Rome, Ga. – In line with recent actions regarding fall sports, combined with a continued focus on the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and athletics staffs, the Presidents of the USA South Athletic Conference have voted unanimously to postpone all men’s and women’s basketball conference competition until the spring 2021 semester. This decision was made in light of the lack of consistent improvement regarding positive COVID-19 cases throughout the USA South’s geographical footprint. Additionally, recent additional NCAA testing mandates, when institutions compete against outside competition, were also major contributing factors to the decision.
“Men’s and Women’s Basketball are the only sports in which the USA South conducts regular season and tournament play during the winter season,” stated Dr. Tom Hart, USA South Commissioner. “By pushing these sports to the second semester, we allow the time necessary for the COVID landscape to improve.”
Any further announcements from the USA South regarding the 2020-21 academic season will be shared on USASouth.net.
RELATED: USA South Postpones Fall Competition (7/28/20)
See below for Frequently Asked Questions:
Which USA South sports are affected by this announcement?
Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball.
Is there still opportunity to practice or play contests in the fall semester?
Yes. The NCAA passed a waiver prior to the fall season that allows for 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 men’s and women’s basketball schedules which will begin in mid-January and conclude with championship competition.
Will NCAA Championships for Division III basketball be conducted?
The current answer is “yes”. The NCAA Championships Committee is considering several factors related to tournament structure and timing which shall be announced in the coming weeks.
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.