The National Junior College athletic association has announced that it will be moving all fall sports to spring 2021. This includes football, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. Winter sports such as basketball will begin in January.
“Our greatest focus is and always has been providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes,” stated Dr Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO. “Through a unified effort from our Presidential Advisory Council, the Board of Regents, and leadership staff, our most recent plan of action provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place. As we move forward as an association, we will continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches, and all those involved with the NJCAA to be safe and successful.”
The NJCAA said that cross country championships for all three divisions and half-marathon championships will remain in the fall, also NJCAA Division II women’s tennis.
Moving junior college football to the spring will dramatically alter the 2021 recruiting cycle. In a "plan of action" released Monday, the NJCAA allows for football programs to practice between Aug. 15 and Nov. 15, with three scrimmages against outside competition permitted. But the plan dictates that games cannot start until March 25, which is nearly two months after traditional National Signing Day for schools and just a week before the signing period is scheduled to end.
You can read the full plan of action for the NJCAA here - https://www.njcaa.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200713l9o7t8
