PSAC Announces Changes to Championship Schedules in 2021
STUDENT-ATHLETE FAQ
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Following recent decisions to cancel mandated schedules and championships for all fall and winter sports, the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is now permitting league championship opportunities in women’s and men's swimming and women's and men’s cross country.
Over the past week, the Board voted to cancel all mandated regular-season schedules and championship events for the fall and winter sports. The Board left an option open to continue championship opportunities should six or more institutions elect to compete in a championship season.
The collection of votes has indicated six or more schools have committed to having a championship season in swimming and cross country. Both swimming and cross country have been delegated as “low-risk” sports according to the guidelines set forth by the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel.
The PSAC and its member institutions also remain committed to previously intended regular-season and championship seasons for all spring sports in 2021.
The league will finalize details for cross country and swimming. Anticipated championship dates will fall over weekends in late March and late April, respectively.
The PSAC will announce any other changes to projected 2021 schedules as soon as they become available.
PSAC Announces Schedule Updates for Winter Sports (Nov. 18)
LOCK HAVEN, PA - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has announced the cancellation of its mandated regular-season and championship competition for winter sports following a vote of the league’s Board of Directors.
Last week, the Board cancelled PSAC Championship seasons in fall sports, yet allowed for league championship opportunities in those sports should six or more schools elect to participate. All schools electing to play must abide by existing league rules and the NCAA Guidelines that have been set due to the existing Covid-19 Pandemic. The same requirements exist for the winter sports that have been cancelled.
Last week the Board agreed to proceed with the intent to play a full regular and championship season for all spring sports in 2021.
Should member institutions wish to compete in fall and winter sport championship seasons, they are to declare their intent to the conference office by the end of the work day Wednesday, November 18. The PSAC office will review all notifications and make an announcement as soon as possible as to whether there is support to continue with a championship season in any of those sports.
“With careful consideration to health concerns and realistic abilities to conduct sport seasons amid this pandemic, our conference and our membership is forced to make some very difficult decisions,” said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray. “With the time we have to continue weighing our options, we are fully committed to playing a spring sports season. We will remain supportive of any other decisions to play sports and host championship events should our membership view it as a safe and reasonable opportunity.”
Fall and winter sports that may be subject to cancellation include: men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, indoor track & field, soccer and swimming, as well as women’s sports in volleyball and field hockey, and men’s sports in football and wrestling. Any cancellation of league schedules or championships does not preclude individual institutions from participating in countable athletically related activities nor exploring competition outside of the previously mandated schedule.
PSAC Announces Schedule Updates for Fall Sports (November 11)
LOCK HAVEN, PA - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has announced the cancellation of all mandated regular season and championship competition for fall sports that were to take place over the 2020-21 season. The decision comes following a majority vote of the Board of Directors – The 18 presidents who preside over each of its member institutions.
The decision on PSAC Fall Championships follows the same action by the NCAA, which earlier this year announced the cancellation of all 2020 Fall Championships for Division II. It affects the following league sports: men’s and women’s cross country and soccer, as well as women’s volleyball, field hockey and football. However, should six or more institutions commit to participating in any of those sports, the conference will reinstate a championship season.
The Board also voted to proceed with its intended mandated schedules and championships for 2021 spring sports. PSAC sponsored sports this spring are: men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, tennis and golf, as well as baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse.
A decision on winter championship seasons for wrestling, men’s and women’s basketball, indoor track & field and swimming is expected next week.
The decision to cancel PSAC mandated competition does not preclude individual institutions from participating in countable athletically related activities nor exploring competition outside of the previously mandated schedule.
PSAC SUSPENDS NCAA COMPETITION FOR FALL 2020 (July 15)
LOCK HAVEN, PA --- The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference voted on Tuesday, July 14, to suspend all mandated conference athletic events and championships through the fall semester in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conference has already undertaken a full review of its ability to shift fall sports competition and championships to the spring semester and fully intends to do so if a return to competition can be safely executed.
"The entire conference has worked hard these last few months to prepare for the return of sports to our campuses beginning this fall," explains PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray. "However, it has become apparent that the safe conduct of sports under the guidelines of social distancing is untenable for our members. We cannot place our student-athletes at greater risk than the general student body. Despite our planning and collective efforts, it has become clear that we are not able to do so.”
"We are committed to giving our student-athletes the chance to compete during this academic year," adds Geraldine Jones, President of California University of Pennsylvania and newly elected chair of the PSAC Board of Directors. "Many institutions and conferences are facing the same circumstances as we are, and if it is safe to return to competition, we will work with them and the NCAA to provide our teams with a championship experience during the spring semester. We know this is a huge disappointment for our student-athletes who work so very hard in their sport. This decision was not taken lightly and we feel saddened by having to do so.”
The Conference and its member institutions will develop guidelines for all teams to continue individual skill instruction as well as strength and conditioning activities under social distancing protocols by the end of the summer. The determination as to when winter and spring sports may begin workouts and practices will be considered at a later date.
"The circumstances we find ourselves in are unprecedented and thus we are taking unprecedented measures," adds Murray. "The contraction of COVID-19 and its viral spread are not the types of risks those involved with sports activities face under normal circumstances. Therefore, we cannot expose our student-athletes, coaches and university personnel to those risks. It is a painful step we are taking, but we feel it is the right one."
All fall and winter sports scheduled to begin before January 1 are impacted by this decision. The Conference will evaluate the necessary schedule changes and will communicate its plans for moving all competitions to the spring semester at a later date.
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg University, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, Edinboro University, Gannon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University, Lock Haven University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst University, Millersville University, The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Seton Hill University, Shepherd University, Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.