Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
May 26, 20202 min
Earlier this week, The Stride Report received two documents from two separate sources, both relating to the potential regional cross country qualifying changes mentioned earlier this month.
One document was a regional map which showed what a new five-region system would look like if the concept was to be adopted. The second document held details explaining some parts of the regional and national qualifying process as well as the regional structure.
The Stride Report confirmed the validity of both documents with multiple sources.
One source informed The Stride Report that both documents originated from the Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country committee which originally announced the potential changes (without these specifics) in their April committee proceedings report.
The Stride Report also received documentation (and later confirmed via multiple sources) that the BIG 10 conference has unanimously voted against this specific proposal.
According to numerous sources, there is notable opposition against this specific five-region model. Concerns regarding travel -- in conjunction with expected budget cuts due to the recent pandemic -- are a main factor behind the opposition.
Major details of the new concept include the following...
REGIONAL QUALIFYING TEAMS
Five regions (per gender).
Three regions will include six conferences, two regions will include seven conferences.
80 teams (per gender) qualify for the five regional meets, resulting in 16 teams per region.
Conference team champions automatically qualify for their respective regional meet (resulting in 32 total automatic qualifying teams per gender).
48 teams (per gender) will receive At-Large bids (selection process not specified), resulting in 10 At-Large bids for three regions and 9 At-Large bids for two regions.
REGIONAL QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS
The top four individuals at each conference meet that are not on a regional qualifying team (per gender) will automatically qualify for their respective regional meet.
No At-Large individuals are selected for the regional meet.
NATIONAL QUALIFYING TEAMS
The top three teams in each region (per gender) automatically qualify for the National Championships.
This leaves us with a total of 17 At-Large bids (per gender) to the National Championships (selection process not specified)
NATIONAL QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS
Top six individuals not on a national qualifying team in each region (per gender) automatically qualify for the National Championships.
Two individuals not a national qualifying team (per gender) are selected as At-Large national qualifiers.
This results in a total of 32 individuals (per gender) not on a national qualifying team that would qualify for the Nationals Championships.
REGIONAL MAPS
DOCUMENTATION