FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

As of last report, all systems are go with NPU athletics for the fall, although it would not surprise me if there will eventually be some changes to the schedules of various Vikings fall sports to accommodate what seems to be a growing movement in D3 to restrict student-athlete travel this coming school year. Nothing's been changed yet, but, with regard to football, I wonder if the September 5 trip to Minnesota to play Bethel is going to take place as planned.

I'm hoping it doesn't get axed. I've been looking forward to this game. If it happens, and you're in town for it, love to find a time to meet you in person.

I'm hoping for the same outcome, and if I'm able to come up to the Twin Cities for the game -- which depends upon the schedules of the three other fall sports I call for NPU -- I'd love to have a meet-up.

I haven't talked to any of the football coaches regarding the status of that game. Right now the situation's so fluid that I don't even know when they'll have to make a definitive decision. Same goes with the men's soccer team's trip to Cleveland to play Case Western Reserve, the women's soccer team's trip to Pella to play Central, and whatever out-of-state tourneys our women's volleyball coach has booked (he hasn't released the schedule yet).

I also don't know if there's some sort of travel radius that CCIW schools, or Central Region schools in general, are talking about. I think it'd be a bit ludicrous if they went with state borders rather than geographical radius; the North Park women's soccer team is scheduled to visit three MIAA schools this fall, and, while Alma would certainly be a no-go, both Hope and Kalamazoo are actually closer to the NPU campus in terms of travel time than fellow Illinois-based-schools Augustana and Millikin are.

North Park's other long football trip this year besides Bethel is to St. Louis to play Wash U. But that's a conference game, and I suspect that for CCIW schools conference games and matches won't be affected by travel restrictions.

[Gregory Sager]

One also has to wonder about the status of these other non-conference football games:

Rhodes @ Augustana
Carroll @ Anderson
UW-River Falls @ Elmhurst
Illinois Wesleyan @ Franklin
Christopher Newport @ North Central
Wheaton @ Northwestern

I suspect that UW-Whitewater @ Carthage and Millikin @ Greenville wouldn't be affected by any restrictions.

[wally_wabash]

One also has to wonder about the status of these other non-conference football games:

Rhodes @ Augustana
Carroll @ Anderson
UW-River Falls @ Elmhurst
Illinois Wesleyan @ Franklin
Christopher Newport @ North Central
Wheaton @ Northwestern

I suspect that UW-Whitewater @ Carthage and Millikin @ Greenville wouldn't be affected by any restrictions.

I think the potential hair in the soup with non-con games will be differences in protocols from conference to conference.  If, say, the CCIW has much tighter controls than they do in the WIAC or the UMAC, you might get some games called off.  Not that differences in policies couldn't be ironed out, but if not, games could go away. 

[Gregory Sager]

First, the conferences themselves have to establish those protocols. I haven't heard of any in D3 that have done so yet.

[Pat Coleman]

The SCIAC has said it will only do conference play, if it can do anything this fall. That's the only thing that's close to definitive that I've seen a conference say so far.

[wally_wabash]

First, the conferences themselves have to establish those protocols. I haven't heard of any in D3 that have done so yet.

There is that.  Schools within a conference coming to a consensus on safety protocols shouldn't be assumed. 

[formerd3db]

First, the conferences themselves have to establish those protocols. I haven't heard of any in D3 that have done so yet.

There is that.  Schools within a conference coming to a consensus on safety protocols shouldn't be assumed. 

That is exactly right, Wally.  There are some schools with differences of opinion within the membership of their conference with regard to those aspects (I know of at least one conference ). As both Gregory and Pat have mentioned, none of the conferences (other than the SCIAC noting there will be some change, and, of course, those schools who have already announced the cancellation of their seasons as Pat has noted on this site) as far as I know, have as yet definitively defined/announced just exactly what the parameters of their safety protocols and overall plan for any potential revised schedules will be, although they are, of course, definitely working on those as we speak (post).  And as we all know, even those initial decisions could change at the last minute or weekly depending on the overall status of conditions.  The amount of energy, time, stress, and numerous varied scenarios that all the conference administrators, head coaches, ADs, athletic training and medical staffs (and we won't forget about including the SIDs who are either involved with some of that planning or are awaiting the "go-ahead" for announcement and/or both) has been tremendous, let alone "mind-boggling."  I'm sure we all appreciate their efforts in coming up with whatever turns out to be the "tentative game plan."

[markerickson]

Here is a link that indicates fall opening arrangements for over 1,000 schools.  I checked NPU, NCC, Augie, and IWU only.  No info for the Titans.

  https://www.chronicle.com/article/Here-s-a-List-of-Colleges-/248626?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_1331470&cid=at&source=ams&sourceId=1720165

[Titan Q]

Here is a link that indicates fall opening arrangements for over 1,000 schools.  I checked NPU, NCC, Augie, and IWU only.  No info for the Titans.

  https://www.chronicle.com/article/Here-s-a-List-of-Colleges-/248626?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_1331470&cid=at&source=ams&sourceId=1720165

Here is what IWU has announced so far...

https://www.iwu.edu/updates/coronavirus/

[Titan Q]

OAC Fall sports announcement...

https://www.oac.org/MISC/COVID-19_2020/Fall_Sports_COVID_Response

"Fall competition in all sports will begin September 19 and the league will play Conference-only competition in football, soccer and volleyball, while permitting cross country, golf and tennis to play outside competition."


I think some version of this general model is what we will see from conferences that are proceeding with Fall sports.  Obviously even the best of plans can be blown up based on what happens with this thing.

I think we'll see the CCIW go with an OAC-like model.

[Titan Q]

Many of the D3s to cancel Fall sports so far have endowments of $1B+. For example:
-Amherst = $2.5B
-Bowdoin = $1.7B
-Grinnell = $2.1B
-Swarthmore = $2.1B
-Wellesley = $2.1B
-Williams = $2.9B

Like most D3 schools, no CCIW member is anywhere near a "B." 

My working theory is that schools with the most financial cushion can afford to make an early (late-June, early-July) decision to cancel Fall sports.  The average D3 though cannot.  With 30-40% of the student base on a varsity sports roster, and these schools reliant on tuition revenue, there would be enormous financial implications to students taking a semester or year off to save eligibility.  And that would be a very real possibility for a good number of student-athletes in my opinion. 

And to clarify, I'm not saying any school wants to put student-athletes in jeopardy.  But rather some have more incentive to do anything possible to create a plan for whatever kind of Fall seasons are possible while keeping everyone safe.

Here are the largest endowment D3 schools that have not announced anything about Fall sports yet:

- MIT = $17.6B
- Chicago = $8.3B
- Wash U = $8.0B
- Emory = $7.9B
- Johns Hopkins = $6.3B

Will be interesting to see what those institutions do...especially the one that's in our conference for football.

[Shamrock]

TQ, to the extent that they are able, I think that a lot of schools that make the decision to compete this fall are going to revise their schedules to eliminate games that require extended travel.

[Titan Q]

TQ, to the extent that they are able, I think that a lot of schools that make the decision to compete this fall are going to revise their schedules to eliminate games that require extended travel.

I agree.  I especially can't see overnight/hotel type trips happening.

[Gotberg]

Not football, but NPU announced their intent to have women's tennis this coming fall and spring.  No clear specifics, but it's possible competition may be limited to conference opponents.

[Titan Q]

Not football, but NPU announced their intent to have women's tennis this coming fall and spring.  No clear specifics, but it's possible competition may be limited to conference opponents.

We will take any positive news we can get...thank you.