Great Lakes · Region VI
Great Lakes Regional
Tomorrow
Packet pickup reopens
Sat Nov 14 · 8:30 am ET · Check-in tent
Deadlines7 of 9 done
- Mon Oct 198:00 amDone: Entries open on DirectAthletics
- Fri Oct 23Done: Team Travel Form (Jot Form): tent order and team parking
- Fri Oct 23Done: Team Tent Order Form, if you want a tent (Appendix G)
- Sun Nov 811:59 pmDone: Entries close on DirectAthletics
- Tue Nov 105:00 pmDone: Late entries close$400 per gender
- Wed Nov 1111:00 amDone: Mandatory virtual coaches' meeting$200 per gender if missed without 48 hours' notice to the NCAA liaison
- Wed Nov 1112:00 pmDone: Preliminary entry lists go up on the host's website by noon Eastern: check your team's entries
- Sun Nov 159:00 pmLast chance to change the 10-athlete roster for nationals (no action needed if unchanged)
- —Championship evaluation survey (link emailed after the meet)
Manual p. 2, 7, 8, 21, 22
Confirm at the coaches' meeting4 places the manual disagrees
Race-day course opening
- Printed
- 8:30 a.m. (Section 5, Practice Schedule)
- Also printed
- 9 a.m. (Appendix B, Schedule of Events)
This packet uses This packet shows 9 a.m. from the schedule. Confirm at the coaches' meeting.
Nationals roster change deadline (Sun, Nov 15)
- Printed
- 9 p.m. Eastern, when the system shuts off (Section 5)
- Also printed
- 11:59 p.m. (Appendix F, Coaches' Checklist)
This packet uses This packet uses the earlier time, 9 p.m. ET.
Logo size limit (checked against the NCAA manual)
- Printed
- 2 1/4 square inches (this manual, p. 12, 13)
- Also printed
- 4 square inches (NCAA 2026-27 Pre-Championships Manual, logo policy revised 7/21/26, effective 8/1/26)
This packet uses The NCAA manual carries the newer revision. Ask the site representative at the coaches' meeting which limit officials will enforce.
Late-entry deadline (checked against the NCAA hosts list)
- Printed
- Tue, Nov 10, 5 p.m. Eastern (this manual, p. 8, 21)
- Also printed
- "Tuesday, Nov. 11", 5 p.m. Eastern (NCAA 2026 regional and finals hosts list, p. 2); Nov 11, 2026 is a Wednesday
This packet uses Treat Tue, Nov 10 at 5 p.m. Eastern as the last moment for late entries ($400 per team and gender). Ask the NCAA liaison before counting on Wednesday.
Race day
Earlier this week3
- Wed Nov 11
- 11:00amDone: Mandatory virtual coaches' meetingOnline (link sent before the call)
- Fri Nov 13
- 2:00pmDone: Course inspection and practiceForest Akers East · until 5:00 pm
- 2:00pmDone: Packet pickupCheck-in tent, Forest Akers East · until 5:00 pm
- Sat Nov 14
- 8:30amPacket pickup reopensCheck-in tent
- 9:00amCourse opensForest Akers East
- 9:00amMedical tent open (heat and ice)Next to the finish line · until 1:00 pm
- 9:40amClerking (check-in) opens for both racesClerking area
- 10:30amFirst gun: 30 minutes to the women's start
- 10:35amNational anthem
- 10:40amSecond gun: women report to assigned boxes; women's clerking closes
- 10:50amThird gun: 10 minutes to the women's start
- 11:00amWomen's 6,000 m championship race
- 11:30amFirst gun: 30 minutes to the men's start
- 11:40amSecond gun: men report to assigned boxes; men's clerking closes
- 11:50amThird gun: 10 minutes to the men's start
- 12:00pmMen's 8,000 m championship race
- 1:15pmAwards ceremonyAwards stage
Women's 6K starts 11:00 am · report 10:40 am · clerking 9:40 am – 10:40 am · guns 10:30 am, 10:40 am, 10:50 am ET
Men's 8K starts 12:00 pm · report 11:40 am · clerking 9:40 am – 11:40 am · guns 11:30 am, 11:40 am, 11:50 am ET
Times are ET, meet-local.
Add the schedule to your calendar (downloads a file)The course
- Climb
- 43
- m (141 ft)
- Relief
- 8
- m (25 ft)
Traced from the host's map. Elevation from USGS 3DEP lidar.
- Climb
- 51
- m (167 ft)
- Relief
- 8
- m (25 ft)
Traced from the host's map. Elevation from USGS 3DEP lidar.
Manual p. 18
Manual p. 19
Getting there
Forest Akers East Golf Course
2231 S Harrison Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823
From I-96 West6
- Exit 106B toward downtown Lansing, then Exit 11 onto Dunckel Rd toward Jolly Rd
- Left on Dunckel Rd toward Jolly Rd East
- Left on Collins Rd
- At the roundabout, first exit onto Forest Rd
- Left on S Harrison Rd
- Right into the parking lot
From US-1274
- Exit 75 onto Trowbridge Rd
- Continue on Trowbridge Rd
- Right on S Harrison Rd
- Left into the parking lot
From I-496 East4
- Exit 9 onto Trowbridge Rd
- Continue on Trowbridge Rd
- Right on S Harrison Rd
- Left into the parking lot
From M-43 East off US-127 North5
- Exit 78 toward the I-69 Business Loop / M-43
- Right on E Saginaw St
- Keep right onto E Grand River Ave
- Right on N Harrison Rd, continuing onto S Harrison Rd
- Left into the parking lot
Medical and emergency
Emergency vehicles enter: EMS enters Forest Akers East off Harrison Rd. and drives to the southeast side of the parking lot, where medical staff meet them. AED, vacuum splints and supplies are in the medical tent.
Default hospital: EMS takes athletes to Sparrow Hospital unless directed otherwise.
From the manual
Before you travel4
Entries6 p. 8
Only the 10 athletes on the entry form may compete at the regional.
Enter online on DirectAthletics: opens Mon, Oct 19 at 8 a.m. ET; closes Sun, Nov 8 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Late entries until Tue, Nov 10 at 5 p.m. ET, with a $400 fine per gender.
Roster exceptions only in extraordinary circumstances, in writing to the committee and the NCAA championship manager.
Print your entry forms and bring them to the regional in case of any issue.
A qualifying finish at the regional is your entry to nationals. You may change the 10 on DirectAthletics until Sunday, Nov 15; with no changes, no action is needed.
Admin meeting2 p. 8
Mandatory virtual administrative meeting: Wed, Nov 11 at 11 a.m. ET, run by the NCAA site representative and meet director.
Every institution must be represented. Missing it costs $200 per gender unless you arrange it with the NCAA liaison at least 48 hours ahead.
Squad2 p. 9p. 14
Up to seven runners per team. Running more than seven is a disqualification and counts as misconduct.
Five to seven runners must compete as a team. Fewer than five compete as individuals.
Arrival parking4 p. 7
Teams enter the Forest Akers lot from Harrison Road.
Buses drop athletes at the turnaround. Vans park in the Forest Akers East lot with the pass from the team packet; keep it visible.
Allow extra time for arrival.
The Team Travel Form (due Oct 23) sets tent orders and team parking.
At the course5
Packet pickup3 p. 9p. 16
Fri, Nov 13, 2 to 5 p.m., and Sat, Nov 14 from 8:30 a.m., at the check-in tent at Forest Akers East.
Course maps and descriptions are there, and host staff can answer course questions.
Team vans get a parking pass in the team packet. Protest forms are in the packet too.
Practice3 p. 9
Course practice only on Friday and race day, weather permitting.
Friday, Nov 13: 2 to 5 p.m.
Race day: the course opens in the morning (see the flagged time conflict).
Facilities2 p. 7p. 10
No locker rooms or showers on practice day or race day.
After the finish, athletes walk through the chute to their team's box to collect warm-ups. Coaches wait outside the chute.
Check-in6 p. 8p. 9
The head coach checks in the team at the assigned clerking location, not at the start line.
Check in up to 80 minutes before your race and no later than 20 minutes before it.
Clerking opens at 9:40 a.m. for both races. Women's closes at 10:40 a.m.; men's at 11:40 a.m.
If you took more than seven sets of hip numbers, bibs and chips, return the extras at clerking at least 20 minutes before the race.
Coaches confirm every athlete wears the correct hip numbers, bibs and chips and meets uniform and logo rules. Violations can mean disqualification.
Late check-in can cost a start, a letter to your athletics director and a fine.
Chips and bibs4 p. 16
Each packet has two bibs per athlete (pin front and back of the singlet), 16 safety pins and the timing chips.
Thread the shoelaces through the two holes in the chip, centered on the front of the shoe, then retie. Don't flatten the chip or it won't read.
Chips and bibs are required for a time and place; FinishLynx cameras check close finishes, so bibs must show.
Athletes keep their chips after the race.
Race and results3
Finish4 p. 10
Two cameras on each finish mat, with a backup video system.
Run through both sets of finish mats. Order in the chute doesn't need to be kept.
Timing mats may be used at select points; splits and team scores may appear in the final results.
Water and athletic trainers are at the end of the chute.
Results and protests3 p. 10
Printed results at the officials' tent near the awards area; official results also posted on the host website.
Protest table at the officials' tent. Forms are in the team packet and at the table; cite the NCAA rulebook.
Protest fee $100. The 15-minute protest period starts when the last race's results are posted.
Awards2 p. 14
Awards ceremony at 1:15 p.m. at the awards stage.
The top team per gender is recognized as the automatic qualifier to the national championships.
Safety and rules6
Medical4 p. 10p. 11
Medical tent next to the finish line: Fri 2 to 5 p.m. and Sat 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with heat and ice.
Athletic trainers on site Friday and Saturday; EMTs and an ambulance on site Saturday.
Bring a fully stocked team medical kit plus insurance and emergency contact information.
Modalities need a signed letter from your certified athletic trainer or team physician with the treatment parameters.
Weather4 p. 9p. 11
The meet director and NCAA site representative watch the weather all week and race morning.
Updates: @OlivetAthletics on X and @lansingsports on Instagram, plus email to head coaches.
The games committee decides on a delayed start or a move to the next day, considering schools' Sunday competition policies.
If a race is stopped: women before 2,000 m and men before 3,000 m may rerun the same day after a two-hour delay; later than that, the recommendation is the next day.
Lightning3 p. 15
Lightning detection by Schneider Electric, with a SkyScan detector and radar as backup; flash-to-bang as a visual check.
The PA announcer tells everyone to take shelter.
Shelter is in vehicles. Team buses shelter their teams and shuttle spectators to their cars. Never shelter in a portable toilet, tent or golf cart.
Uniforms4 p. 12p. 13
Wear your institution's uniform, warm-ups included, in races and ceremonies.
School-issued; singlets identical; pants any length but one color; visible undergarments one identical solid color; other visible team items identical in color (above the shoulders, hands and feet excepted).
No bare-midriff tops: the top must meet or hang below the waistband. Numbers must fit above the waist, front and back.
One manufacturer logo per item, no larger than 2 1/4 square inches, inside a four-sided shape (Bylaw 12.5.3). Enforced; violations go to NCAA enforcement.
Drug testing2 p. 11p. 12
Assume post-race NCAA drug testing will happen.
An athlete selected for testing must tell an institutional representative (coach or athletic trainer) before going to the testing site.
Conduct3 p. 13p. 14
Gameday the DIII Way: safety, responsiveness, dignity and experience for everyone at the event.
Staff may not publicly criticize officiating (Bylaw 31.1.8).
Misconduct during a race is normally heard after the competition; flagrant cases can mean immediate withdrawal.