Distance racing fans can get a possible preview of the NCAA Division III Cross Country championships when the University of Rochester hosts the 2021 University Athletic Association Cross Country Championships this Saturday.
 
The meet will be conducted at Genesee Valley Park. Adjacent to the University campus. The 8,000 meter men's race will begin at 11 a.m. The 6,000 meter women's race will follow at 12 p.m.
 
This will be the fourth time Rochester is hosting the championship. The Yellowjackets hosted in 1995 (UR won the men's title, Carnegie Mellon won the women's crown), in 2004 (Chicago won the men's title, Washington won the women's title), in 2012 (Washington won the men's title, Chicago won the women's crown).
 
In all, Rochester's men have won six UAA titles (1990-1992, 1994-1996). The Yellowjackets tied with Case Western Reserve for the 1993 title. In 2019, Rochester finished sixth. The Yellowjacket women finished third in the 2019 race (behind Washington and Chicago). UR's best finish was a second place finish behind Washington in 2015.
 
The UAA has been conducting these championship races since 1988. No championship was conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic. The 2019 men's champion was Carnegie Mellon University. In the previous five championships, the Tartans won twice (2015, 2019) and tied for the title with Washington University-St. Louis in 2016. WUSTL captured the 2017 and 2018 titles. Washington's women won six consecutive titles (2014-2019).
 
As opposed to the other sports, the NCAA does not designate automatic (Pool A) bids when a team wins a conference championship. The participants for the NCAA Championship will be based on a finish at the Regional Championships (November 13). The top team in each regional will qualify for the championship race on November 20 in Louisville, Kentucky. The remainder of the field – the 'at-large' contingent – will be evaluated on in-season results. The UAA schools are situated in six regions. Results in a meet like the UAAs – or the Rowan University Border Battle in mid-October – can play a role in determining post-season competition.
 
All the UAA schools are ranked highly in their regional polls by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Five men's teams are ranked nationally. Six women's teams are ranked nationally as well. Here are the rankings: (regional rankings in parenthesis)
 
Women:
#5         Washington (#2 Midwest)
#7         Chicago (#3 Midwest)
#17       Carnegie Mellon (#3 Mid-Atlantic)
#18       Emory (#1 South)
#24       Brandeis (#4 East)
#29       Case Western Reserve (#6 Great Lakes)
               Rochester (#3 Niagara)
               NYU (#6 Niagara)
 
Men:
#9         Emory (#1 South)
#13       Washington (#3 Midwest)
#17       Carnegie Mellon (#1 Mid-Atlantic)
#20       Chicago (#5 Midwest)
#27       Case Western Reserve (#3 Great Lakes)
               Rochester (#3 Niagara)
               NYU (#4 Niagara)
               Brandeis (#9 East)