Last week, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced it would cancel all winter sports in the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thursday, it reversed course somewhat, permitting league championships in men’s and women’s swimming and men’s and women’s cross country.
Last week’s decision by the PSAC Board of Directors cancelled all “mandated regular-season schedules and championship events” for fall and winter sports. Fall sports had been postponed through Jan. 1, and winter sports were hanging in the balance. But with several schools vowing to push ahead with a season independent of the league, the PSAC left open the possibility of league championships if a critical mass of schools would attend, defined as six or more institutions. “We will remain supportive of any other decisions to play sports and host championship events should our membership view it as a safe and reasonable opportunity,” PSAC commissioner Steve Murray said at the time.
Six or more have responded for swimming and cross country, which the NCAA’s COVID-19 Advisory Panel have designated as “low-risk” sports.
The PSAC will finalize plans in the coming weeks, but anticipated championship dates would be in late March for cross country and late April for swimming. (That date would place it well after the NCAA Division II championships, which several of the PSAC schools would likely qualify for.) Presumably, the schools are free to schedule meets in the meantime beyond the conference’s imprimatur, likely against local opposition.
The PSAC Thursday also affirmed its commitment to “previously intended regular-season and championship seasons for all spring sports in 2021.”