HWS released more detailed (Draft) Fall 2020 Opening and Athletics "Return to Practice and Competition" plans that outlines how the Colleges will start attempting to move forward in a new, pandemic effected, normal.
The guidance, particularly around sports included this statement:
"[T]he final decision on fall semester athletics schedules remains tentative until we finalize plans with our partner schools in the Liberty League and other conferences. At this time, the Liberty League will implement a scheduling format consisting of league competition plus two nonconference contests with competition beginning September 26, 2020. For single-site Liberty League Championship sports, the scheduling format will focus on League competition. We remain optimistic and are moving ahead with the full intention to welcome our student athletes to campus in August"
There are obviously (many) caveats in the above (and we've already had one LL team decide to pull out of the fall season), so much could change between now and August, not to mention September. For now, the first practice of the 2020 season (assuming positive things happen) is set for 8/17/20. HWS has developed a five-phased approach which teams will need to meet in order to be able to compete.
Overall the COVID-19 numbers have been good in Central NYS, so hopefully that trend continues and isn't exacerbated by college kids returning to the area.
While there are a lot of details provided, there are still many to be figured out. From the statement above, it's possible the 2020 football schedule could morph in many ways. There were four OOC opponents on the original slate between Weeks 1-4. Week 4 is supposed to be the Homecoming / Parents and Family Weekend game vs. Keystone (PA), but will that game be changed for a different (i.e., an in-state) opponent? Could one of the OOC games happen in Week 6 given RPI cancelling?
I, and many others, don't really know at the moment and so those questions will be ones we'll have to wait on.
The good news is, for now, we have a season to look forward to experiencing. I'm sure the coaches remain hard at work preparing, as are the Statesmen players themselves.
Thanks as always for reading and go 'Bart!
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