HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State Community College’s athletics schedule will be altered during the 2020-2021 academic year after a recent mandate announced by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Among the changes are Wallace State’s volleyball team will now compete during the Spring 2021 semester and the women’s and men’s basketball teams will begin their seasons in late January 2021, each limited to 22 games.
Wallace State’s cross-country teams will conduct their normal fall schedules, beginning on Aug. 20. The programs can compete in a maximum of 10 meets. The ACCC meet is scheduled for Oct. 23.
All traditional spring sports programs remain intact with minimal changes to date.
Wallace State’s volleyball program, winners of the last 10 of 11 ACCC/Region 22 tournament championships, had its season modified the most.
“I’m supportive of the change and postponement of our season because of the health concerns surrounding the pandemic. I feel like pushing it to the spring gives us the best opportunity to experience a full season. It will be unique and unlike anything we’ve experienced before, but it’s worth the change,” said Wallace State volleyball coach Randy Daniel.
All Wallace State athletes will adhere to strict screening protocols when they arrive to campus next month.
“The Wallace State athletic department is working diligently to ensure an environment that is safe for our athletes. We’re 100 percent committed to their health, including administering daily screenings. We want to preserve a spring season for all of our athletes and look forward to cross country beginning in the fall,” said A.J. Daugherty, Wallace State’s softball coach and assistant athletic director.
Wallace State athletics is home to 12 programs, producing seven NJCAA national championships, perennial Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) champions and NJCAA academic recognition for its teams and athletes.
During the 2019-2020 academic year, both Wallace State’s cross-country teams were 2019 ACCC champs and the women’s basketball team earned a NJCAA Division I national championship at-large bid, the program’s sixth all-time. Spring sports were shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the entire 2020-21 NJCAA Updated Plan of Action here: https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/h/u/dk9lnct08xxptv/NJCAA_Updated_Plan_of_Action.pdf For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
