INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, February 25. DUE to a newly-implemented rule by the NCAA that does not allow for lane-spacing, the relay-qualification times from the Big 12 Championships, ACC Women's Championships and first day of the ACC Men's Championships are in question. Those meets, at one point or another, featured open lanes that violated the new rule.
It will be interesting to see whether the NCAA, upon announcing its qualifiers for the NCAA Champs, will allow the times from any lane-spacing event to count.
In the 2007 edition of the NCAA Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Rules and Interpretations, the rule change is clearly stated in at least two separate places.
First, on page 10 in the Preface where the NCAA reminded everyone involved in the sport that the rule book is not just a set of recommendations that coaches have the option to overturn by consent.
"The entire NCAA Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Rules Book has been designated as a conduct rule, meaning the rules contained in this book cannot be changed by mutual consent unless flexibility is indicated within the rule itself. In previous books, some rules were designated administrative rules and could be changed by mutual consent. Making all of the rules conduct rules is meant to prevent gamesmanship that could lead to unfair advantages in competition, such as altering a stroke or intentionally leaving open lanes between competitors."
Then, under Rule 5 on Lanes, Seeding and Qualifying Procedures on page 67, the following is stated:
"Championships Meets
ARTICLE 5. For championships meets, swimmers and relay teams shall be assigned to lanes from fastest to slowest in order of their submitted times. For a six-lane racing course, the lanes within each heat or final shall be filled in the following order: lanes three, four, two, five, one, six. For a seven-lane racing course, the lanes within each heat or final shall be filled in the following order: lanes four, five, three, six, two, seven, one. For an eight-lane racing course, the lanes within each heat or final shall be filled in the following order: lanes four, five, three, six, two, seven, one, eight. An appropriate similar pattern should be established for any racing course having other than six, seven or eight lanes. In preliminary heats or in finals for which there are no preliminaries, the times to be considered are those submitted on the official entry forms. In other finals, the times are those made in preliminary heats. Swimmers or relay teams with identical times shall be assigned to lanes by lot. There shall be no trading of lanes.
Note: When eight lanes are available, all eight lanes should be used in preliminary heats and finals. When seeding the swimmers, intentionally leaving empty lanes between them is not permitted."