LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced Wednesday that its Board of Directors has voted to cancel all regular-season and championship competitions for winter sports.
As is the case with its decision to cancel championship seasons in fall sports, the PSAC said it would allow league championship opportunities should six or more schools elect to participate in the spring -- provided they abide to existing league rules and NCAA guidelines put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The same requirements exist for the winter sports that have been cancelled, the PSAC says.
The Board also voted last week to proceed with plans to play a full regular and championship season for all spring sports in 2021.
Should member institutions wish to compete in fall and winter sport championship seasons, they are to declare their intent to the conference office by Wednesday, November 18, the conference said.
The PSAC office will review all notifications and make an announcement as soon as possible as to whether there is support to continue with a championship season in any of those sports.
“With careful consideration to health concerns and realistic abilities to conduct sport seasons amid this pandemic, our conference and our membership is forced to make some very difficult decisions,” said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray in a press release. “With the time we have to continue weighing our options, we are fully committed to playing a spring sports season.
"We will remain supportive of any other decisions to play sports and host championship events should our membership view it as a safe and reasonable opportunity.”
Fall and winter sports that may be subject to cancellation include: men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, indoor track & field, soccer and swimming, as well as women’s sports in volleyball and field hockey, and men’s sports in football and wrestling.
Any cancellation of league schedules or championships does not preclude individual institutions from participating in countable athletically related activities nor exploring competition outside of the previously mandated schedule, the PSAC said.