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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.<\/strong> \u2013 The Great American Conference Council of Presidents unanimously approved a plan to delay the start of all intercollegiate athletic practices until the week of August 31, with the launch of competition postponed until the week of September 28.<\/p>\n Teams will play current GAC schedule grids when play resumes in late September. The GAC will formulate a plan to reschedule those games not played on the existing schedule – as well as the format for fall conference postseason events – following NCAA Division II action on the status of fall championships.<\/p>\n \u201cThis decision was made with a focus on ensuring that our student athletes can have a quality athletic experience in the fall, with the top priority being the health and safety of our campuses and communities,\u201d said Southeastern President Thomas Newsom. \u201cI truly appreciate all of the hard work of our conference athletic directors and presidents in order to develop a plan for athletic competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very supportive of the decision as the health and safety of our student athletes and fans is the number one priority,\u201d said Director of Athletics Keith Baxter. \u201cI think this plan gives us the best chance to compete this fall, while also having the flexibility to adjust to the ever-changing situation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis plan creates additional time to craft a safe and meaningful championship season for our student-athletes,\u201d GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. \u201cIt affords our members the ability to open their campuses for in-person learning and allows additional time for student-athletes to acclimate back to full athletic activity.\u201d<\/p>\n The conference will continue to consult with campus medical professionals, outside consultants, and local public health officials to monitor the viability of playing conditions during the reopening of campuses.<\/p>\n \u201cOur leadership has worked hard to find a path forward and join other NCAA Division II conferences that intend to compete this fall,\u201d Prewitt said. \u201cI’m cautiously optimistic about the return of GAC competition, but work remains to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes, their families, coaches, and administrators.\u201d<\/p>\n The Council has the ability to adjust its recommendation as necessary to protect the health and safety of all involved in GAC athletics. Conference administrators and the Council of Presidents will both meet weekly to address developments as they arise.<\/p>\n “The GAC Council of Presidents share a united voice in the decision we made today as we continue to search for ways to allow our student athletes to compete safely during this most challenging year,\u201d said Harding President and GAC Council of Presidents Chairman Dr. Bruce McLarty. \u201cThis decision keeps hope alive that we will be able to compete this year. The safety of our students, our campuses, and the communities in which we live remains our top priority.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. \u2013 The Great American Conference Council of Presidents unanimously approved a plan to delay the start of all intercollegiate athletic practices until the week of August 31, with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":6106,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n