Beaver Local's Georgie Long (left) and East Liverpool's Daminyka Lisk are racing for regional berths. (The Review/Ron Firth)

There are changes across the board leading up to the 119th Ohio High School Athletic Association state track and field meet.

The 2026 state meet will feature a five-division format, expanding from three divisions. It will be held June 4-7 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.

But that is just the start.

The changes begin this week with Salem not hosting the district meet because it cannot hold pole vault at Sebo Stadium. The district meet had been held many years in Salem before returning in 1993 after getting an all-weather track.

There also is a change in the schedule with the 3200-meter run final on the opening day along with the 3200-meter relay as the only running finals. The boys discus, long jump and pole vault, along with the girls shot put and high jump are also scheduled on the first day of the district meet.

The top four finishers in each event advance to their respective regional meet, except for the Springfield Division V girls where only two will advance.

The Division IV district at Pymatuning Valley will be held Wednesday and Friday and Division III district at St. Clairsville on Wednesday and Saturday.

On Thursday and Saturday, the Division III district at Austintown Fitch and Division V district at Springfield Local will be held.

Columbiana, Crestview, United and South Range and the Southern Local girls are at the Pymatuning Valley Division IV district. The field events will start at 4:30 p.m. and running events at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday.

The top four in each event advance to the Austintown Fitch regional the following week.

The Beaver Local, East Liverpool and Minerva girls are in the East district meet at St. Clairsville on Wednesday and Saturday. The Beaver Local and East Liverpool boys are in the East 1 district meet and Minerva is in the East 2 district meet.

The top four from each district advance to the Muskingum University regional the following week.

Salem and West Branch are in the Division III district at Austintown Fitch.

The field events will be held at 4:30 p.m. and running events at 6 p.m. Thursday and the running events at 10 a.m. and the running events at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

The top four in each event return to Austintown Fitch for the regional meet.

The Division V district is set for Springfield Local with host Springfield, East Palestine, Heartland Christian, Leetonia, Lisbon, Wellsville, Western Reserve, Valley Christian, Sebring and the Southern Local boys.

Springfield has hosted the district meet since 2006.

Thursday opens with the field events at 4 p.m. and running events at 5:30 p.m. Saturday’s schedule includes the field events at 10 a.m. and running events at 11:30 a.m.

The top four boys and top two girls advance to the regional meet at Cuyahoga Heights.

District meet tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students per day.