Randolph College, along with the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Presidents Council, announced Tuesday afternoon the postponement of all athletic competition for the 2020 season due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made by the presidents of all ODAC member colleges and universities.
All conference-sponsored competition and championships for fall and winter sports will be postponed to January 1, 2021. As a member of the ODAC, Randolph's affected teams include men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, women's tennis, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's swimming.
Director of Athletics Tony Berich shared the outcome with the head coaches of fall teams this afternoon. The coaches will be contacting their returning and new student-athletes.
"After much discussion and consideration among conference administrators, it was clear that conference competition prior to January 1 was going to be virtually impossible," said Berich, who enters his third year at Randolph. "With today's announcement, we can now focus on the future and how to provide our student-athletes with the best possible experience, which is one of our biggest priorities."
ODAC Release
Randolph College Athletics Fall 2020 Return to Campus Q&A
What sports will be permitted to compete during the fall semester?
Due to the recent decision by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Council that stipulates that there will be no conference-sponsored competition prior to January 1, 2020, Randolph College will not be competing in any sports during the 2020 fall semester.
Will fall and winter sports compete at all in 2020-21?
Following the announcement by the ODAC, there will be no athletic competition until at least January 1, 2021. We will work continuously with the Randolph Coronavirus Task Force, the Randolph Athletics Return to Play committee, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the NCAA to consider any options for competition for fall/winter sports in the spring.
When will students know if winter and spring sports are happening?
We know that there will not be any athletic competition until at least January 1, 2021. No decisions have been made about the winter or spring sports yet at the conference level. We will continue to work with the Randolph Coronavirus Task Force, the Randolph Athletics Return to Play committee, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the NCAA and will decide at a future date.
Will fall and winter season teams be able to compete during the spring?
As a conference, we are investigating opportunities with the NCAA to shift our competitive season for fall sports to the spring. There are many factors that will affect the feasibility of doing so at the institutional level, but we are hopeful that we may be able to provide meaningful competitive opportunities to our fall teams during the spring terms.
What impact would only being able to practice or play a limited number of games have on my eligibility with the NCAA?
Under NCAA rules, students will not use a season of eligibility if their team does not compete during the traditional sport season. On July 9, the NCAA issued a blanket waiver providing guidance regarding eligibility concerns for teams who play a limited number of contests, or whose seasons end prematurely. The blanket waiver states that student-athletes will not be charged with participation for the 2020-21 season if their team can complete only 50% or less of the sport's maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NCAA also approved a second blanket waiver which permits student-athletes to receive a two-semester/three-quarter extension of eligibility if the student-athlete is unable to participate in their sport during the 2020-21 academic year due to the impact of COVID-19 or if the student-athlete's team completed 50% or less of the sport's maximum contests/dates of competition due to COVID-19. For more information on these blanket waivers, please see the NCAA press release.
We anticipate winter season teams will begin practice on their traditional start dates. Institutional decisions are still being made about whether winter student-athletes will remain on campus following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Spring season teams will have their non-traditional season in the fall, with sixteen practice opportunities over a five-week period.
Has the NCAA announced any changes to the 2020-21 sports seasons?
There have been no announcements regarding any adjustments to the NCAA championships.
When will student-athletes arrive on campus now that the fall preseason has been cancelled?
The Dean of Students Office and Residence Life will communicate arrival dates and times with fall student-athletes as soon as possible.
Will student-athletes who are on campus for the fall have access to the services and support provided through athletic training services, sport performance and the equipment room?
The athletics administration is continuing to work on specific protocols regarding athletic training services, sport performance and the equipment room. More information will be provided as soon as possible.
Will all athletic facilities be open?
Facilities will be open for the campus community while observing state and institutional guidelines, including physical distancing. As this is a fluid situation, we cannot guarantee what will be available or when. We are working on plans that will best monitor the usage and cleaning protocol of these spaces. Access to facilities may change during the semester, depending on changing state and institutional guidelines.
Will student-athletes have access to locker rooms?
Student-athletes will not have access to locker rooms.
Will fall sport athletes still receive PE credit in the fall term if that is deemed the non-traditional segment of the season?
The athletics administration is working with the College administration to determine whether fall sport athletes can receive PE credit in the fall term if that is deemed the non-traditional segment. Additional information will be shared as soon as possible.
For additional information please visit the Randolph College Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources website.
