The conference Meet is over and all the run-up meets. Now we start NCAA final competition. This is totally different this year - and talking with many of the coaches during the season, they don't like the procedure. Ir is a definite advantage to three good weather conferences; the SEC, Pas-10 and Big-12. Now, how does it work: all season each meet has reported to a central authority the results of each meet, and in the events of the field events - each attempt. The country is divided into two regions, the East being in Greensboro, NC and the West in Austin. The top-48 individuals and the top-24 relay teams from the region's performance list will qualify. In these two meets, we will crown no champion or winner??? These tow meets will only be the preliminary round and the 2nd round (quarterfinals) for the NCAA championships. Coming out of each region will be the top-12 individuals or relay teams that will advance to Eugene, OR for the finals June 9-12.
Don't get bent out of shape on how the Aggies except to qualify in the top-12. Coach Henry will have to adjust the line up in the relay's to take into effect injuries and the number of events.
Examples of the Meet: 100m-800m: 6 heats of 8 taking the top 3 from each heat + the next 3 fastest to the nest round. The 2nd round will have 3 heats - taking the top-3 + the nest 3 fastes to the NCAA finals. They will be rated by best time -- no medals no points.
The distance races are of no conquences to us as we don't have anyone close to making the finals.
Both relays -4x1 & 4x4 will have 3 heats taking the top-3 +3 to the finals. Our only issue here is to get the baton around the track without dropping it or getting DQ'es.
In the long jum/triple jump: They will have 3 flights of 16 take 3 attempts each. The top-16 will advance to the next round. You wipe the slate clean, start over with 6 atempts with the the top-12 going to Eugene.
The only throw that we are concerned about is the javelin. The same procedure as the LJ/TJ.
This will be my first year in the past 10-years that I won't be officiating at the NCAA finals. Total knee replacement will start on 5/25. I will be following on the hy-tech cell phone with some of my friends.
Opened to questions.

Thank you for the info. It is interesting that we are in the West region. That should actually really help our squad out. The top sprint teams seem to be in the SEC (and out east) and so going against the west should give us a chance to advance to Eugene without having to truly push ourselves.

As you said, baton drops or injuries could really hurt our team. I don't like that they are making the athletes run or compete even more because it makes injuries more likely. As for our athletes recovering from injury, i hope they get healthy soon.

When are the regional meets? Hopefully we make a good showing and go to Eugene with some momentum.

The new qualifying procedures strongly favor A&M. It is much easier to triple sprinter/hurdlers now than in the past. There is only two rounds of a given open race and only one relay race to be contested with more than a week off between competitions. We will be able to triple athletes like Lucas, Mayo, Beard, Phiri, Mitchell, etc. Additionally the west region is the softer of the two in the sprints as was pointed out earlier. Finally, the new qualifying procedures make it virtually impossible for distance runners to double in to the 5000 from either the 1500 or especially the 10000. The effects of running in the heat of Austin make this almost impossible at such a high level. Even if an athlete could do it in Austin they would likely be so trashed as to run poorly at nationals. The heat will also likely hurt some of the northern runners (especially Oregon) and will make it difficult for them to get as many qualifiers to the national meet as they would have gotten under the old qualifying method.