the relay-only swimmer cap so that a maximum of 16 relays may be selected or up to 20 additional relay-only swimmers, whichever comes first. The request may be forwarded to the championships committee in February 1999.

    The purpose of this recommendation is to enhance the team competition within the meet and increase the competitiveness within relay events.

    The subcommittee also modified the timeline for the mandatory procedure of reporting times. Coaches must report qualifying times to the NCAA entry coordinator each Wednesday. Times not reported in this fashion may not be used for the purposes of championships qualification.

    In another action, the subcommittee determined that the deadline to add alternates to the championships meet will be the preceding Monday. If an opening in an event occurs between Tuesday and the start of competition, a relay-only swimmer that has achieved a "B" standard may be added to the meet, via the prioritized list of possible entrants.

    Rules issues

    In other rules actions, the committee will distribute a mailing to swimming coaches in all divisions regarding an inconsistency in the 1999 Swimming and Diving Rules book. The committee noted that the new rules regarding butterfly and breaststroke turns and finishes also apply to the individual medley turns and transition turns.

    In rule 2-2-6-d-1 and 2-2-6-d-3 in the 1999 rules book, the following sentence should be deleted: "Before the touch, the shoulders must remain in a horizontal plane."

    The committee also discussed the use of aggregate and actual relay times to allay confusion caused by a difference in language in the championships handbook and the rules book.

    The committee determined that a coach may choose to submit an aggregate time if it is faster than the actual

    time of the relay. If an aggregate time is submitted, however, it must be the fastest aggregate time, which is stated on page 65 of the rules book. The 1999 championships handbook will reflect the same wording to avoid further confusion.

    Three rules changes concerning diving were passed by the committee and will become effective during the 1999-2000 season.

    In Division I, the women's platform contestants will perform a total of nine dives, including four voluntaries and five optionals. This change increases the number of dives from eight and aligns the NCAA championships with the procedures used by U.S. Diving.

    To bring the platform events in line with the springboard competition, the committee voted to change the number of dives performed by each diver in the finals of the platform event to equal the number of optionals performed in the preliminaries. Men will now perform six optional dives and women five.

    And in an effort to bring more excitement to the championships finals and bring parity to the diving events, all scores on dives performed during the finals plus the voluntary dive total with the limit from the trials shall be used to determine first through eighth places.

    Regarding the annual rules survey, the committee discussed ways to solicit more input from the swimming community regarding rules changes.

    The committee determined that the call for proposals for rules changes will be made before the December holiday season and that completed proposals should be forwarded to Susan Petersen Lubow, director of athletics at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and secretary-rules editor of the committee.

    The proposals then will be compiled and sent to all swimming and diving coaches before February 10, 1999, for discussion at conference meetings, championships and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America annual meeting. After the extended discussion period, the rules surveys will be mailed to all swimming and diving coaches the last week in April and must be returned by June 1, 1999, to the NCAA national office for compilation.

    1999 swimming and diving qualifying standards
    Division I Men


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course








    		A B A B A B







    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
    50 Freestyle 19.80 20.39 21.98 22.64 22.77 23.44
    100 Freestyle 43.64 44.94 48.44 49.88 50.17 51.66
    200 Freestyle 1:36.39 1:39.28 1:46.99 1:50.19 1:50.17 1:53.47
    500 Freestyle 4:21.03 4:28.86 3:48.38 3:55.23 3:56.23 4:03.32
    1,650 Freestyle 15:10.61 15:37.92 15:07.89 15:35.12 15:33.96 16:01.97
    100 Butterfly 47.45 48.87 52.67 54.24 53.62 55.23
    200 Butterfly 1:46.12 1:49.30 1:57.79 2:01.31 2:00.60 2:04.21
    100 Backstroke 47.96 49.39 53.23 54.82 55.13 56.78
    200 Backstroke 1:44.45 1:47.58 1:55.93 1:59.41 2:00.06 2:03.66
    100 Breaststroke 54.62 56.25 1:00.63 1:02.44 1:03.15 1:05.04
    200 Breaststroke 1:58.78 2:02.34 2:11.84 2:15.79 2:17.32 2:21.44
    200 Individual Medley 1:47.16 1:50.37 1:58.94 2:02.50 2:03.89 2:07.60
    400 Individual Medley 3:49.48 3:56.36 4:14.70 4:22.34 4:23.78 4:31.68
    200 Freestyle Relay 1:19.00 1:21.37 1:27.69 1:30.32 1:30.81 1:33.54
    400 Freestyle Relay 2:55.37 3:00.63 3:14.64 3:20.48 3:21.58 3:27.63
    800 Freestyle Relay 6:26.62 6:38.21 7:09.11 7:21.97 7:21.86 7:35.10
    200 Medley Relay 1:27.96 1:30.59 1:37.63 1:40.55 1:40.76 1:43.78
    400 Medley Relay 3:12.99 3:18.77 3:34.20 3:40.62 3:41.07 3:47.69

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 290/Championship 465
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 310/Championship 480
    Platform Diving Points--10 dives 430/14 dives 618

    Division I Women


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course








    		A B A B A B







    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard







    50 Freestyle 22.78 23.46 25.29 26.04 25.89 26.67
    100 Freestyle 49.39 50.87 54.82 56.46 56.13 57.81
    200 Freestyle 1:47.58 1:50.80 1:59.41 2:02.98 2:01.57 2:05.20
    500 Freestyle 4:46.31 4:54.89 4:10.49 4:18.00 4:15.64 4:23.30
    1,650 Freestyle 16:20.68 16:50.10 16:17.75 16:47.08 16:40.70 17:10.72
    100 Butterfly 54.58 56.21 1:00.58 1:02.39 1:01.33 1:03.16
    200 Butterfly 2:00.09 2:03.69 2:13.29 2:17.29 2:14.94 2:18.98
    100 Backstroke 54.87 56.51 1:00.90 1:02.72 1:02.01 1:03.86
    200 Backstroke 1:58.19 2:01.73 2:11.18 2:15.11 2:13.55 2:17.55
    100 Breaststroke 1:02.33 1:04.19 1:09.18 1:11.25 1:11.65 1:13.79
    200 Breaststroke 2:14.16 2:18.18 2:28.91 2:33.37 2:32.46 2:37.03
    200 Individual Medley 2:00.94 2:04.56 2:14.23 2:18.25 2:17.44 2:21.55
    400 Individual Medley 4:17.34 4:25.06 4:45.62 4:54.19 4:50.79 4:59.51
    200 Freestyle Relay 1:30.76 1:33.48 1:40.74 1:43.76 1:43.14 1:46.23
    400 Freestyle Relay 3:19.16 3:25.13 3:41.05 3:47.67 3:46.32 3:53.11
    800 Freestyle Relay 7:14.15 7:27.17 8:01.86 8:16.31 8:10.57 8:25.28
    200 Medley Relay 1:41.48 1:44.52 1:52.64 1:56.01 1:55.19 1:58.64
    400 Medley Relay 3:39.58 3:46.16 4:03.71 4:11.01 4:09.25 4:16.71

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 255/Championship 375
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 270/Championship 425
    Platform Diving Points--8 dives 325/12 dives 405

    Division II Men


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course

    		A B A B A B
    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
    50 Freestyle 21.14 21.77 23.47 24.17 24.31 25.03
    100 Freestyle 46.49 47.88 51.60 53.15 53.44 55.04
    200 Freestyle 1:42.19 1:45.25 1:53.42 1:56.82 1:56.79 2:00.29
    500 Freestyle 4:37.79 4:46.12 4:03.04 4:10.33 4:11.40 4:18.94
    1,650 Freestyle 16:13.99 17:12.42 16:11.08 17:09.34 16:38.97 17:38.90
    100 Butterfly 51.19 52.72 56.82 58.52 57.85 59.58
    200 Butterfly 1:54.49 1:57.92 2:07.07 2:10.88 2:10.11 2:14.01
    100 Backstroke 52.49 54.06 58.26 1:00.00 1:00.34 1:02.14
    200 Backstroke 1:54.29 1:57.71 2:06.85 2:10.65 2:11.37 2:15.31
    100 Breaststroke 58.29 1:00.03 1:04.70 1:06.63 1:07.39 1:09.41
    200 Breaststroke 2:07.79 2:11.62 2:21.84 2:26.09 2:27.74 2:32.17
    200 Individual Medley 1:55.09 1:58.54 2:07.74 2:11.57 2:13.06 2:17.05
    400 Individual Medley 4:07.49 4:22.33 4:34.69 4:51.16 4:44.48 5:01.54
    200 Freestyle Relay 1:24.59 -- 1:33.89 -- 1:37.24 --
    400 Freestyle Relay 3:06.99 -- 3:27.54 -- 3:34.94 --
    800 Freestyle Relay 6:55.99 -- 7:41.70 -- 7:55.42 --
    200 Medley Relay 1:34.99 -- 1:45.43 -- 1:48.82 --
    400 Medley Relay 3:28.89 -- 3:51.85 -- 3:59.28 --

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 270/Championship 440
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 285/Championship 460

    Division II Women


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course

    		A B A B A B
    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
    50 Freestyle 24.39 25.12 27.07 27.89 27.72 28.55
    100 Freestyle 53.09 54.68 58.93 1:00.69 1:00.34 1:02.14
    200 Freestyle 1:55.29 1:58.74 2:07.96 2:11.79 2:10.28 2:14.18
    500 Freestyle 5:07.99 5:17.22 4:29.46 4:37.54 4:34.99 4:43.24
    1,650 Freestyle 17:49.99 18:54.18 17:46.79 18:50.79 18:11.83 19:17.33
    100 Butterfly 58.99 1:00.75 1:05.48 1:07.43 1:06.29 1:08.26
    200 Butterfly 2:10.59 2:14.50 2:24.94 2:29.28 2:26.74 2:31.13
    100 Backstroke 59.59 1:01.37 1:06.14 1:08.12 1:07.34 1:09.35
    200 Backstroke 2:08.79 2:12.65 2:22.95 2:27.23 2:25.53 2:29.89
    100 Breaststroke 1:07.79 1:09.82 1:15.24 1:17.50 1:17.93 1:20.26
    200 Breaststroke 2:26.29 2:30.67 2:42.37 2:47.23 2:46.24 2:51.22
    200 Individual Medley 2:10.99 2:14.91 2:25.39 2:29.74 2:28.86 2:33.31
    400 Individual Medley 4:39.19 4:55.94 5:09.87 5:28.46 5:15.48 5:34.40
    200 Freestyle Relay 1:38.59 -- 1:49.43 -- 1:52.04 --
    400 Freestyle Relay 3:35.69 -- 3:59.39 -- 4:05.11 --
    800 Freestyle Relay 7:50.99 -- 8:42.75 -- 8:52.20 --
    200 Medley Relay 1:50.29 -- 2:02.41 -- 2:05.19 --
    400 Medley Relay 4:00.99 -- 4:27.47 -- 4:33.55 --

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 245/Championship 365
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 255/Championship 420

    Division III Men


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course

    		A B A B A B
    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
    50 Freestyle 20.69 21.39 22.97 23.75 23.79 24.59
    100 Freestyle 45.69 46.99 50.72 52.16 52.52 54.02
    200 Freestyle 1:41.59 1:43.79 1:52.76 1:55.20 1:56.11 1:58.62
    500 Freestyle 4:36.99 4:43.59 4:02.34 4:08.11 4:10.67 4:16.65
    1,650 Freestyle 16:09.99 16:32.99 16:07.09 16:30.02 16:34.87 16:58.46
    100 Butterfly 50.29 51.99 55.82 57.71 56.83 58.75
    200 Butterfly 1:52.59 1:56.49 2:04.97 2:09.29 2:07.95 2:12.38
    100 Backstroke 51.69 53.59 57.37 59.48 59.42 1:01.60
    200 Backstroke 1:52.99 1:56.99 2:05.41 2:09.85 2:09.88 2:14.48
    100 Breaststroke 57.19 59.29 1:03.48 1:05.81 1:06.12 1:08.55
    200 Breaststroke 2:04.79 2:10.29 2:18.51 2:24.61 2:24.27 2:30.63
    200 Ind. Medley 1:53.59 1:57.19 2:06.08 2:10.07 2:11.32 2:15.49
    400 Ind. Medley 4:03.99 4:12.59 4:30.80 4:40.35 4:40.45 4:50.34
    200 Free Relay 1:23.19 1:25.59 1:32.34 1:35.00 1:35.63 1:38.39
    400 Free Relay 3:03.99 3:09.79 3:24.21 3:30.65 3:31.49 3:38.16
    800 Free Relay 6:49.99 7:00.99 7:35.04 7:47.25 7:48.57 8:01.14
    200 Medley Relay 1:33.59 1:36.19 1:43.88 1:46.76 1:47.21 1:50.19
    400 Medley Relay 3:25.99 3:31.59 3:48.63 3:54.84 3:55.96 4:02.38

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 265/Championship 435
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 275/Championship 440

    Division III Women


    		 25-Yard Course
    		25-Meter Course
    		50-Meter Course

    		A B A B A B
    Event Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
    50 Freestyle 24.09 24.89 26.74 27.63 27.38 28.29
    100 Freestyle 52.99 54.29 58.82 1:00.26 1:00.22 1:01.70
    200 Freestyle 1:55.19 1:57.79 2:07.85 2:10.74 2:10.16 2:13.10
    500 Freestyle 5:05.79 5:12.99 4:27.54 4:33.84 4:33.03 4:39.46
    1,650 Freestyle 17:30.99 18:04.99 17:27.85 18:01.75 17:52.44 18:27.14
    100 Butterfly 58.29 1:00.29 1:04.70 1:06.92 1:05.50 1:07.75
    200 Butterfly 2:08.99 2:13.99 2:23.17 2:28.72 2:24.94 2:30.56
    100 Backstroke 59.59 1:01.19 1:06.14 1:07.92 1:07.34 1:09.15
    200 Backstroke 2:07.59 2:11.79 2:21.61 2:26.28 2:24.18 2:28.92
    100 Breaststroke 1:06.49 1:09.19 1:13.80 1:16.80 1:16.43 1:19.54
    200 Breaststroke 2:23.79 2:29.59 2:39.59 2:46.03 2:43.40 2:49.99
    200 Ind. Medley 2:09.79 2:12.99 2:24.06 2:27.61 2:27.49 2:31.13
    400 Ind. Medley 4:34.99 4:45.99 5:05.21 5:17.42 5:10.73 5:23.16
    200 Free Relay 1:37.09 1:40.49 1:47.76 1:51.54 1:50.34 1:54.20
    400 Free Relay 3:34.99 3:39.99 3:58.62 4:04.17 4:04.31 4:09.99
    800 Free Relay 7:47.99 8:00.09 8:39.42 8:52.85 8:48.81 9:02.48
    200 Medley Relay 1:48.59 1:52.29 2:00.53 2:04.63 2:03.26 2:07.46
    400 Medley Relay 3:58.09 4:04.59 4:24.26 4:31.47 4:30.26 4:37.63

    1-Meter Diving Points--Dual 245/Championship 370
    3-Meter Diving Points--Dual 255/Championship 410