Yonkers Insider College Basketball Corner: MAAC Council of Presidents Revises 2020-21 Basketball Scheduling Policy for COVID-19 Impacted Season.

For Immediate Release: November 6, 2020

MAAC Council of Presidents Revises 2020-21 Basketball Scheduling Policy for COVID-19 Impacted Season.

 

EDISON, N.J. (Nov. 6, 2020) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Council of Presidents revised the 2020-21 MAAC Basketball scheduling format on Friday afternoon, after taking into consideration evolving COVID-19 testing, travel and venue standards. The Council approved the following changes to the format that were forwarded by the MAAC Committee on Athletic Administration (COAA), the Men’s and Women’s Sport Committee and head basketball coaches.

 

• A 20-game double round robin conference schedule with five home series and five away series for each team.
• A Friday/Saturday playing schedule at the same venue for both games, with 24 hours of spacing between the two contests. The men’s and women’s schedules will mirror each other so that the women’s program may be playing a team for a 2-game home series, with the men’s program playing the same opponent on the road - and vice versa in subsequent weeks.
• Make up week retained for the second to last week of the season.
• The use of the same officiating crew for both games of a series, when possible.
• When teams are traveling, only institutional staff and student-athletes that are designated as Tier 1, along with Tier 2 Presidents, Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and key conference staff members are permitted entrance to a team’s facility.
• Retained a ban on fan attendance at venues through December.
• Approved the threshold for the minimum number of players available for the game to be contested as 8 counter (scholarship) players and at least one coach.

“The MAAC’s goal with the revised scheduling format is to complete the conference season and meet the NCAA minimum of 13 Division I games to be played by teams,” said MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. “In light of the evolving state and local health standards, the increasing levels of infection rates, and decisions related to testing teams and officials three times a week for COVID-19, the MAAC membership revised its existing format for this season. The health and safety of our student-athletes and those associated with our programs is the priority of the Council of Presidents.”

 

The Council also reviewed draft guidelines for Commissioner Ensor to use in the rescheduling of make-up games this season, anticipating disruptions to the schedule caused by the pandemic.  The draft policy would grant the commissioner wide latitude and flexibility in rescheduling games, working with the Director of Athletics of the institutions affected, but relying on the commissioner to make the final decision. This would also apply to any additional games that may be scheduled between MAAC teams in their effort to reach the NCAA minimum of 13 contests, including up to four total contests between schools.

 

New schedules will be announced at a later date, following approval.

 

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:

With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40^th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.