SIAC last conference to cancel ATLANTA, Ga. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced last week the cancellation of all conference scheduling and championship events for winter and spring sports due to continued concerns with COVID-19. Impacted sports include men’s and women’s basketball, tennis, golf, track and field, baseball, and softball.
“While the recent downtick with respect to new COVID-19 infections and vaccine developments is encouraging, the stark reality is that new infections remain at levels that are many multiples greater than when our league suspended SIAC championship activities in the first instance last fall,” said Gregory Moore, SIAC Commissioner. “As a result this decision seeks to balance the importance of providing our student-athletes with participation opportunities, while according such opportunities in a manner that also protects their health and safety.”
Each SIAC institution shall retain the autonomy to independently participate in non-conference competition and honor pre-existing contractual obligations. The men’s and women’s basketball teams of SIAC members Albany State, Tuskegee, Benedict, and Kentucky State are currently playing. The Miles men basketball team is also playing.
While current SIAC fan attendance restrictions will remain in force, team activities, practice and training opportunities against competition will be determined and defined by each member institution that will adhere and observe Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition (Updated Second Edition), state, local, and CDC COVID-related public health protocols.
At this juncture, fans are not permitted at any sporting competition taking place on SIAC campuses.
The SIAC joins the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as another NCAA Div. II HBCU conference which earlier called a halt to all athletic championships. The Mid Eastern Athletic Conference decided just two weeks ago to cancel its spring football schedule after cancelling its indoor track and field competition earlier.