2019 River States Conference Cross Country Championships November 9, 2019 | Pittsburgh, Pa. Hosted by: Carlow University Alice Lloyd IU Kokomo Asbury Midway Brescia Ohio Christian Carlow Point Park Cincinnati Christian Rio Grande IU East WVU Tech 1 Introduction This championship manual has been prepared by the RSC commissioner’s office and host officials from Carlow University, and is intended to provide comprehensive information related to the 2019 River States Conference Cross Country Championships. Coaches should thoroughly review this document and bring it with them to the championship. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Schell at the RSC office (541-331-0522) or [email protected] RSC Code of Behavior In upholding and acting upon the principles, traditions and responsibilities enunciated in the River States Conference Statement of Philosophy, the Conference expects, and will insist upon, maintenance of commendably respectable standards of decorum and personal deportment of all players, coaches, officials and spectators at Conference contests. In this regard, referees are recognized as fully in charge of such events, with full and undeniable authority to sustain such standards and take whatever enforcement or disciplinary actions, including declaration of game forfeiture, as are necessary and appropriate. Specifically; threatening, disruptive, unsportsmanlike, disrespectful, violent, harassing, and/or seriously distracting behavior will not be tolerated. In implementing this policy, the senior game official should, at the beginning of each event, clearly outline with the team captains and coaches the standards of behavior and decorum that will be upheld and enforced. As a matter of Conference policy, all referees have the full support of the Conference Commissioner's authority, as authorized by the COP and Administrative Council. The River States Conference wishes to exemplify behavior of a kind that will deserve and command the respect and support of the public and campus communities which they represent and with which they relate, as well as the NAIA at large. 2 Table of Contents Page 4 Contact Information Page 5 Schedule and Checklist Pages 6-11 General Meet Information Page 7 Hotel Information Page 9 Medical Information Pages 10-11 Registration Information Pages 12-13 Course Maps Page 14 Weather Policy 3 Contact Information RIVER STATES CONFERENCE Michael Schell, Commissioner Cell: 541-805-5192 Email: [email protected] Kevin Taylor, Sports Information Director Email: [email protected] CARLOW UNIVERSITY George Sliman, Director of Athletics Office: 412-578-8826 Cell: 412-260-3308 Email: [email protected] Karina Graziani, Sports Communications Manager Office: 412-578-6310 Cell: 814-279-5649 Email: [email protected] Maria Yeater, Athletic Trainer Office: 412-578-6332 Cell: 412-551-7516 Email: [email protected] Tony Anderson, Head Coach Michael McLaughlin, Associate Head Coach Office: 412-578-6230 Office: 412-578-6230 Cell: 412-354-7230 Cell: 412-420-9841 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ADDITIONAL MEET PERSONNEL Meet Director: Rich Wright Cell: 412-607-1794 Email: [email protected] Meet Referee: Bruce Long, John Lotus Starter: Bruce Long, Rich Wright Clerk: TBD Timing System: Miles of Smiles, Herb Cratty Finish Chute Coordinator: Rich Wright Protests/Jury of Appeals: Protest forms will be handed out and the Jury of Appeals selected at the Coaches Meeting on Saturday, November 9. 4 Schedule of Events Time Event Site Friday, November 8 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. Course open for inspection/practice Schenley Park (note: course will be fully painted but not flagged until Sat.) Course Committee will make final review of course for official certification Saturday, November 9 10:30 a.m. Men’s 8K Schenley Park 11:30 a.m. Women’s 5K Schenley Park 12:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony* Schenley Park *Awards presentation will be at the Hospitality Tent at the Park National Meet Automatic Qualifications Teams For each gender, conferences/independents will receive one automatic berth per six teams participating in postseason. The winning team in the RSC meet will receive the AQ. If there is a tie for first place at a conference/ A.I.I./unaffiliated group qualifying meet, then the tied first place teams qualify for the national championships. This will not affect the number of at-large berths. The second qualifier is the runner-up team from the championship race provided they are ranked in the top 30 of the national rankings. Individuals Conference/independent/unaffiliated groupings of 12 or more teams. Top 6 finishers not on a qualifying team (automatic or at-large) Individual overall finish must be 20th or better Championship Checklist Item Due Date To Whom Completed Team Entries Oct. 31 Submit via DirectAthletics.com per NAIA guidelines On-Course Nov. 8 Nov. 6 George Sliman Practice Request (if needed outside 2-6pm timeframe) Request for Carlow Showers/ Nov. 6 George Sliman Locker Rooms post-meet 5 Meet Information DATE AND LOCATION The 2019 River States Conference Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Carlow University on Saturday, November 9 and conducted at Schenley Park, 1 Overlook Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Please note: You must type in 15217 zip code, as there is another location in the city with the same address. STARTING TIMES 10:15 a.m. EST Men report to start 10:30 a.m. EST Men’s race (8,000 meters) 11:15 a.m. EST Women report to start 11:30 a.m. EST Women’s race (5,000 meters) CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT The men’s championship will cover 8,000 meters; the women’s championship will cover 5,000 meters. PRACTICE/COURSE INSPECTION The championship course will be available for inspection on Friday, November 8 from 2:00 – 6:00pm. Please note: the course may have some turns not fully roped off until race day. ENTRIES All entries must be submitted through DirectAthletics.com by Thursday, October 31, per NAIA guidelines. See instructions on pages 10-11 in this manual, or in the NAIA Cross Country Coaches Manual. Final declarations shall be made at the coaches meeting on Saturday, November 9. TIMING Timing will be done using state-of-the-art chip timing. Chips will be disposable and attached to bib numbers. COACHES’ PACKETS Packets will be distributed at the coaches meeting Saturday, November 9. SQUAD SIZE Per RSC Guidelines, institutions are not limited in entries and do not need to declare their top seven. CONTINGENCY PLAN (from Sport Guidelines) In the event the Conference Meet cannot be held or completed, statistical ranking will be used to determine the team(s) and individuals qualifying for the NAIA National Cross Country Championship. TEAM PARKING Team parking will be located along the road leading up to the Schenley Park Oval. LOCKER ROOMS A request for locker rooms must be made by Wednesday, Nov. 6 and will be provided at the Carlow University campus, 3333 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, located approximately two (2) miles from course. RESTROOMS Restrooms will be located between the Hospitality Tent and the Tennis Courts. MEDICAL INFORMATION Carlow will coordinate on-site medical coverage. See information related to medical coverage on page 9 in this participant manual. 6 Meet Information PREFERRED HOTEL INFORMATION Hampton Inn Hilton Garden Inn 3315 Hamlet Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 3454 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412-681-1000 412-688-1993 Quality Inn University Center Holiday Inn Express 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 658 E. Waterfront Dr Munhall, PA 15120 412-683-6100 412-205-3904 Cambria Hotel Double Tree by Hilton Hotel and Suites 1320 Centre Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15219 1 Bigelow Square Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-381-66867 412-281-5800 Courtyard by Marriott Days Inn by Wyndham 401 W. Waterfront Dr Pittsburgh, PA 15210 1150 Banksville Rd Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412-462-7301 412-531-8900 COACHES’ MEETING A coach’s meeting will be held Saturday morning beginning at 8:45am location: Hospitality Tent on site. BOX DRAW Starting boxes will be drawn in advance by the commissioner and announced at the coaches meeting Saturday morning. RULES The meet will be conducted in accordance with the NAIA Coaches Manual and the NCAA Cross Country Rule Book. SCORING A team shall consist of the entered participants, but only the first five finishers for each team shall be counted for scoring purposes. The sixth and seventh runners for each team shall be used to displace. Individual runners shall be permitted to compete when full teams are not entered. However, these institutions shall not be considered for the team championship. Point values shall be equal to the finish place by each individual. The team with the lowest total, after adding the scores of the first five finishers on the team, shall be declared the conference champion. (Per NAIA rules, if there are ties for the team championship, tied teams qualify for the national championships). Ties will not be broken. 7 Meet Information MEDIA INFORMATION/RESULTS Karina Graziani will be the Media Coordinator for the championship. Results will be posted on the River States Conference web site following the event. ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM The River States Conference male and female 1st team all-conference cross country teams will be comprised of the top seven (7) finishers in each championship. The 1st team all-conference winners will be recognized and plaques distributed during the awards ceremony. The 2nd team all-conference winners will be comprised of the 8th through 14th place finishers and receive a certificate. RUNNER OF THE YEAR Selection of the male and female Cross Country Runners of the Year will be determined by the runner finishing first in each race. NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR The Conference Newcomer-of-the-Year Award will go to the top freshman runner in the race; unless an upper-classman “newcomer” is identified at the pre-race coaches’ meeting - then that runner will compete with the freshmen to receive the award.