NJCAA moves majority of fall sports competition to spring

Monday afternoon, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that most fall sports will be moved to the spring.

Shifting to the spring season will be any “close-contact” sport such as football, men’s and women’s soccer as well as volleyball.

"Our greatest focus is and always has been providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes," stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President and CEO. "Through a unified effort from our Presidential Advisory Council, the Board of Regents, and leadership staff, our most recent plan of action provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place. As we move forward as an association, we will continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches, and all those involved with the NJCAA to be safe and successful.”

The decision comes as COVID-19 cases surge across the country at nearly 60,000 positive tests per day and as the nationwide death toll eclipsed 135,000 Americans.

As of the announcement Monday, the NJCAA still anticipated hosting its cross country championships in the fall along with women’s tennis.

Additional changes

Most winter sports – basketball, wrestling and swimming and diving – also received a delay in the start of its calendar season Monday as the NJCAA announced that no winter sports competition would begin until January 2021.

A majority of the winter sports championship season will be pushed back from March to April.

Men’s and women’s bowling and indoor track still plan on being run on schedule.

As of Monday, spring sport competition was still scheduled as planned without any major changes.