General | 12/9/2020 5:41:00 PM
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference Board of Directors has unanimously approved plans to conduct winter sports athletics competition beginning on or after Jan. 7, 2021. In addition, the Board approved spring competition schedules for the MEC's fall sports programs.
In light of the ongoing pandemic, no spectators will be permitted at the start of the winter sports seasons. The Board will not re-evaluate that policy until Jan. 19 at the earliest.
All plans are contingent upon the ability to conduct sporting events while adhering to state and local guidelines and COVID-19 surveillance testing at each member institution utilizing the NCAA's guidelines.
"On behalf of our board, our athletics administrators, athletic staffs, and our student-athletes, we are pleased to be taking the next steps toward returning to competition in 2021," MEC Commissioner Reid Amos said.
"However, we fully acknowledge that there are still many challenges ahead of us as we make every effort to safely navigate returning to and sustaining intercollegiate competition. I am grateful for the resolve of everyone in our league to continue to plot a viable path forward."
WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULE/CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATES
The 16-game men's and women's basketball regular seasons are set to run from Jan. 7 to Feb. 27. The league plans to invite the top 10 men's and women's teams to the MEC Tournament at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. from March 3-7.
The wrestling schedule will begin in January, consisting primarily of conference dual and tri-matches. The MEC Championship Tournament is set for Feb. 6 inside the ASRC on the campus of West Liberty University.
FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE/CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATES
FOOTBALL: Teams are scheduled to play a five-game divisional lineup beginning March 13. An MEC Championship Game between the two division champions is set for mid-April.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: The MEC has split its 12 women's volleyball teams into two six-team divisions with each team to play a 10-game full round-robin divisional schedule, beginning on Feb. 2. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the MEC Tournament. The quarterfinal round will be played at campus sites with the four survivors moving on to play at a single site to be determined.
MEN'S/WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: The cross country regular season will start Feb. 13 and conclude with the MEC Championship meet on March 20.
MEN'S SOCCER: The men's soccer teams will begin an eight-game single round-robin schedule on or after Feb. 19. The top four teams will advance to the MEC Tournament, slated for April 21-25 at campus sites.
WOMEN'S SOCCER: The 12 women's soccer teams will utilize a different format for their eight-game schedule. Three four-team divisions have been created with teams playing a double round-robin divisional slate with two additional non-division opponents. The top two teams in each division advance to the MEC Tournament, beginning the week of April 19.
MEN'S/WOMEN'S GOLF: The MEC Golf Championship, which has been traditionally held in the fall, moves to April 20-22 at Avalon Lakes in Warren, Ohio.
SPRING SPORTS STATEMENT
At this time, the Mountain East Conference is planning to conduct its spring seasons as scheduled in accordance with the NCAA-mandated one-year reduction of allowable contests.
