ESCANABA, MI – The NJCAA released updated guidelines for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. All six Bay College sports saw a degree of change to their upcoming seasons.
Perhaps the least affected Norse Athletic offering is Cross Country. Their earliest practice date is now August 1, well before classes are set to begin at Bay College (August 17). Both Men's and Women's Cross Country will be allowed ten competition dates with the Division 2 Cross Country Championship being held on November 14 at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, IA.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the most affected sport at this point is Men's and Women's basketball. The NJCAA has indicated that basketball will have a fall practice period of 60 consecutive days between September 15 and December 15. They will shift to a spring championship season this year, with practice beginning as early as January 11, 2021. Competition can begin on January 22, while both teams can play a maximum of 22 games. Basketball will be able to hold five scrimmages with outside teams, with a maximum of two of those scrimmages falling in the spring. The NJCAA Men's and Women's Championships will begin on April 19, which means all regional and district tournaments are set to be completed by April 10.
Baseball and Softball also saw some changes, mostly to their fall scrimmage season. Both sports will be permitted 60 consecutive days for practice and scrimmages beginning as early as September 5 and ending by November 15. During that time teams are able to conduct scrimmages with outside teams. Baseball will be limited to 15 scrimmages during that time, while softball will be limited to 7 scrimmage dates. The Spring Championship Season was left relatively unchanged at this point. Teams can start practice as early as January 10. Baseball is allowed a maximum of 56 games against outside competition, while softball is allowed 30 dates of competition in the fall. The Division 2 Softball Championship will be held from May 25 to May 29, 2021, while the Division 2 Baseball World Series begins on May 29, 2021.
For a complete list of 2020-2021 NJCAA Sports Seasons Regulations, go to www.njcaa.org. Any changes to athletics as they pertain to Bay College will be updated at www.baynorse.com.