OCAA suspends Fall 2020 schedule for varsity athletics

The Ontario College Athletics Association (OCAA) and its members have made the decision to suspend the varsity schedule for the fall semester. At Mohawk College, sports directly affected by this decision include softball, rugby, soccer, golf, and cross-country running.

The OCAA made this decision in order to further reduce the potential exposure to COVID-19, and protect the health and safety of everyone involved in varsity sports, particularly our student athletes, coaches, athletic staff, and fans. The suspension of the fall varsity schedule is also due to most member institutions adopting a hybrid model of academic delivery for the fall 2020 semester, thereby minimizing the number of students and staff on campus.

For the 2021 winter semester, basketball, volleyball, badminton, curling and indoor soccer will continue, starting in January. The OCAA will monitor the situation on an ongoing basis and will make a decision during the fall semester on the status of the Winter 2021 schedule.

“We know this is a very disappointing development,” said Mohawk’s Director of Athletics & Recreation, Matt Ferreira. “Our varsity athletes are vital to our campus community, and I can assure you that this decision was not taken lightly. We remain committed to supporting our staff and student-athletes through these challenging times.”

Additional information regarding plans for Mountaineer varsity athletics will be communicated as soon as they become available. Athletics is coordinating meetings with each varsity coach and team next week to give the athletes and staff an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

For more information, please refer to the announce issued by the OCAA on Monday, June 8: https://ocaa.prestosports.com/members/covid19