PSAC suspends NCAA competition for fall season; wrestling will also be impacted
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by PSAC
Editor's Notes: In its announcement on July 15, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference suspended all conference mandated events and championships through the fall semester.
The PSAC includes numerous colleges with men's wrestling, including Div. II Pitt-Johnstown, Gannon, Seton Hill, Kutztown, Mercyhurst, East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Shippensburg. Four other PSAC schools that compete on the Div. I level are Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro and Lock Haven, all which are members of the Mida American Conference (MAC).
There are PSAC women's wrestling teams at Gannon, East Stroudsburg and Lock Haven.
According to the release:
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.
College wrestling traditionally begins in the fall semester, with competition usually beginning in November. None of the PSAC wrestling teams have currently posted a 2020-21 wrestling schedule.
In its athlete FAQ, the conference addresses the winter sports programs.
Question 3: When will winter championship sports be able to start participating in countable athletically related activities?
Answer: Prior to September 1, the PSAC and its member institutions will develop guidelines on a phased approach to countable athletically related activities to allow for meaningful interaction among student athletes and coaches, if public health conditions permit. However, the decision to allow countable athletically related activities will be determined and defined on an institutional basis depending on institutional, local, and state public health guidelines. All applicable NCAA playing and practice season rules shall be followed. This includes the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and wrestling.
PSAC PRESS RELEASE: PSAC suspends NCAA competition for Fall 2020
Student Athlete FAQ
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.
The PSAC includes numerous colleges with men's wrestling, including Div. II Pitt-Johnstown, Gannon, Seton Hill, Kutztown, Mercyhurst, East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Shippensburg. Four other PSAC schools that compete on the Div. I level are Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro and Lock Haven, all which are members of the Mida American Conference (MAC).
There are PSAC women's wrestling teams at Gannon, East Stroudsburg and Lock Haven.
According to the release:
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.
College wrestling traditionally begins in the fall semester, with competition usually beginning in November. None of the PSAC wrestling teams have currently posted a 2020-21 wrestling schedule.
In its athlete FAQ, the conference addresses the winter sports programs.
Question 3: When will winter championship sports be able to start participating in countable athletically related activities?
Answer: Prior to September 1, the PSAC and its member institutions will develop guidelines on a phased approach to countable athletically related activities to allow for meaningful interaction among student athletes and coaches, if public health conditions permit. However, the decision to allow countable athletically related activities will be determined and defined on an institutional basis depending on institutional, local, and state public health guidelines. All applicable NCAA playing and practice season rules shall be followed. This includes the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and wrestling.
PSAC PRESS RELEASE: PSAC suspends NCAA competition for Fall 2020
Student Athlete FAQ
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.
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