West 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 (5 a.m. PT); closes Sun, Nov 8 at 11:59 p.m. ET (8:59 p.m. PT).

Late entries until Tue, Nov 10 at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT), 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 (6 p.m. PT), when the system shuts down; with no changes, no action is needed.

Mandatory virtual administrative meeting: Wed, Nov 11 at 9 a.m. local time (PST), 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.

Shelter locations for bad weather are announced at this meeting.

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.

All team parking is at The Course Spokane Valley, 2520 N Flora Rd.

Spectators park at Spokane Valley Commons, 2818 N Sullivan Rd, and ride the shuttle. ADA parking with a placard is at The Course.

Parking and admission are free.

Discounted hotels (Appendix F): Residence Inn by Marriott Spokane Valley, 2.2 miles, 20% off; Mirabeau Park Hotel, 2.3 miles, at least 20% off, with a free shuttle to The Course; Oxford Suites Spokane Valley, 2.3 miles, 15% off, code SPOKANESPORTS; Hampton Inn & Suites Spokane Valley, 2.6 miles, 16% off; Tru by Hilton Spokane Valley, 3.6 miles, 12% off; Holiday Inn Express Spokane Valley, 6.8 miles, 25% off.

The booking links didn't survive in the PDF. For group rates, contact the hotel directly; the group contacts are in the manual's Appendix F.

Fri, Nov 13, 2 to 5 p.m., at the finish line tent at The Course Spokane Valley.

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: 2 to 5 p.m.

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

Both races run three loops after a start straight; the men's loop is longer. The course maps mark each kilometer.

The manual's links to the 6K and 8K course maps didn't survive in the PDF; the maps are in Appendixes C and D.

No shower facilities on site. Contact the meet director for more information.

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.

Official results are posted on the host website in a printable format.

The manual has a live results link, but it didn't survive in the PDF.

Protest/appeals table between the start and finish line, by the public address announcer. Forms are at 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 at the end of the meet, 1 p.m., at the finish line.

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

Medical tent on site: Fri, Nov 13, 2 to 5 p.m., with ice and water; Sat, Nov 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with muscle stim, ultrasound, combination stim/US, hot packs and ice.

Athletic trainers: Friday on site; Saturday only in the medical tent on the course.

EMTs and an AMR ambulance on site Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday treatment: book by Tue, Nov 10 at noon with head athletic trainer Sarah Cummings, Whitworth sports medicine (scummings@whitworth.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 AED, trauma bags, first aid kit, basic athletic training supplies and ice are in the medical tent.

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: call meet director Toby Schwarz (coach-only contacts); the number also goes 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 locations will be named at the coaches' meeting.

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.