Miami Ohio University Athletics
MAC Announces Operational Plans for Select Sports
10/13/2020 12:25:00 PM | Field Hockey, General, Swimming and Diving, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Monday operational plans for select sports. Both releases and plan outlines by sport provided by the conference follow.
MAC Announces Fall Sports Operational Plan
Includes Volleyball, Soccer and Field Hockey
The Mid-American Conference announced Monday a spring operational plan for the Fall Olympic Sports of Volleyball, M/W Soccer, Field Hockey to return to play beginning in the winter/spring season of 2021. Men's and Women's Cross Country plans are still under consideration. The plan, approved by the MAC Council of Presidents, includes recommendations for each of the fall sports to conduct a substantial conference season, while mitigating health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The MAC Council of Presidents and Directors of Athletics reviewed recommendations from individual sport working groups consisting of Administrators, Coaches, Student Athletes, Faculty, Facility, and Medical Personnel in order to support competitive opportunities for all teams. The MAC Coordinating Committee, chaired by Ohio Director of Athletics Julie Cromer, oversaw the working groups effort to ensure a consistent approach for integration of fall sports to spring competition.
"Significant effort went into devising plans to provide meaningful competitive opportunities for the fall sports student-athletes," states MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, "Teams will have the chance to compete not only for a Conference championship but also to participate in NCAA championship competition. I want to commend the many individuals – administrators, coaches, student-athletes, faculty, facility and medical staff who contributed to this endeavor. The working groups were thoughtful in developing the operational plans and making sure the plans provided for managing the health and welfare of the participants.
Each fall team sport (Volleyball, M/W Soccer, and Field Hockey) will participate in a modified Conference season that will allow for balancing of contests to minimize facility and staff conflicts. In accordance with NCAA guidelines, schedules will also position teams and fall student-athletes to participate in NCAA competition.
"I want to commend our committee members, including staff, faculty, coaches and student-athletes throughout our conference, for their countless hours of hard work contributed to this process," states Julie Cromer, "We look forward to providing a safe environment for our fall student-athletes to return to the fields and courts this spring to compete for MAC Championships."
MAC Announces Winter Sports Operational Plan
Includes Men's & Women's Swimming and Diving
The Mid-American Conference also announced Monday an operational plan for Wrestling, and Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving to conduct the 2020-21 season. The plan, approved by the MAC Directors of Athletics on Friday, includes recommendations for Wrestling and Men's and Women's Swimming to conduct the 2020-21 season, while mitigating health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The MAC Wrestling season is scheduled to begin January 1, 2021 with teams competing in an eight-week season with Conference Quad and Tri Meets scheduled by the Conference office during Weeks 4 & 5. The MAC Championships will take place February 27-28, 2021. Any student-athlete testing or contact tracing for COVID out of the MAC Championships can still participate at NCAA's on March 18-20.
The MAC Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving seasons, originally scheduled for late October, will begin competition on November 5. Both the men's and women's Conference championships will be pushed back (Men: April 8-10, Women: April 15-17) to accompany the delayed start date. Student-Athletes will remain eligible to compete at the NCAA Championships held in March.
A full list of recommendations for each sport can be found below. These recommendations are and will be subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with state and local health guidelines.
Volleyball
Women's Soccer
Field Hockey
Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving
Wrestling
Men's Soccer
MAC Announces Fall Sports Operational Plan
Includes Volleyball, Soccer and Field Hockey
The Mid-American Conference announced Monday a spring operational plan for the Fall Olympic Sports of Volleyball, M/W Soccer, Field Hockey to return to play beginning in the winter/spring season of 2021. Men's and Women's Cross Country plans are still under consideration. The plan, approved by the MAC Council of Presidents, includes recommendations for each of the fall sports to conduct a substantial conference season, while mitigating health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The MAC Council of Presidents and Directors of Athletics reviewed recommendations from individual sport working groups consisting of Administrators, Coaches, Student Athletes, Faculty, Facility, and Medical Personnel in order to support competitive opportunities for all teams. The MAC Coordinating Committee, chaired by Ohio Director of Athletics Julie Cromer, oversaw the working groups effort to ensure a consistent approach for integration of fall sports to spring competition.
"Significant effort went into devising plans to provide meaningful competitive opportunities for the fall sports student-athletes," states MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, "Teams will have the chance to compete not only for a Conference championship but also to participate in NCAA championship competition. I want to commend the many individuals – administrators, coaches, student-athletes, faculty, facility and medical staff who contributed to this endeavor. The working groups were thoughtful in developing the operational plans and making sure the plans provided for managing the health and welfare of the participants.
Each fall team sport (Volleyball, M/W Soccer, and Field Hockey) will participate in a modified Conference season that will allow for balancing of contests to minimize facility and staff conflicts. In accordance with NCAA guidelines, schedules will also position teams and fall student-athletes to participate in NCAA competition.
"I want to commend our committee members, including staff, faculty, coaches and student-athletes throughout our conference, for their countless hours of hard work contributed to this process," states Julie Cromer, "We look forward to providing a safe environment for our fall student-athletes to return to the fields and courts this spring to compete for MAC Championships."
MAC Announces Winter Sports Operational Plan
Includes Men's & Women's Swimming and Diving
The Mid-American Conference also announced Monday an operational plan for Wrestling, and Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving to conduct the 2020-21 season. The plan, approved by the MAC Directors of Athletics on Friday, includes recommendations for Wrestling and Men's and Women's Swimming to conduct the 2020-21 season, while mitigating health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The MAC Wrestling season is scheduled to begin January 1, 2021 with teams competing in an eight-week season with Conference Quad and Tri Meets scheduled by the Conference office during Weeks 4 & 5. The MAC Championships will take place February 27-28, 2021. Any student-athlete testing or contact tracing for COVID out of the MAC Championships can still participate at NCAA's on March 18-20.
The MAC Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving seasons, originally scheduled for late October, will begin competition on November 5. Both the men's and women's Conference championships will be pushed back (Men: April 8-10, Women: April 15-17) to accompany the delayed start date. Student-Athletes will remain eligible to compete at the NCAA Championships held in March.
A full list of recommendations for each sport can be found below. These recommendations are and will be subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with state and local health guidelines.
Volleyball
- To compete in 22 Conference matches in a double round robin format over a 10-week period between January 22 and March 27.
- Teams will face the same opponent twice in one weekend at one site.
- Travel partners will play midweek the two weeks following the MAC Basketball Tournament.
- Matches will take place on Thursday/Friday.
- A four-team Championship will take place on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3 at the site of the highest seed (best overall conference record) to determine the Conference automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
Women's Soccer
- To compete in 10 Conference matches in a Divisional double round robin format over a six-week period between March 4 and April 11.
- Matches will be played on Thursday/Sunday.
- A single-match Championship will take place on Saturday, April 17 at a campus site (best overall Conference winning percentage) between the two Division winners to determine the Conference automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
Field Hockey
- To compete in 12 Conference matches in a double round robin format over a seven-week period between March 12 and April 24.
- Teams will face the same opponent twice in one weekend at one site. Also, each team will schedule Bellarmine University (incoming MAC member in 2021-22) during its bye week, providing a total of 13-14 matches. The regular season champion will receive the Conference automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
- Games will be played on Friday/Saturday.
Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving
- Season beginning November 5, 2020.
- Men's Conference Championships: April 8-10, 2021 (hosted by Miami).
- Women's Conference Championships: April 15-17, 2021 (hosted by Eastern Michigan).
Wrestling
- Eight-week season (Jan. 1 – Feb. 21) with Conference Quad and Tri Meets scheduled by the conference office during Weeks 4 & 5 (Jan. 22-24 & Jan. 29-31).
- Teams may independently schedule additional Conference meets as able or needed.
- Conference Championships moved to February 27-28, 2021(current dates March 5-6).
Men's Soccer
- To compete in 10 conference matches in a double round robin format over a seven-week period between March 7 and April 18.
- The regular season champion will receive the Conference automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
- Matches will be played on Wednesday/Sunday.
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