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Some Drury Sports Move To Second Semester

Some Drury Sports Move To Second Semester

Some Drury Sports Move To Second Semester

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of Drury’s fall sports including men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and football will be held in the spring semester, while men’s and women’s cross country will still be permitted to compete this fall.

Drury’s conference, the GLVC, becomes the 11th Division II School to make the change.

A deadline for the start date for men’s and women’s basketball, along with wrestling is set for October 1.

You can read more with a press release below…

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.–  The Great Lakes Valley Conference announced today they will postpone the majority of the fall intercollegiate athletics season until the second semester due to ongoing concerns of the coronavirus pandemic. The GLVC Council of Presidents voted for the schedule adjustment based on guidance from the league’s athletics directors and following an extensive review of the recommended testing and safety measures developed by the NCAA Sport Science Institute.

The fall sports of men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and football will have regular-season competition and GLVC championships conducted in the second semester, while the sports of men’s and women’s cross country will still be permitted to compete this fall with the 2020 GLVC Cross Country Championships slated for October 24. Men’s and women’s golf and tennis will also be allowed to compete in their non-championship segments in the fall and continue their season into the spring when their respective championship seasons begin.

In addition, several winter sports are scheduled to begin their 2020-21 seasons as early as September. The sports of women’s bowling, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s and women’s indoor track and field will be permitted to compete as scheduled, while the GLVC has established October 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for the sports of men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling.

Furthermore, the spring sports of baseball and softball will be permitted to have only intrasquad competition in the fall.

“Everyone associated with Drury athletics is disappointed that men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball competitions will not occur during the fall semester while baseball and softball will limited to only intrasquad games this fall. However, the health and safety of the student-athletes in those sports is very important and ultimately drove the decision to suspend competitions in those sports until the spring semester.”

“While the outlook may appear bleak as a result of this decision, I instead offer a message of hope – hope that an effective vaccine will be developed, hope that testing becomes more feasible, and hope that the efforts communities across the country are implementing (e.g., masking ordinances) will significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19. I look forward to seeing Panthers fans on campus cheering on our outstanding student-athletes in as safe of an environment as possible.”

The distinction between the sports stems from the sport classification put forth by the NCAA Sport Science Institute, based on a consensus by the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) COVID-19 Working Group. Bowling, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field were classified as low contact risk sports, while baseball, cross country, and softball were deemed medium contact risk. The NCAA believes low and medium contact risk sports can successfully implement physical distancing and universal masking practices during all sport activities; however, the level of risk in cross country and track and field is dependent upon the student-athlete’s proximity to other unmasked individuals. The sports in which those safety practices are deemed highly unlikely by the NCAA, including basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, and wrestling, have been classified as high contact risk sports.

“Regrettably, we find ourselves having to make these difficult decisions in July similar to those made in mid-March, regarding the postponement of GLVC competition for football, soccer, and volleyball for the fall semester,” said GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich. “We remain optimistic that we can provide our student-athletes impacted by today’s news with meaningful opportunities to engage with their teammates and coaches throughout the fall semester to prepare for the planned return to competition in the spring. The GLVC and all 15 of our member institutions remain committed to prioritizing the health and welfare for all students, faculty, and staff, as well as, for the citizens that reside in the community that supports each school.” 

The GLVC becomes the 11th of the 23 NCAA Division II conferences to postpone fall competition. The NCAA has yet to determine the final status of its fall national championships.

The GLVC’s scheduling committee will soon begin to determine second-semester, regular-season schedule models for all affected sports with health and safety, as well as, institutional facility, personnel, and cost-containment measures in mind. In addition, dates and locations for all GLVC Championships will be announced at a later date.

Dr. Robert Manuel, University of Indianapolis President and Chair of the GLVC Council of Presidents, echoed those sentiments:

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to the GLVC Council of Presidents and league athletics directors for the leadership they have shown during the vetting and decision-making process during these challenging times,” said Manuel. “The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, and those in our campus communities has been, and will continue to be, paramount throughout these unprecedented times.”

Drury University is scheduled to begin the 2020 Fall Semester on August 20. 

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