Today, the CIF Southern Section released its Season Preview packet for the track and field season, providing an overview of CIF rules, regulations, and competitive frameworks. This year's preview introduced a major change to the most recent event added to the CIF State Championships.
Previously, the 15 fastest CIF-SS teams that submitted a time from the regular season qualified for the Masters Meet, with the chance to earn 4 spots that advance to the CIF State Track and Field Championships. Under this format, the Southern Section won five of the first six 4x800m relay titles at the State Meet.
4x800m Boys State Champions: '23- San Clemente, '24- San Clemente, '25- JSerra Catholic
4x800m Girls State Champions: '24- Ventura & '25- Santiago (Corona)
Beginning in 2026, CIF-SS is turning the 4x800m into a multi-round postseason event. Teams will qualify into Divisional Prelims, race again at Divisional Finals, and then earn their way to Masters.
In the Season Preview, it doesn't specify how many teams will qualify for the CIF State Championship, but if they follow previous years, the top 4 fastest times from the Masters Meet will qualify.
Excerpt from the Season Preview on New 4x800m Format
The full season preview is available to read on CIF-SS Website
For 2026, the 4x800 Meter Relay will be contested at the Divisional Prelims meets and will be a scoring event at the Divisional Finals meet.
The qualification and advancement format will be as follows:
• Teams must run the 4x800 relay at CIF-sanctioned meets (invitationals and/or league prelims/finals meets only) to achieve qualification times, which must be submitted via email.
• The verified top twenty-four (24) teams per gender, per division by the deadline date will qualify for their respective Divisional Prelims meet. A maximum of one(1) entry per school per gender is allowed (no "B" teams).
• Two (2) heats of the 4x800 per gender will be contested at each Divisional Prelims meet.
• The two (2) heat winners plus the remaining seven (7) fastest times for a total of nine (9) teams per division at each Divisional Prelims will advance to the Divisional Finals.
• At the Divisional Finals meet, there will be two (2) 18-team races per gender using combined divisions (similar to the combined-divisions format now used for the 3200-meter run).
• The four (4) divisional champions plus the remaining eleven (11) fastest teams by time will qualify for the Masters Meet, which serves as the state championship qualifier. The Masters Meet will feature a single-heat, 15-team final.
• Note: At all CIF-SS postseason meets (Prelims, Finals and Masters), the 4x800m races will be scheduled to occur in between the 200m and the 3200m events.
CIF-SS Track and Field Championship Dates
May 9th -- All Prelims
Division 1 Prelims @ Trabuco Hills High School
Division 2 Prelims @ Ontario High School
Division 3 Prelims @ Yorba Linda High School
Division 4 Prelims @ Carpinteria High School
May 16th -- Divisional Finals
CIF Southern Section Divisional Finals @ Moorpark High School
May 23rd -- State Qualifying
CIF-SS Maters Meet @Moorpark High School
May 29th-30th -- State Championships
CIF State Track and Field Championships @ Buchanan High School