SJCNY Spring 2021 - Athletics

St. Joseph’s College and the Skyline Conference are making plans for the 2021 spring season. 

We continue to actively work with our fellow conference members on plans for a safe return to play.  The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and the SJC community of utmost importance.  

Teams will be allowed to have limited practice opportunities in accordance with NYS guidelines and SJC’s Return to Play protocol.

Affected sports: Baseball, Softball, Men’s Volleyball, Men’s & Women’s Tennis, Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse (LI only), Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field (LI Only), Men’s Golf (LI Only)

No. Student-athletes will return to campus with the regular student body for the start of the Spring semester on January 28.

All SJC Brooklyn and SJC Long Island athletic competition for the 2020-21 winter season has been canceled.

This decision comes from a desire to protect the health of all student-athletes and their loved ones, as well as protecting the SJC Community as a whole.

Teams will be allowed to have limited practice opportunities when safely possible in accordance with NYS guidelines. 

Affected sports: Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Women’s Swimming, Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track & Field (LI Only)

Intercollegiate athletic competition for the fall 2020 semester was canceled. The Skyline Conference and  NCAA Division III also canceled their fall sport championships.

Fall teams were able to practice in small groups after completing NCAA resocialization protocols.

Affected sports: Men’s & Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s & Women’s Cross Country 

The NCAA Division III Presidents Council approved a blanket waiver on October 29, 2020 allowing student-athletes to participate in athletics during this academic year without being charged a season of participation or semesters of eligibility, provided they were otherwise eligible for competition.

This waiver supersedes an earlier waiver that granted the extension of eligibility only if the team competed in 50% or less of the sport’s maximum contests. 

We will utilize a four-phased return to sports activity:

As we enter the spring semester, we will continue to enact recommendations from the NCAA and the Skyline Conference. Guidance from federal, state, and local health departments will aid in the mitigation of risk of COVID-19 in intercollegiate sports. Surveillance testing will occur throughout the spring season.

Returning student-athletes will go through a reacclimation period when we begin sports activity for the spring semester on or near February 1st. Student-athletes will be asked to self monitor and limit risks to exposure from their homes for 10 days prior to returning to campus. When practice activities begin it will be in groups 10 that will gradually increase in size and frequency provided all participants remain healthy. 

Fall and winter sport teams who have had their seasons canceled will be allowed to have limited practice opportunities — conducted by the coaching staff.

Spring sport teams will resume practice upon return to campus in preparation for competition, which is still to be finalized.

All team activities will be conducted when safely possible in accordance with NYS guidelines and SJC’s Return to Play protocol.

These areas will be reopened in keeping with New York State guidelines once announced, starting with outdoor spaces, followed by large indoor spaces and then locker rooms. Not all athletic spaces will be operational upon return to campus, and for many of these spaces, new protocols will be in place, including but not limited to, scheduling-based use, cleaning requirements and capacity limitations.

We are required to follow New York State guidelines for gathering, including social distancing, group size and limitations on contact sports. For groups who want to recreate under these guidelines, the Department of Athletics will assist in scheduling these spaces if and when possible. Supervision will be required at any such gathering.

Yes, but access and services will be limited. All visits will require an appointment and overall volume will be kept to a minimum. Social distancing, face coverings and hand-washing requirements will be strictly enforced.

The Danzi Athletic Center will reopen on Monday, January 4. Please note that you must make a reservation. View our hours and rules.

The Fitness Center and Open Gym will reopen on Monday, January 4. Please note that you must make a reservation. View our updated rules and regulations here.

Continuing student-athletes will be asked to provide updated medical and insurance information including negative COVID test results within a designated time period. Coaches and staff will work with students to ensure completion of these steps. 
New students who are participating for the first time, will be asked to complete the full medical clearance steps. Coaches and staff will advise and support students through the processes. 

Yes. There are medical conditions that make individuals more susceptible to contracting and suffering adverse effects from COVID-19. As outlined by the NCAA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), below is list of underlying medical conditions that increase risk for severe illness from COVID-19:

• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Immunocompromised individuals (undergoing chemotherapy, solid organ transplant, etc.)
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher)
• Serious heart conditions (heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies)
• High Blood Pressure
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)

Might be at an increased risk:

• Cerebrovascular disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Neurological conditions
• Pregnant women
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Smokers
• Thalassemia
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Please note: It is recommended that in the early phases of resocialization of athletics, individuals with underlying medical conditions should refrain from participating and continue to In later phases of athletic reopening, it is recommended that these individuals participate, but should practice social distancing and minimize exposure to settings where such distancing is not practical. The presence of underlying medical conditions will require documentation from the medical specialist treating the individual. Final participation clearances are at the discretion of the head team physician in conjunction with SJC sports medicine staff.

Not currently, but options are being explored and evaluated to facilitate this.

A student-athlete’s standing on the team will be unaffected; student-athletes need to make the best decision for themselves and their families.

Access to the weight room and fitness center is currently at a limited capacity but student-athletes can make a reservation through the established online system.