The Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee decided to delay awarding regional cross country sites for the 2022-26 NCAA Championships bid cycle.
Committee members, at the direction of the Division I championships finance review working group, are exploring a qualifying system that includes reducing the number of regionals in the sport from the current nine sites.
HISTORY: How the DI college cross country championship works
Since that format change has yet to be finalized, committee members think it is best to postpone awarding bids for regional sites.
“The review of the regional format of the championships is ongoing,” said Milan Donley, chair of the committee and meet director for the Kansas Relays. “To award sites under the current regional championship model could require the committee to rescind regional site awards, only to ask institutions to rebid under a different model.”
The awarding of the rest of the preliminary and final host sites in 86 of the Association’s 90 championships for the 2022-26 bid cycle is scheduled to be announced in mid-October.
GLOSSARY: Get to know the basic and advanced cross country terms
