The National Junior College Athletics Association has put all spring athletic seasons on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the nation. On Friday the NJCAA released a statement announcing the suspension of all spring competition.
North Central’s baseball and softball teams were in South Carolina for spring trips and were forced to return without playing a game at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The ban on spring competition runs through at least Friday, April 3, wiping out at least 18 scheduled softball games and 17 scheduled baseball contests. The start of the men’s and women’s golf seasons will also be delayed.
In the statement, the NJCAA announced it is extending the hardship season completion ruling to 60 percent. Should teams cancel their season before that limit is reached, student-athletes will not be charged a year of eligibility. For the 2020-21 season, the NJCAA is also increasing its allowable number of Letters of Intent which will be vetted by the organization’s eligibility committee.
“Our goal is to look after the safety and security of all involved, while also still providing a pathway to allow opportunities for our student-athletes and the ability to compete for a national championship,” the statement read. “The NJCAA will continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed.”
The announcement of the suspension of spring athletics came just days after the organization pushed back its Division I and II men’s and women’s basketball national tournaments. The North Central men’s basketball team advanced to the Division II National Tournament for the second-straight season. That event, held annually in Danville, IL, was originally scheduled to begin today (Tuesday). It has been postponed, however, and now has a tentative start date of Monday, April 20.