NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (July 7) — The Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Presidents’ Council has unanimously approved conference-only scheduling format for all varsity sports during the fall 2020 season. All fall sports except football now have a first contest date of Sept. 7, while football will begin its nine-game league schedule on Sept. 19. “The PAC is blessed with a heritage of strong leadership collaboration coupled with a unique geographical configuration that makes athletic competition within the NCAA guidelines possible. We’re grateful for the work in establishing conference protocols that we trust will maximize opportunities to compete for our student-athletes while minimizing the risks we face together in these challenging times,” said Dr. Calvin Troup, president of Geneva College and chair of the PAC Presidents’ Council.
The structure and format of the conference-only schedule model will continue to be refined over the next month, and is subject to change as the situation and conditions evolve. Today’s announcement confirms the conference’s commitment to the responsible return of varsity intercollegiate athletics, but also demonstrates the membership’s faithfulness and trust in one another, a key component of the league’s operational culture since its founding in 1955. The Presidents’ Council also unanimously approved a recommendation to provide PAC schools with the flexibility to determine their own first practice dates this fall. Before this change, permissible start dates were based on a team’s first contest date.