FROM PRESS RELEASE
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference concluded its 2020 Annual Spring Meetings Wednesday, which were held virtually for the first time in league history. The A-10 athletic directors, men’s and women’s basketball coaches and conference staff conducted video conference calls over three days to discuss key issues.
“We had our annual yearend conference business meeting to address key league topics, as well as the many issues we are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national economic crisis facing higher education and intercollegiate athletics. The decisions made, including revisions to our conference schedules, championship formats, policies and procedures were extremely difficult. However, each was considered and discussed with empathy, in consideration of the health, welfare and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and overall athletic programs,” stated A-10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade.
“These are extraordinary times and the Athletic Directors are leading in extraordinary fashion as evidenced by their willingness to make smart, hard decisions for the 2020-21 season while remaining committed to staying focused and resilient as circumstances in our world of athletics and academia change on a daily basis. The hope is that there will be a return to campus and classes with the ability to implement the necessary COVID-19 protocols for the fall semester. Should this not occur, the conference is prepared to go back to the drawing board and reevaluate with medical professionals all decisions in the best interests of our student-athletes and programs,” added McGlade.
The directors and coaches discussed a number of pertinent NCAA governance-related issues, including the transfer legislative and waiver criteria, pending discussions on regulatory adjustments directly impacted by the pandemic, as well as future decision-making frameworks and protocols for safe return to sport. Discussion related to the soon to be drafted legislation for student athletes’ use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), was vetted, allowing for meaningful feedback to the NCAA.
Decisions approved that will apply to only the 2020-21 season were to regionalize and condense conference schedules by 25 percent in the sports of field hockey, volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse. These revised schedules will allow for institutions to ensure a safer environment, minimize travel and missed class time, and conserve cost while still providing competitive schedules for the student-athletes and coaches. Additionally, the 2020-21 Atlantic 10 Championships for volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse were each reformatted to a four-team championship. This will minimize travel exposure, provide a final four competitive experience and allow for the championships to be conducted in one weekend. Other revisions to events and policies included the decision to conduct men’s basketball media day, sport committee meetings and administrative/governance meetings virtually, again minimizing travel exposure and time away while maintaining cost containment.
“The Atlantic 10 membership, like all of college sports, must carefully navigate the current environment with regards to health and safety while maintaining fiscal responsibilities,” said Thorr Bjorn, Rhode Island Athletic Director and chair of the A-10 Athletic Directors’ group. “I believe we’ve done that successfully this week, and I commend my colleagues and thank the Atlantic 10 staff for working together to address many key issues.”
The men’s and women’s basketball coaches each held their annual meetings, discussing scheduling, NCAA legislation and processes for the return of their student-athletes to campus and safe training. The 2020-21 conference schedule pairings were discussed, and the men’s 18-game, and women’s 16-game pairings will be delivered this week. The men’s coaches also took part in a virtual media panel with long-time college basketball analysts Mike DeCourcy, LaPhonso Ellis and Jon Rothstein. Other guest/presenters throughout the course of the meetings were: Scott Bearby, NCAA legal counsel and Kathleen McNeely, the NCAA’s Chief Financial Officer, as well as senior leadership from BSE Global, ESPN, CBS Sports and NBCSN.
The league held a virtual reception Monday evening to open the annual meetings, the first virtual social event in A-10 history. Regular season champions Dayton women’s basketball coach Shauna Green and men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant were both recognized during the reception for their excellent seasons. Also recognized were Fordham Athletic Director David Roach and A-10 Executive Director of Communications, Debbie H. White, who are retiring.
