BREVARD, N.C. – With the health and safety of student athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and athletics staffs as their priority, the Presidents of the USA South Athletic Conference have voted unanimously to postpone all fall sport conference competition until the spring 2021 semester.
The USA South Conference joins over fifty percent of conferences in NCAA Division III who have postponed fall conference schedules to the spring of 2021.
The sports impacted are football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s cross country, and women’s cross country. This decision was made in light of several factors, including the recent rise in positive COVID-19 cases throughout the USA South’s geographical footprint. Other major factors include the availability, cost, and feasibility of adequate and consistent testing for student athletes.
“With the health and wellbeing of our students, coaches and staff as the priority, we are aligned with the USA South Conference in this difficult decision,” said Brevard College President Dr. David C. Joyce. “We will continue to move forward as an institution with safety being paramount, while also doing everything we can to give our students the most well-rounded experience possible.”
While the conference’s fall sports competition schedule will be moved to the spring of 2021, the impacted sports will have the opportunity to practice with the possibility of non-conference competition in the fall.
“Our coaches and staff are fully committed to providing our Tornado student-athletes with a safe and valuable experience through these uncertain times,” stated Brevard College Director of Athletics Myranda Nash. “We are working diligently in preparing for this upcoming academic year to best support every student-athlete.”
Any further announcements from the USA South Conference regarding the 2020-21 academic season will be shared on USASouth.net. Stay tuned to bctornados.com as well as Brevard College Athletics social media outlets for updates from Brevard College.
Brevard College Frequently Asked Questions
Which Brevard College sports are directly affected by the USA South announcement?
The traditional fall conference schedules for Brevard College Football, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Men’s Cross Country and Women’s Cross Country have been postponed to the spring of 2021.
What will it be like for a student-athlete to participate on a team in the fall?
The NCAA recently passed a waiver that will allow for all student-athletes in all sports to practice and/or participate in outside competition. Per the NCAA ruling, these decisions shall be made on an institution-by-institution basis. Any games played against outside competition during the fall semester will not be scheduled by the USA South and will not be considered “conference” contests.
At Brevard College, practice schedules will be created by each program’s Head Coach. BC officials will be monitoring the ever-changing impact of COVID-19 and will make decisions on non-conference contests accordingly. Similar to the fall sports’ non-championship segment (typically held in the spring), there may be the opportunity to play in a limited number of non-conference contests/exhibitions in the fall.
What COVID-19 safety protocols are in place for fall practice and potential competitions?
The NCAA has outlined best practices related to COVID-19 safety in competition and practice. Brevard College will be following these recommendations. Click here for most recent NCAA resocialization guidelines.
How will this decision affect student move-in dates at Brevard College?
Student-athletes will move-in during the regularly scheduled move-in dates. New students will receive move-in dates for August 10-12 and returning students for August 13-15. August 9 and August 16 are conflict dates for move-in. If students cannot make their assigned move-in times they can request either August 9 or 16. All students will receive an email from the housing office with their assigned move-in day and time.
Will this decision affect spring sports in their non-traditional season?
Non-traditional seasons for spring sports are not immediately impacted by this decision. Spring sports still have the ability to practice this fall during their typical non-traditional season.
Will this decision affect the spring sports traditional competition schedule?
No. Plans are currently underway for the spring sports to compete in their traditional seasons as scheduled.
How will this decision affect the winter sports of Men’s Basketball and Women’s Basketball?
The leadership within the USA South will now shift its focus towards the sports of men’s and women’s basketball while keeping a watchful eye on the spring sports. Any decisions and progress will be dependent on public health mandates of each institution and state, in addition to the NCAA and its guidelines.
How will this decision affect the non-NCAA sports of Cycling, Climbing and Cheerleading?
Similar to Brevard College’s NCAA sports, practice will be permitted for the sports of Cycling, Climbing and Cheerleading in the fall with the possibility of limited competitions.
The Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (SECCC) announced on July 9 that the 2020 Mountain Bike season has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping the safety of the athletes, coaches, volunteers, and community at the forefront of their decision. For the full statement from the SECCC, please click here.
USA Climbing cancelled its 2020 Collegiate National Championships in an announcement on May 20. For the full statement from USA Climbing, please click here.
Will practicing in the fall affect a student-athlete’s NCAA eligibility?
No. For Division III student-athletes, participation in workouts, meetings, or practices in their usual season during the fall semester will not trigger the use of a season of participation.
Additionally, the NCAA recently issued a blanket waiver that states that Division III student-athletes will not be charged with a season of participation for the 2020-21 season if their team completes 50-percent or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NCAA also issued a blanket statement stating that a student-athlete will receive a two semester extension of eligibility (towards their 10-semester total) if they are unable to participate due to COVID-19 or if their team completes 50-percent or less of that sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition. Visit the NCAA website for the full announcement.
USA South Conference Frequently Asked Questions:
Which USA South sports are affected by this announcement?
Football, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Men’s Cross Country, and Women’s Cross Country. Men’s and Women’s Basketball currently are not included.
Is there still opportunity to practice or play contests in the fall?
Yes. The NCAA recently passed a waiver that will allow for all student-athletes in all sports to practice and/or participate in outside competition. Per that NCAA ruling, these decisions shall be made on an institution-by-institution basis. Any games played against outside competition during the fall semester will not be scheduled by the USA South and will not be considered “conference” contests.
How is eligibility affected by this announcement?
Student-athletes are permitted to practice without losing a year of eligibility. Additionally, the NCAA passed a blanket waiver detailing that student-athletes will not be charged with participation for the 2020-21 season if their team can complete only 50% or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More details can be found HERE.
Will these postponed games be played in the spring and will there be Conference championships?
It is the intention of the USA South to formulate plans to play as many contests as feasible for the sports mentioned above within the spring semester and conduct championship competition. To assist with this goal, the NCAA recently approved a waiver that provides institutions with flexibility in their sport seasons during 2020-21. This waiver allows schools to count their playing seasons in 114 days instead of a specified number of consecutive weeks. Any hopes of spring participation continue to depend on improvements of external factors related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Will NCAA Championships for Division III fall sports be conducted? If so, will they be in the fall or spring semester?
The NCAA Board of Governors is currently considering this matter. In a letter to the NCAA BOG, the NCAA Division III Management Council recommended that fall championships be cancelled.
When will decisions regarding men’s and women’s basketball or the spring sport seasons be made?
The leadership within the USA South will now shift its focus towards the sports of men’s and women’s basketball while keeping a watchful eye on the spring sports. Any decisions and progress will be dependent on public health mandates of each institution and state, in addition to the NCAA and its guidelines.
Are there more resources to learn about NCAA updates or how specific institutional decisions will be made?
Institutional athletic departments (athletic director, head coach, website) can be used as resources when inquiring about how these decisions affect their specific athletic and/or academic situations. Additionally, the NCAA has a COVID-19 update page which can be accessed HERE.
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