Weber State University Athletics
NCAA Division I council approves schedules and championships
9/18/2020 3:06:00 PM | Football, Athletics, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
The NCAA Division I council approved several schedules and plans for championships, involving men's and women's basketball, FCS Playoffs and fall championships moving to the spring.Â
Men's and Women's Basketball
The Division I Council approved moving the first contest date in Division I men's and women's basketball to Nov. 25 for the 2020-21 season.
No exhibition games or closed scrimmages will be allowed before that date. Moving the start date back from Nov. 10 is intended to have contests begin when at least three-quarters of Division I schools will have concluded their fall terms or moved remaining instruction and exams online, creating a more controlled and less populated campus environment that may reduce the risk of COVID-19 that can occur between student-athletes and the broader student body population, the Division I Men's and Women's Oversight Committees said.
The maximum number of contests was reduced by four, given that the season will start 15 days later than originally scheduled. In men's basketball, teams can schedule 24 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to three games; 25 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to two games; or 25 regular-season games if a team does not participate in a multiple-team event.
In women's basketball, teams can schedule 23 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to four games or schedule 25 regular-season games if a team does not compete in a multiple-team event.
Teams will meet sport sponsorship requirements and be considered for NCAA championship selection if they play 13 games, which represents a 50 percent reduction of the current minimum. For NCAA championship consideration, all 13 games must be against another Division I opponent. The Division I Men's Basketball and Division I Women's Basketball committees also recommended teams play a minimum of four nonconference games.
Programs can begin preseason practice on Oct. 14 and will have 42 days to conduct a maximum of 30 practices. During this time, players can work out up to 20 hours per week, four hours per day, and must have one day off per week. This model is generally consistent with the normal preseason practice period but permits additional flexibility for all teams to begin full practice on Oct. 14, regardless of when their first scheduled game occurs.
Council members also approved a transition practice period between current out-of-season activities and preseason practice. This transition period is designed to provide additional time for players to prepare for the upcoming season based on the mental and physical challenges basketball players are facing as a result of the pandemic. The transition period will occur Sept. 21-Oct. 13, and teams may participate in strength and conditioning activities, sport-related meetings and skill instruction for up to 12 hours a week, with an eight-hour limit on skill instruction. Players must have two days off per week during the transition period.
FCS Football
The Division I Council adopted a playing and practice season model for schools that plan to participate in football in the spring. Members also approved a framework for the Division I Football Championship.
The FCS championship will be conducted from April 18 through May 15, with 16 instead of 24 teams. Fall competitions will be considered when determining the field for the spring championship. The championship framework must be approved by the Division I Board of Directors, which meets next week.
The playing and practice season model for 2020-21 provides flexibility for practice time periods and permits up to eight regular-season games to occur during a period of not more than 13 weeks in the spring, with the last regular-season game occurring not later than April 17.
The model ensures that legislative requirements mandating specific days/time off (for example, discretionary weeks) for student-athletes during a traditional season will apply in a comparable manner to a spring season. The intent of the model is to allow maximum flexibility for conferences and schools, with an overarching goal of returning to the normal calendar for the 2021-22 academic year.
Beginning Sept. 21, teams may conduct on-field practice. From Sept. 21 through Dec. 31, during the fall equivalent of spring practice ("fall ball"), schools are limited to 12 hours per week, a maximum of four hours per day, of countable athletics activity. Two days off are required per week. Schools may start their preseason or regular season during this period, in which case the rules for preseason or regular season activity apply.
For the two weeks before the start of preseason, teams may have noncontact practice activities for up to 20 hours per week. The 20 hours can include up to eight hours for weight training, conditioning and film review (two hours maximum on film review), up to one hour per day for walkthroughs and up to one hour per day for meetings, which may include team meetings, position meetings, one-on-one meetings, etc. Two days off are required.
In 2020-21, schools can have "fall ball" or "spring practice" but not both. Schools conducting fall ball can't have preseason practice (including any of the activities that are permitted in the two weeks before preseason practice) or competition before Jan. 1. Schools conducting fall ball during fall 2020 must follow the spring practice model (for example, 15 on-field practices within 34 consecutive days).
Before engaging in practice in the fall, schools must declare their first contest date. If practice must be paused due to the impact of COVID-19 on the team, missed days may be used later in the window. Fall ball and the preseason practice period (including the two 20-hour weeks preceding preseason practice) must be separated by at least 30 days of noncontact activities, which must include two weeks of discretionary student-athlete time. One of the two required weeks of discretionary time must be the week before the return to countable athletically related activity.
Existing maximum contest limits and normal practice limitations apply. Conference championship games can be added, and the potential for bowl games in the spring also remains. Conferences can start and end their seasons at their discretion, within the limits adopted by the Council. Additionally, schools applying the autonomy legislation must provide a week off at the end of the regular season and/or postseason.
The playing and practice season model was adopted by both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision members of the Division I Council. Both subdivisions also adopted a proposal that prohibits midyear enrollees from competing in the 2020-21 academic year.
Spring ChampionshipsÂ
The Division I Council approved a package of proposals to move the 2020 fall championships to the spring of 2021. The recommendations now go to the Division I Board of Directors for approval.
After a thorough review, the recommendations were made by the Division I Competition Oversight Committee for men's cross country, women's cross country, field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo. The adjustments are being made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In team sports, the brackets will be filled at 75% of their normal capacities.
The oversight committee reviewed recommendations from sport committees and agreed to support maximum flexibility to allow teams to meet specified minimum contest requirements, which the committee already recommended reducing by 50%.
Contests conducted in the fall term for all fall sport championships that will be conducted in the spring will count toward selection into that respective championship. Sport committees are encouraged to consider all data available to them at the time of selections.
The oversight committee may need to revisit this topic if conditions warrant nearer the time the playing and practice seasons for these sports begin, but for now, the committee supports providing maximum flexibility for selection purposes.
The NCAA Board of Governors has directed that all sites of each championship be predetermined and that the number of preliminary-round sites be reduced to support health and safety and operational management of the championships this spring.
All sites are to be determined.
Cross country
The Division I men's and women's championships are scheduled for March 15. However, there is some concern in the membership about conducting cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field in the spring term.
The Division I Competition Oversight Committee will continue to evaluate the issue.
For now, 255 runners from each gender will compete at the cross country finals site.
Regular-season competition could be conducted Jan. 30-March 5, with championships selections on March 6.
Women's soccer
Action at the finals site for the Women's College Cup is May 13-17. The bracket will consist of 48 teams, with 31 automatic qualifiers and 17 at-large selections.
Normally, the bracket size for the women's soccer championship is 64 teams, with four teams advancing to the finals site.
Regular-season competition can be played Feb. 3-April 17, with selections on April 18.
Women's volleyball
The finals site of the championship is scheduled for April 23-25, with a 48-team bracket. Thirty-two of the teams will be automatic qualifiers, with 16 at-large selections.
The normal bracket size for the championship is 64 teams.
Regular-season play will span from Jan. 22-April 3, with selections April 4.
Playing and practice season rules
The Council also adopted emergency legislation adjusting playing and practice season rules for fall sports other than football.
The adjustments:
Men's and Women's Basketball
The Division I Council approved moving the first contest date in Division I men's and women's basketball to Nov. 25 for the 2020-21 season.
No exhibition games or closed scrimmages will be allowed before that date. Moving the start date back from Nov. 10 is intended to have contests begin when at least three-quarters of Division I schools will have concluded their fall terms or moved remaining instruction and exams online, creating a more controlled and less populated campus environment that may reduce the risk of COVID-19 that can occur between student-athletes and the broader student body population, the Division I Men's and Women's Oversight Committees said.
The maximum number of contests was reduced by four, given that the season will start 15 days later than originally scheduled. In men's basketball, teams can schedule 24 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to three games; 25 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to two games; or 25 regular-season games if a team does not participate in a multiple-team event.
In women's basketball, teams can schedule 23 regular-season games and participate in one multiple-team event that includes up to four games or schedule 25 regular-season games if a team does not compete in a multiple-team event.
Teams will meet sport sponsorship requirements and be considered for NCAA championship selection if they play 13 games, which represents a 50 percent reduction of the current minimum. For NCAA championship consideration, all 13 games must be against another Division I opponent. The Division I Men's Basketball and Division I Women's Basketball committees also recommended teams play a minimum of four nonconference games.
Programs can begin preseason practice on Oct. 14 and will have 42 days to conduct a maximum of 30 practices. During this time, players can work out up to 20 hours per week, four hours per day, and must have one day off per week. This model is generally consistent with the normal preseason practice period but permits additional flexibility for all teams to begin full practice on Oct. 14, regardless of when their first scheduled game occurs.
Council members also approved a transition practice period between current out-of-season activities and preseason practice. This transition period is designed to provide additional time for players to prepare for the upcoming season based on the mental and physical challenges basketball players are facing as a result of the pandemic. The transition period will occur Sept. 21-Oct. 13, and teams may participate in strength and conditioning activities, sport-related meetings and skill instruction for up to 12 hours a week, with an eight-hour limit on skill instruction. Players must have two days off per week during the transition period.
FCS Football
The Division I Council adopted a playing and practice season model for schools that plan to participate in football in the spring. Members also approved a framework for the Division I Football Championship.
The FCS championship will be conducted from April 18 through May 15, with 16 instead of 24 teams. Fall competitions will be considered when determining the field for the spring championship. The championship framework must be approved by the Division I Board of Directors, which meets next week.
The playing and practice season model for 2020-21 provides flexibility for practice time periods and permits up to eight regular-season games to occur during a period of not more than 13 weeks in the spring, with the last regular-season game occurring not later than April 17.
The model ensures that legislative requirements mandating specific days/time off (for example, discretionary weeks) for student-athletes during a traditional season will apply in a comparable manner to a spring season. The intent of the model is to allow maximum flexibility for conferences and schools, with an overarching goal of returning to the normal calendar for the 2021-22 academic year.
Beginning Sept. 21, teams may conduct on-field practice. From Sept. 21 through Dec. 31, during the fall equivalent of spring practice ("fall ball"), schools are limited to 12 hours per week, a maximum of four hours per day, of countable athletics activity. Two days off are required per week. Schools may start their preseason or regular season during this period, in which case the rules for preseason or regular season activity apply.
For the two weeks before the start of preseason, teams may have noncontact practice activities for up to 20 hours per week. The 20 hours can include up to eight hours for weight training, conditioning and film review (two hours maximum on film review), up to one hour per day for walkthroughs and up to one hour per day for meetings, which may include team meetings, position meetings, one-on-one meetings, etc. Two days off are required.
In 2020-21, schools can have "fall ball" or "spring practice" but not both. Schools conducting fall ball can't have preseason practice (including any of the activities that are permitted in the two weeks before preseason practice) or competition before Jan. 1. Schools conducting fall ball during fall 2020 must follow the spring practice model (for example, 15 on-field practices within 34 consecutive days).
Before engaging in practice in the fall, schools must declare their first contest date. If practice must be paused due to the impact of COVID-19 on the team, missed days may be used later in the window. Fall ball and the preseason practice period (including the two 20-hour weeks preceding preseason practice) must be separated by at least 30 days of noncontact activities, which must include two weeks of discretionary student-athlete time. One of the two required weeks of discretionary time must be the week before the return to countable athletically related activity.
Existing maximum contest limits and normal practice limitations apply. Conference championship games can be added, and the potential for bowl games in the spring also remains. Conferences can start and end their seasons at their discretion, within the limits adopted by the Council. Additionally, schools applying the autonomy legislation must provide a week off at the end of the regular season and/or postseason.
The playing and practice season model was adopted by both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision members of the Division I Council. Both subdivisions also adopted a proposal that prohibits midyear enrollees from competing in the 2020-21 academic year.
Spring ChampionshipsÂ
The Division I Council approved a package of proposals to move the 2020 fall championships to the spring of 2021. The recommendations now go to the Division I Board of Directors for approval.
After a thorough review, the recommendations were made by the Division I Competition Oversight Committee for men's cross country, women's cross country, field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo. The adjustments are being made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In team sports, the brackets will be filled at 75% of their normal capacities.
The oversight committee reviewed recommendations from sport committees and agreed to support maximum flexibility to allow teams to meet specified minimum contest requirements, which the committee already recommended reducing by 50%.
Contests conducted in the fall term for all fall sport championships that will be conducted in the spring will count toward selection into that respective championship. Sport committees are encouraged to consider all data available to them at the time of selections.
The oversight committee may need to revisit this topic if conditions warrant nearer the time the playing and practice seasons for these sports begin, but for now, the committee supports providing maximum flexibility for selection purposes.
The NCAA Board of Governors has directed that all sites of each championship be predetermined and that the number of preliminary-round sites be reduced to support health and safety and operational management of the championships this spring.
All sites are to be determined.
Cross country
The Division I men's and women's championships are scheduled for March 15. However, there is some concern in the membership about conducting cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field in the spring term.
The Division I Competition Oversight Committee will continue to evaluate the issue.
For now, 255 runners from each gender will compete at the cross country finals site.
Regular-season competition could be conducted Jan. 30-March 5, with championships selections on March 6.
Women's soccer
Action at the finals site for the Women's College Cup is May 13-17. The bracket will consist of 48 teams, with 31 automatic qualifiers and 17 at-large selections.
Normally, the bracket size for the women's soccer championship is 64 teams, with four teams advancing to the finals site.
Regular-season competition can be played Feb. 3-April 17, with selections on April 18.
Women's volleyball
The finals site of the championship is scheduled for April 23-25, with a 48-team bracket. Thirty-two of the teams will be automatic qualifiers, with 16 at-large selections.
The normal bracket size for the championship is 64 teams.
Regular-season play will span from Jan. 22-April 3, with selections April 4.
Playing and practice season rules
The Council also adopted emergency legislation adjusting playing and practice season rules for fall sports other than football.
The adjustments:
- Allow a school to break up the fall segment into multiple segments of the playing season.
- Prohibit practice during finals (and the week prior) at the conclusion of the fall term if a team is "in-season" but not competing.
- Require a break prior to the start of the spring championship segment.
- Allow schools to extend their seasons past the NCAA championship date in that sport but require seasons to end at or before the end of the school's academic year.
- Exempts non-NCAA championship postseason competitions that occur outside the playing season
- Prohibit midyear enrollees from competing in the 2020-21 academic year.
Weber State Volleyball In-Depth | Episode 18: Kaylie Ray
Tuesday, October 07
2025 Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony
Tuesday, September 30
2025 Hall of Fame ceremony
Tuesday, September 30
Weber State Volleyball In-Depth | Episode 17: Jayda Tupea
Tuesday, September 23