CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Friday, the National Junior College Athletic Association confirmed it will suspend all spring competition through April 3. The Charlotte, N.C.-based organization made this move in hopes of quelling any symptoms of COVID-19, or coronavirus, that may occur.
This affects Snow College softball, USU Eastern Utah baseball and softball and Salt Lake Community College men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and beach volleyball in Utah.
Meanwhile, the NJCAA has postponed its basketball championships until April 20. This affects the Bruins’ men’s and women’s basketball squads as they are both competing at these prestigious tournaments.
The men are slated to play the winner of Western Wyoming-Angelica at Hutchinson, Kan. and the women, per slccbruins.com, are to play Butler CC (Kan.) April 20 at Lubbock, Texas.
Furthermore, the NJCAA is extending the hardship season completion ruling to 60 percent. This means that if a school, such as Snow, USU-Eastern Utah or SLCC, should cancel their respective sports season before the limit is reached, student-athletes at these, or any other NJCAA institutions, would not be charged a year of eligibility.
For the 2020-21 academic and athletic season, the NJCAA is currently exploring an increase in its allowable number of letters of intent.
This will be vetted by the organization’s eligibility committee.
The NJCAA confirmed, via press release, that its goal is looking after “the safety and security of all involved.”
Ultimately, if at all possible, the NJCAA hopes to provide a pathway for their student-athletes to still compete for a national championship in their respective sports.
