Track & Field Operating Procedures

RRAC Track & Field Operating Procedures
Updated July 1, 2025

Article I- Title

1.1 RRAC Track and Field Policies and Procedures

Article II- Committee Structure

2.1 The Committee shall be comprised of the head track and field coach from each RRAC member institution. Each coach shall have one vote per sponsored/participating gender.

Article III- Officers and Appointments

3.1 The Committee is led by the Conference Commissioner and Conference Chair.

3.2 The Conference Chair is appointed by the Conference Commissioner on an annual basis.

3.3 The commissioner and chair shall preside over meetings of the Committee.

Article IV- Meeting and Quorum

4.1 Meetings should occur at least twice per year by conference call to transact business and develop recommendations.

4.2 A majority of all conference school head coaches (or proxy) present constitutes a quorum, which is necessary to approve any change in policies and procedures.

Article V- Conference Meet

5.1 The championship will be determined by NAIA Track and Field scoring and will correspond with events sponsored at the NAIA Championship meet. (In the case that the chosen facility is not equipped for steeple chase, the 3000m Run will be an acceptable substitute.)

Team scoring will follow this scoring system from individual results:

5.2 At least two USATF Certified Officials must be present for the entirety of the championship meet.

5.3 The championship meet host is required to have a certified athletic trainer present for the entirety of the championship meet.

5.4 An event may be withdrawn from the championship meet only if there are NO participants/entries.

5.5 To qualify for an event at the conference championship, the athlete must have competed in that same event prior to the Conference Championships, within a calendar year of the start of the previous year’s conference championships. (This means that returners are eligible for events that they competed in the previous year.)

5.6 Institutional representation shall be limited to four athletes per event. Per NAIA rules, there is no limit to the number of events in which an athlete may participate.

5.7 The host institution is responsible for distribution of information pertaining to the RRAC championship.

5.8 Official entry in the conference meet shall be in compliance with NAIA postseason entry procedures.

5.9 One athlete per gender entered in the championship meet constitutes a team.

5.10 Meet entry fee is due no later than the head coaches meeting prior to the start of the Championship meet.

5.11 Entry fees are non-refundable.

5.12 The hammer throw, heptathlon, decathlon and pole vault have been added to the meet beginning in 2022.

Article VI- Conference Championship Format

6.1 Championship Format

1. The championship site and date(s) shall be determined by bid submission for approval by the conference’s athletic directors. Bids are due by April 1 for the following year.
2. The RRAC sponsors the following events for both Men and Women:

c. The event schedule/order will be created prior to the championship meet date and finally approved by the conference commisioner and chair.

d. Absent of unforeseen circumstances, to include inclement weather, the event schedule/order cannot be altered once it has been approved by the commissioner and chair.

6.2 In the event of a tie between competitors in an event, the points shall be divided among the two athletes evenly.

6.3 There will be no tie breaker for overall team points.

6.4 Protests of Officials’ Decision

1. Public comments about meet officials by coaches or institutional representatives are not allowed.
2. The officials will rule over any protests and their decision will be final. Protests must be filed within 10 minutes after the unofficial results are released.

6.5 The head coaches meeting shall be held the morning of the first day of competition prior to the start of the first event. The time of the meeting will be determined by the hosting institution.

Article VII- Awards

7.1 The following awards shall be recognized at the RRAC Conference Championship:

• Individual conference champions (per event) Male and Female
• Top 8 finishers (per event) Male and Female
• Male Athlete of the Meet
• Female Athlete of the Meet
• RRAC All-Conference awards: male and female

7.2 All-Conference shall be awarded to Athletes who place in the top 4 in an event

7.3 Athlete of the meet will be awarded to the athlete that scores the most points.

7.4 Athlete of the meet: if the point totals result in a tie, the athlete with the most 1^st place finishes shall win the tie. If both athletes have accrued the same number of 1^st place finishes, the tie breaker shall move to the athlete with the most 2^nd place finishes to win the tie.

Article VIII- Inclement Weather Protocol

8.1 The Meet-assigned athletic trainer shall make the decision to postpone the start of the meet or delay events at the RRAC championships due to inclement weather that endangers participants.

8.2 The events will be delayed until the weather is deemed safe for competition, or until it is determined that the event cannot be continued that day.

Article IX- Uniforms

9.1 Athletes are required to wear the uniform provided by their institution.

Article X- Eligibility

10.1 All RRAC and NAIA eligibility rules are applicable for all participants.

Article XI. Championship Host Hotels

11.1 For 2024-25, when host schools have agreements with hotels and rooms are part of the commitment for RRAC championship events, teams that qualify for those events are required to stay at the hotels designated by the host.