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NCAA sets starts of basketball seasons for Nov. 25
9/16/2020 4:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Paul Coro
Division I Council reduces regular-season maximum to 27 games
Christmas comes a month early this year for Grand Canyon and the rest of college hoops with the NCAA announcing that the men's and women's basketball seasons will start on Nov. 25.
GCU's previously announced men's basketball schedule will have adjustments forthcoming but the Lopes men and women now know they can begin full practices on Oct. 14 in preparation for seasons that can start as early as the day before Thanksgiving.
"The new season start date near the Thanksgiving holiday provides the optimal opportunity to successfully launch the basketball season," NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said in the release. "It is a grand compromise of sorts and a unified approach that focuses on the health and safety of student-athletes competing towards the 2021 Division I basketball championships."
The NCAA Division I Council eliminated closed scrimmages and exhibition games this year and reduced the maximum total number of games from 31 to 27 (before the WAC Tournament). Teams will be required to play at least 13 games against Division I opponents for NCAA tournament eligibility. At least four non-conference games are recommended.
Starting Monday and through Oct. 13, the Lopes and other teams will be allowed to hold up to 12 hours per week of preseason practices, meetings and workouts. That is an increase from a recent eight-hour limit but skill work will be restricted to eight hours per week.
Official practices start Oct. 14, regardless of when a team opens the season, to create a preseason window of at least six weeks for up to 30 practices.
The season was initially scheduled to start Nov. 10 but the new date was targeted in light of COVID-19 because most campuses will be less populated. Games previously scheduled before Nov. 25 may be rescheduled.
"We need more time," Gavitt said on an ncaa.com video. "Time for testing to make sure that it's available is really fundamental to all of this being successful."
The council also extended the recruiting dead period through the remainder of 2020. Coaches are not permitted to recruit in person but can continue communication by phone and mail.
Legislation, proposed by the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, was approved to prohibit practices on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1 each year. That will start this year on Nov. 3 to encourage student-athletes to take part in voting and community service.
"The Council unanimously supports this important piece of legislation," Division I Council chair and Penn athletics director M. Grace Calhoun said on ncaa.com. "Coming from Division I SAAC, we know it represents the voice of student-athletes across the country who continue to express a desire to increase their civic engagement at local, state and federal levels. We look forward to seeing student-athletes use this opportunity as a way to create positive change."
The council also made recommendations to move the 2020 fall sports' championships to the spring.
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GCU's previously announced men's basketball schedule will have adjustments forthcoming but the Lopes men and women now know they can begin full practices on Oct. 14 in preparation for seasons that can start as early as the day before Thanksgiving.
"The new season start date near the Thanksgiving holiday provides the optimal opportunity to successfully launch the basketball season," NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said in the release. "It is a grand compromise of sorts and a unified approach that focuses on the health and safety of student-athletes competing towards the 2021 Division I basketball championships."The NCAA Division I Council eliminated closed scrimmages and exhibition games this year and reduced the maximum total number of games from 31 to 27 (before the WAC Tournament). Teams will be required to play at least 13 games against Division I opponents for NCAA tournament eligibility. At least four non-conference games are recommended.
Starting Monday and through Oct. 13, the Lopes and other teams will be allowed to hold up to 12 hours per week of preseason practices, meetings and workouts. That is an increase from a recent eight-hour limit but skill work will be restricted to eight hours per week.
Official practices start Oct. 14, regardless of when a team opens the season, to create a preseason window of at least six weeks for up to 30 practices.
The season was initially scheduled to start Nov. 10 but the new date was targeted in light of COVID-19 because most campuses will be less populated. Games previously scheduled before Nov. 25 may be rescheduled."We need more time," Gavitt said on an ncaa.com video. "Time for testing to make sure that it's available is really fundamental to all of this being successful."
The council also extended the recruiting dead period through the remainder of 2020. Coaches are not permitted to recruit in person but can continue communication by phone and mail.
Legislation, proposed by the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, was approved to prohibit practices on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1 each year. That will start this year on Nov. 3 to encourage student-athletes to take part in voting and community service.
"The Council unanimously supports this important piece of legislation," Division I Council chair and Penn athletics director M. Grace Calhoun said on ncaa.com. "Coming from Division I SAAC, we know it represents the voice of student-athletes across the country who continue to express a desire to increase their civic engagement at local, state and federal levels. We look forward to seeing student-athletes use this opportunity as a way to create positive change."
The council also made recommendations to move the 2020 fall sports' championships to the spring.
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