Region XXI and NJCAA Cancel Spring Championships

03.20.20

Warwick, RI – March 20, 2020: Earlier this week NJCAA Region XXI released a statement which cancelled Spring Championships for all of Region XXI Athletics Programs. There were a couple teams at CCRI that had just returned from early season Spring Training trains to Florida namely CCRI Baseball and Softball who each played seven games which puts them at 20% or less of their scheduled games so in all likelihood all student athletes should get their year of eligibility back. However, that final decision will be made by the NJCAA. As a reference point NCAA has already stated that all Spring student athletes will be granted another year. In many instances the NJCAA follows suit with the he NCAA. Those answers will be clarified over the coming months. Below are the statements from the NJCAA Region XXI and NJCAA National Office.

NJCAA Region XXI Statement: “NJCAA Region 21 has canceled all 2020 spring sport Regional Championships for the remainder of the season. This decision was not easy to make but we do feel this is best for the families, coaches, staff, and student-athletes of Region 21. Our peers in NJCAA Region 19 have made the same decision. Region 3, 15, and 20 have many institutions that have canceled spring sports and are leaning towards the same decision.

Our work is not over though. We will be working with the NJCAA to be sure we are doing everything we can for our student-athletes as it pertains to “season of eligibility”.

As far as practices and games, we will be sure to inform you when you may begin practicing and playing again as we have discussions with the CCRI administration.

"Our goal right now is to be sure we are doing everything we can to support our student-athletes academically as we are due to begin online instruction on March 23.”

Later that day the NJCAA released their own statement that read: “Following the recent recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the NJCAA has made the difficult decision to cancel all upcoming basketball championships as well as spring competition, effective immediately.

"In light of the progressive evolvement of the COVID-19 situation, the NJCAA has decided to end all competition for the remainder of the academic year," stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO. "As an association, the NJCAA exhausted all possible avenues to potentially postpone competition for both upcoming basketball championships and spring sport competition. We believe following the recommendations of the CDC is in the best interest of our member colleges and our student-athletes."

Spring competition includes all practices, regular season, postseason, and national championship play.

Regarding eligibility for spring sports, no spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled at a member college in 2020 will be charged a year of participation.

Along with the cancellation of competition, all on and off-campus recruiting for all sports will be halted until April 15 with further evaluation to be assessed at that point in time.

The NJCAA will explore the opportunity to expand allowable Letters of Intent for spring sports for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years under the recommendation of the NJCAA Eligibility Committee.

The NJCAA will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available”

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The Community College of Rhode Island, New England’s largest comprehensive community college, enrolls nearly 15,000 students in credit courses and thousands more in non-credit and job training classes. Its athletic program boasts 10 varsity, four club programs and an academic support program for all student-athletes.