MAC Conference Makes Drastic Changes To Regular & Postseason Sports

NCAA Tournament March Madness 2019 first four preview

The NCAA’s Mid-American Conference is making some changes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting in the 2020-2021 academic year, conference tournaments for eight different sports will be eliminated, while basketball (both men’s and women’s), volleyball and seven other sports will be undergoing postseason adjustments.

Baseball, softball, mens and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, field hockey, and women’s lacrosse will be sending their regular season winners directly to the NCAA tournaments.

The other nine sports will have an abbreviated postseason tournament.

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“There will be alternations in formats for nine other championships – volleyball (four-team), men’s basketball (eight-team), women’s basketball (eight-team), men’s swimming & diving (three-day), women’s swimming & diving (three-day), men’s indoor and outdoor track & field (two-day), women’s indoor and outdoor track & field (two-day), men’s golf (two-day) and women’s golf (two-day),” the conference announced this week.

Baseball and softball will be playing 30-game regular season schedules, while basketball will abandon the divisions and expand their total schedule by two games from 18-20.

The plan will stretch across four years, as of right now at least. Budget reductions are sure to be made for the overall postseason.

Football, however, will not be affected by any of these changes.