I think KK answered it. Previously AA use to be quite strict about ensuring athletes had qualfiied for events, in the last 5 years they have loosened the strictness with the past 2 season being open slather for winner of state titles to compete.
I can remember getting a not eligible to compete after winning a state title because I missed the qualifying mark, the following year the person who won the same event threw less then me but competed. That would of been 2006