A 12 months after turning down a waiver for a Week One soccer sport between HBCU conferences, the NCAA has modified the principles concerning video games earlier than Labor Day for Division II faculties.
The NCAA Division II council handed 2024-1 which states: “In soccer, to specify {that a} member establishment shall not take part in its first contest with exterior competitors within the championship section earlier than one week previous to the Thursday previous September 6.”
SIAC Commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman and CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams floated the idea of a sport between the 2 convention champions to the NCAA. The community hoped the carry the sport on Saturday, August 26 of 2023 with Benedict School of the SIAC internet hosting CIAA Champion Fayetteville State.
Such video games, based mostly on their historical past, have been performed between Div. I FBS or FCS packages. The Mid Jap Athletics Convention (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletics Convention (SWAC), the 2 HBCU Div. I conferences, acquired a waiver and performed the primary MEAC/SWAC Problem in 2005. That Week Zero sport may have its nineteenth iteration this season.
The NCAA denied the waiver request of the 2 conferences final spring. Different conferences such because the MIAA, Gulf South and Lone Star convention joined the CIAA and SIAC in sponsoring laws that will allow an establishment to play its first soccer contest with exterior competitors one week sooner than the present Division II begin date.
In essence, the change will give establishments a further week to finish its common season soccer schedule. This legislative exception will present establishments with the pliability to schedule and play the utmost 11 common season soccer contests over a 12-week interval, if desired. Advantages from this variation embody the power to supply a bye/off week within the scheduling that 12 months as a profit to the student-athletes’ well being and security; lessening the burden of discovering out there non-conference opponents and the added flexibility and monetary profit to incorporate distinctive alternatives comparable to sponsored or destination-site soccer contests.
SIAC Commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman was elated on the change.
“The SIAC and its member establishments are happy that this permissive laws has handed,” Dr. Holloman advised HBCU Gameday. “Paving the best way for our soccer enjoying faculties to, in some instances monetize this pay date with video games just like the Purple Tails Traditional and the Black School Soccer Corridor of Fame Traditional and in different instances using the bye week for strategic scheduling functions. A real win for Division II Soccer.”
Benedict School is the reigning SIAC champion whereas Virginia Union is the reigning CIAA champion.
