COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced today that the start of the 2020-21 season will be delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The move was unanimously approved by the NCHC Board of Directors on Sept. 8.
As of the announcement date, the conference anticipates that competition for NCHC programs will commence on or after November 20. Conference leadership has been working closely with all Division I college hockey conferences to plan for a safe and responsible return to competition.
"The health and safety of all involved across the campus communities, particularly our student-athletes, is the top priority," said NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton. "We fully expect NCHC hockey to be back this season. As COVID-19 continues to have an impact on higher education, we have an obligation to host athletic competitions in a safe and responsible manner. We are committed to doing everything we conceivably can to provide competitive experiences that our student-athletes deserve. This delay affords us valuable time to continue formulating plans to start the season successfully."
"This was not an easy decision for the membership," said
Mike Kemp, Senior Associate Athletic Director. "We have been working on a solution with the safety of our student-athletes and our fans at the forefront. The delay will give us more time to ensure that we can meet all health and safety protocols and welcome fans back to Baxter Arena."
Numerous scheduling models with a variety of start dates are being considered. The specific details regarding the new schedule, start date, number of games, matchups and other details will be released later. Teams will be able to commence in-season countable athletically related activities (e.g. in-season practice) with their student-athletes based on existing NCAA rules and in conjunction with local, state, and institutional restrictions and guidelines for various types of activity.
"Right now, we're focused on controlling what we can control," said Omaha head coach
Mike Gabinet. "Our guys have been working very hard to be ready when the season begins. I'm optimistic that the conference leadership will find a great solution and that we'll be ready to move forward and have a great season."
All plans and schedules may be adjusted as more information becomes available, with complete team schedules to be released at a later date.
