North Regional

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 (7 a.m. CT); closes Sun, Nov 8 at 11:59 p.m. ET (10:59 p.m. CT).

Late entries until Tue, Nov 10 at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT), with a $400 fine per gender.

Roster exceptions only in extraordinary circumstances, in writing to the Track and Field and Cross Country Committee and NCAA championship manager Laura Peterson-Mlynski (lpeterson@ncaa.org).

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 Sun, Nov 15 at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT), when the system shuts down; with no changes, no action is needed.

Mandatory virtual administrative meeting: Wed, Nov 11 at 11 a.m. CST, 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 (Laura Peterson-Mlynski, lpeterson@ncaa.org) at least 48 hours ahead.

The manual doesn't say how to join; watch for the link from the host.

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.

Team buses and vans enter campus at the main entrance off Hwy 19. Keep your parking passes visible to security to avoid a backup on Hwy 19.

Buses drop off near the garage door of the Tostrud Athletic Complex and are then sent to a remote lot. Attendants direct team vans to the Skoglund Athletic Complex lots.

Everyone else parks free in two remote lots on campus, with shuttles to the course.

Parking and admission are free.

Fri, Nov 13, inside Tostrud Fieldhouse: 1 to 5 p.m. by the schedule; Section 5 says 1 to 4 p.m. (see the flagged conflict).

Course maps and descriptions are there, and host representatives can answer course questions.

The packet holds two bibs per athlete, 16 safety pins and the timing chips.

No race-day packet pickup is listed.

Course practice only on Friday and race day, weather permitting.

Fri, Nov 13: 1 to 5 p.m.

Race day: the course opens at 9 a.m.

The course is on campus behind Tostrud Fieldhouse: open fields and dirt and grass trails through the campus Natural Lands. It hosted the 2002 and 2007 NCAA championships.

The Prairie Loop, with the 3K and 5K marks, is closed to spectators, coaches and anyone not racing during each race. Warm-ups may use it when no race is on. Tell your team and fans, and follow the course marshals.

Split mats at 3K and 5K, with split readers, and at the mile mark, which also takes the men's split at 6,450 m. Splits go to live and final results.

The course maps mark each kilometer and the 1,600, 3,200 and 4,800 m points; the men's map adds the late split point on the north trail.

Men's and women's locker rooms in Tostrud Fieldhouse are open after the event. Bring your own towels and toiletries for the showers.

Portable restrooms are outside near the finish line.

After the finish, athletes walk through the chute to their team's box to collect warm-ups. Coaches wait outside the chute.

The head coach may check in the team, at the assigned clerking location only. No check-in 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. Women's closes at 10:40 a.m.; men's at 11:40 a.m. (see the flagged men's clerking conflict).

If you took more than seven sets of hip numbers, bibs and chips at packet pickup, 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 (Rule 22-3). Violations can mean disqualification.

Late check-in can cost a start, a letter to your athletics director and a fine.

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 records results and Lynx cameras check close finishes, so bibs must show.

Athletes keep their chips after the race.

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. Splits come only from the designated mats.

Water and athletic trainers are at the end of the chute.

Live results throughout the race at www.herostiming.com.

Coaches can see hard copies of the results at the hospitality tent near the finish line. Official results are also posted on the host website in a printable format.

Protest/appeals table in the hospitality tent near the finish line. Forms are in the tent; cite the NCAA rulebook.

Protest fee $100. The 15-minute protest period starts when the last race's results are posted. The head referee's ruling is posted with the results.

Awards ceremony behind the starting line at 1:30 p.m. by the schedule; Section 7 says 1:15 p.m. (see the flagged time conflict).

The top team per gender is recognized as the automatic qualifier to the national championships.

Medical tent on site: Fri, Nov 13, 1 to 5 p.m., with ice and water; Sat, Nov 14, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with hot packs and ice.

Need modalities? Ask the athletic trainer ahead of time.

Athletic trainers: Friday in Tostrud Fieldhouse (treatments 1 to 5 p.m.); Saturday only in the medical tent on the course.

Physicians, EMTs and an ambulance on site Saturday.

Saturday treatment needs an appointment with the sports medicine staff (cross country athletic trainer Riley Mauzer, mauzer2@stolaf.edu).

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.

The meet director and NCAA site representative watch the weather all week and race morning (for example cold or heavy snow).

Race-day severe-weather updates: @StOlafAthletics on X and athletics.stolaf.edu, or the meet director's weather line (coach-only contacts; the number is also in the coaches' packets and on the meet website).

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.

The games committee may change these policies and schedules.

Lightning detection by Schneider Electric, with a SkyScan detector and Internet Doppler radar as backup; flash-to-bang as a visual check.

The PA announcer tells all teams, fans and spectators to take shelter immediately.

Shelter: Tostrud Fieldhouse and Skoglund Gymnasium, next to the course, open for all teams and spectators.

Tornado or severe weather: go to the lower-level hallways of Tostrud Fieldhouse and Skoglund Athletics Complex, keep the doors closed and stay away from windows.

Wear your institution's uniform, warm-ups included, in races and award 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). The rule also covers credentialed staff in the bench area. Strictly enforced; violations go to NCAA enforcement.

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.

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.