Feb. 19, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - George Mason women's track and field head coach Angie Taylor was recently appointed to the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field Rules Committee. The appointment is a four-year term, which begins on Sept. 1, 2008 and ends on Sept. 1, 2012.

The men's and women's track and field rules committee is comprised of 25 members, which includes 12 representatives from all divisions and subdivisions of Division I, six members from Division II and III and an additional member serving as a nonvoting secretary-rules editor. Each of the eight regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Great Lakes, Midwest, South Central, Mountain and West) has four representatives on the committee.

Each committee member should have a working knowledge of the sports of cross country and track and field with specific reference to rules, meet management, standards and the selection process. Members of the men's and women's track and field rules committee are expected to select teams and individuals for the cross country, indoor and outdoor championships, participate on numerous regional and national conference calls, assign officials, serve as the NCAA representative at regional events, attend the cross country, indoor and outdoor championships and assist in the preparation of championship schedules and other event preparations.

The NCAA governance structure is made up of more than 125 committees. In August 1997, restructuring allowed greater autonomy for each division and more control by chancellors and presidents. Under restructuring, athletics administrators play a primary role in the maintenance of college sports, and in most instances in developing legislation that the chancellors and presidents then consider for each division and the NCAA. Sports committees oversee the conduct of the NCAA Championship in their respective sport and division(s). Playing rules may be formulated and administered by a subcommittee of a championships committee, or by a separate rules committee.

Taylor is in her ninth year as head coach of the George Mason University women's cross country and track and field program. Since taking over the helm of the Patriot program in the fall of 1999, Taylor has trained five track and field CAA Rookies of the Year, three outdoor conference Outstanding Championship Performers and two conference Athlete of the Year award winners. As many as 31 student-athletes have claimed CAA individual outdoor championships in jumps, sprints and relay events. Throughout her career she has coached NCAA qualifiers in the hurdles, sprints, long jump and triple jump, as well as several All-Americans.