ATLANTA–The SIAC announced its athletic plans for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year. It does not include a football championship. The league announced on Tuesday that it will not be sponsoring football, cross country, or women’s volleyball.
Basketball will be moving forward but with a limited capacity. The men’s and women’s schedules will begin on January 10 with teams playing a 12-14 game schedule. From that point, play will lead into the SIAC Basketball Tournament. Recently admitted Alan University will take part in the tournament. Any games played on a SIAC campus will not allow fans to attend.
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“In light of the fluid and dynamic nature of the current COVID-19 crisis, the SIAC will continue to work closely with its member institutions and continue to monitor and evaluate the health and safety risks, while also reserving the option to make scheduling adjustments should current circumstances change,” said SIAC Commissioner Greg Moore.
The SIAC is allowing schools the autonomy to participate in football, volleyball, or cross country as independents. But football, however, would be a stretch. The majority of teams playing this year are doing a conference only schedule.
One administrator at a SIAC school told me that their football program is resigned to the lack of spring football. The idea of footing the bill for consecutive spring and fall seasons is “herculean” according to our conversation.
The spring 2021 season will feature men’s and women’s tennis, golf, men’s and women’s track and field, softball, and baseball.
In October the CIAA announced that it would not sponsor spring football. Tuesday’s announcement keeps both leagues in lock and step with one another. The two leagues announced jointly in July that they would not play sports this fall.