USIAA Varsity Cross Country Rules:
Scholarship and Roster Rules:
- All programs can only have a max of 18 athletes during the regular season. this limit is lifted to 128 athletes for preseason tryouts only.
- All programs can choose whether to allow athletic scholarships or not; start-up programs are given a max of 5 years to decide whether or not to provide athletic scholarships to players.
- All D1 scholarship programs can only have a max of 6 total scholarships, and a max of 3 full scholarship players.
- All D2 scholarship programs can only have a max of 4 total scholarships, and a max of 2 full scholarship players.
- All D3 scholarship programs can only have a max of 4 total scholarship players.
- All D4 scholarship programs can only have a max of 6.6 total scholarships, and a max of 3 full scholarship players.
- 5 points for 1st place.
- 4 points for 2nd place.
- 3 points for 3rd place.
- 2 points for 4th place.
- 1 point for 5th place.
- 0 points for 6th place or worse.
- All D1 programs play a 7-invitational season (may only host 1) beginning on the first Saturday of September and ending on third Saturday of October.
- All D2 programs play a 6-invitational season (may only host 1) beginning on the first Saturday of September and ending on third Saturday of October.
- All D3 & D4 programs play a 5-invitational season (may only host 1) beginning on the first Saturday of September and ending on third Saturday of October.
- Scores are determined by summing the top 7 individual finishing places on each team.
- The USIAA Regionals & Championships are a team & individual invitationals beginning on the second week after the regular season ends:
a) The top 12 runners from the 16 schools from each region in addition to the top 60 independent players from teams that didn't make the playoffs (for a total of 252 total players) will compete in the regionals.
b) The top 7 runners from the top 8 schools from each region (i.e. 32 total teams) in addition to the top 7 independent players from each region (i.e. 28 players) from teams that didn't make the nationals (for a total of 252 total players) will compete in the nationals. The team with the fewest points receives the USIAA team title, while the fastest runner. wins the individual title.
c) The top male & female athletes that win each invitational will win automatically qualify for the regional championships.
- Men's teams compete on 8-10km courses, whole women's teams compete on 5-6km courses.
- Because of variations in conditions, international standardization of cross country courses is impossible, and not necessarily desirable. Part of cross country running's appeal is the natural and distinct characteristics of each venue's terrain and weather. Terrain can vary from open fields to forest hills and even across rivers. It also includes running down and up hills.
- According to the IAAF, an ideal cross country course has a loop of 1,750 to 2,000 meters (1,910 to 2,190 yd) laid out on an open or wooded land. It should be covered by grass, as much as possible, and include rolling hills "with smooth curves and short straights". While it is perfectly acceptable for local conditions to make dirt or snow the primary surface, courses should minimize running on roads or other macadamized paths. Parks and golf courses often provide suitable locations. While a course may include natural or artificial obstacles, cross country courses support continuous running, and do not require climbing over high barriers, through deep ditches, or fighting through the underbrush.
- A course at least 5 meters (5.5 yd) full allows competitors to pass others during the race. Clear markings keep competitors from making wrong turns, and spectators from interfering with the competition. Markings may include tape or ribbon on both sides of the course, chalk or paint on the ground, or cones. Some classes use colored flags to indicate directions: red flags for left turns, yellow flags for right turns and blue flags can mean continue straight ahead or stay within ten feet (of the flag). Courses also commonly include distance markings, usually at each kilometer or each mile.
- The course should have 400 to 1,200 m (440 to 1,310 yd) of level terrain before the first turn, to reduce contact and congestion at the start. However, many courses at smaller competitions have their first turn after a much shorter distance.
USIAA JV Cross Country Rules:
Scholarship & Roster Rules:
- All JV teams can only have a max of 14 players separate from the varsity team.
- All athletes must play in at least 1 invitational per season.
- All teams play a 5-invitational season (may only host 1) beginning on the first Saturday of September and ending on third Saturday of October.
- Scores are determined by summing the top 7 individual finishing places on each team.
- The JV team with the best record in each state at the end of the JV season will automatically be crowned the JV state champion.