JUCO fall seasons pushed back to spring, including football, volleyball due to COVID
The National Junior College Athletic Association is the latest to be impacted by the coronavirus as it announced on Monday that football, court volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer will be pushed back to the spring semester.
“Our greatest focus is and always has been providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes,” stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO in a press release. “Through a unified effort from our Presidential Advisory Council, the Board of Regents, and leadership staff, our most recent plan of action provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place.”
The NJCAA’s new plan of action will move all “close-contact” fall sports to spring. Cross country and Division III women’s tennis championships will remain as originally scheduled in the fall.
“As we move forward as an association, we will continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches and all those involved with the NJCAA to be safe and successful,” Parker said.
Men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and swimming and diving, which are winter sports, will push start dates to January. Those championship seasons will also be moved from March to April. Other winter sports such as men’s and women’s bowling and men’s and women’s indoor track and field will be held at the beginning of March.
Spring sports (baseball, softball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, track and field and men’s and women’s tennis) remain intact with minor adjustments to dates, said the NJCAA.
The NJCAA added, championship dates are subject to change based on championship facility availability.
Proposed start dates
Football
Practice: March 1, 2021
Competition: March 25
Max of 8 games through May 22
Championship: June 3
Soccer
Practice: March 15
Competition: April 2
Max of 14 games
Championship: June 2
Volleyball
Practice: January 11
Competition: January 29
Max of 21 competition dates
Championship: April 15-17
Basketball
Practice: January 11
Competition: January 22
Max of 22 games
Championship: April 19
