BREAKING: NCAA D1 Votes to Eliminate Altitude & Track Size Conversions

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Earlier today, the NCAA Division One Men's & Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Oversight Committee announced that they have voted to eliminate altitude conversions, as well as track-size conversions, as it pertains to qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, as well as the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (and it's respective regional meets).

The elimination of these conversions will go into effect at the start of the upcoming academic calendar year. The Oversight Committee offered the following explanation as the rationale behind their decision...

"In discussions about conversions, the committee expressed concerns that the current system has shortcomings, can at times be used in ways that create unintended advantages in the qualification process, and may ultimately have a negative impact on the sport. After discussion and review of feedback and proposals they have received, they voted to eliminate both altitude conversions for indoor and outdoor track and field, along with track size conversions for indoor track and field effective for the 2026-27 academic year." "As it relates to altitude conversions, the committee noted that 1) altitude impacts every individual differently, yet a uniform standard conversion is being applied, 2) conversions are not applied for other conditions such as heat, humidity, etc., and 3) nowhere else in any other level of the sport are altitude conversions being used." "When it comes to track size and indexing conversions for indoor track and field the committee noted 1) every track is different yet uniform conversions are applied based on the track type, 2) there is no true science being applied, 3) there is now more access to 200m banked tracks than ever, 4) every track impacts individuals differently based on their biomechanics, and 5) again, like altitude conversions, no other level of the sport is using track size/indexing conversions."

Per sources, the elimination of altitude conversions and track-size conversions (as they relate to national qualifying) is a decision that had been growing momentum as a possibility in recent months.

It also has significant consequences.

Many of the NCAA's most established distance running powers are programs that reside at high altitude. Teams such as Northern Arizona, BYU, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado State, Montana State, Wyoming, Colorado State and many more will no longer gain the benefits of racing on their home track or venturing to nearby Mountain region-based invitationals to earn conversions en route to national qualifying marks.

For perspective, during the 2026 indoor track season, there were five individual men and three men's distance medley relays that qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the distance events (800m and up) by virtue of a conversion.

For the women, during that same season, there were four individual national qualifiers in the distance events (Jane Hedengren would have qualified for the mile with a sea level time, regardless, and still chose the 5k/3k double) as well as one distance medley relay.