Flushing, NY- On Monday (March 8) afternoon, Queens College, in consultation with CUNY and various stakeholders, has announced the Spring Sports Return to Play plan for the 2021 spring semester. Given the challenges, uncertainties, and logistics related to COVID-19, the department of Athletics & Recreation has been working in conjunction with the East Coast Conference (ECC), NCAA, CDC, and New York State Department of Health to develop best practices and safety guidelines for our Knights.
The spring sports teams consisting of baseball, softball, and men's and women's tennis will proceed in regular season and championship competition. Additionally, the men's and women's track & field teams will not compete in the spring 2021 season due to the lack of competition available in the Northeast region.
"We are excited and hopeful for our spring sports to compete," said Director of Athletics & Recreation
Rob Twible. "We are UKNIGHTED in ensuring our spring student-athletes do not miss a second season of competition, and we appreciate the efforts of our administration, medical staff, coaches, and student-athletes to get back on the court and field.
A return to competition, which calls for both regular season and championship elements, will take place in accordance with ECC, NCAA, school, local, and state regulations pertaining to COVID-19. In addition, it is the decision of the Department of Athletics and Recreation, in accordance with the latest New York State guidance on intercollegiate athletics during the COVID-19 health emergency, to not permit spectators at contests.
The following set of guiding principles helped determine the best approach in developing spring competition models:
- The health and safety of campus and conference communities remains the top priority
- Establishing regular-season start dates that allow spring sport student-athletes to return to campus for the spring semester
- COVID-19 testing
- Daily health screenings
- Smaller "pod" systems for athletics activities
- Virtual team meetings when applicable
- Reduced room capacity and social distancing procedures when in-person meetings are needed
- Office meetings by appointment only with a maximum of two people with masks and social distancing
- Isolation and contact tracing procedures if someone tests positive
- Increased cleaning and sanitation of athletic facilities, equipment, and vans
- Traffic flow patterns for athletic facilities
- PPE equipment for athletic training personnel and athletic personnel
- Additional sanitization stations throughout athletic facilities and on the sidelines
- Individual items for student-athletes such as face coverings and water bottles
- Laundry service for athletic-related clothing
- Reduced capacity in the athletic training room, aided by an online system for appointments
- Social distancing at practice where applicable
- Masks being worn at all times where applicable
A full list of competition and championship start dates for non-conference and East Coast Conference will be made available in the upcoming week.
To learn more about the guidelines put in place, see the links below:
Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition, Second Edition (Updated)
Center for Disease Control Corona Virus Guidelines
NYS Higher Ed Supplemental Guidance
NYS Supplemental Guidance for Athletics at Higher Education Institutions
New York State Department of Health COVID-19 Overview
New York State Department of Health Travel Guidelines
Supplemental Guidance for COVID-19 Containment at higher education institutions during the public health emergency
