UAPB won't be playing football this fall
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has postponed all fall sports due to the pandemic. The league is in the process of formalizing plans to play in the spring, according to a news release.
The conference cited "data that suggests African-American communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic" in its decision.
Teams can still practice and participate in strength and conditioning workouts this fall, the conference said. The new plan for football includes a seven-game schedule beginning with an eight-week training period in January 2021. Each member institution will play a total of six conference games (four divisional/two non-divisional) with the option to play one non-conference game.
"The SWAC shares in the disappointment that will undoubtedly be felt by student-athletes, fans, and supporters impacted by the postponement of fall sports competition. The league will continue to review appropriate measures to ensure the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and the local community which continues to be the primary responsibility of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions," the league said in a news release.
UAPB is the first Division I school in the state to have its football season postponed. Hendrix College (Division III) and Arkansas Baptist (junior college) have also seen their seasons pushed back.
The other sports affected by the SWAC's decision are men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.
