NWAC Announces Return of Athletics for 2020-21

July 9, 2020

NWAC Announces Return of Athletics for 2020-21

PENDLETON, Ore. - For the past couple months the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) has been hard at work deciding on what the return to play would look like for athletics. Working with the health authority, community college presidents, and state authority it has been determined to alter the start date of fall sports and move them to winter and spring quarters. This decision was made for the best interest and safety of the student-athletes.

In partnership with the NWAC Sports Medicine Committee, a thourough plan has been created that contains health and safety protocols to implement for practice, games, and the NWAC championships. Every college must follow the state, local, NWAC, and institutional guidelines as they relate in bringing student-athletes safely back to campus for competition.

For BMCC athletics, all sports are to enter the red phase of re-entry as follows:

Men's and women's soccer season is currently scheduled to begin February 3rd, 2021.

Volleyball beginning February 17th, 2021.

Men's and women's basketball is to begin January 16th, 2021.

Baseball and softball are to begin February 13th, 2021.

We are currently still waiting to hear on the official start date on college rodeo from the NIRA.

To read the NWAC press release, please click here.

For more information on the Sports Calendar view: 2020-2021 Sports Calendar.

According to NWAC Executive Director, Marco Azurdia, "We have been thoughtful, comprehensive, flexible, and listened to our constituents. It is time to move forward. The plan pushed the conversations with our member college administrators thus leading to the Executive Board's decision. We have said from the beginning that flexibility, creativity, adaptability, and patience are essential to the success of our return to play. NWAC will continue to follow the guidance and direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local and state health agencies, and member college presidents. Should conditions dictate a change from these guidelines, we have contingencies in place that will help us address NWAC sports. As additional information becomes available we will look to update our plans and strategies."

For more information on the NWAC Return-to-Play Guidelines and/or the NWAC Health and Safety protocols please visit the NWAC website at https://nwacsports.com/COVID19 or https://nwacsports.com/SportsMedicine.

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Contact: Jordan Hillmick; Sports Information Specialist; 541-278-5964; jhillmick@bluecc.edu