GAC releases 2020 schedules
RUSSELLVILLE On Friday, The Great American Conference announced its Council of Presidents approved changes to the league's upcoming football and basketball schedules, as well as alterations to the conference's championship formats.
The 2020 football season now consists of the GAC's twelve member schools playing a ten-game conference schedule that can begin on Thursday, September 10. The tengame slate corresponds with changes to maximum playing seasons passed by the NCAA Division II Presidents Council earlier this month.
For the 2020-21 basketball season, the league will still compete in a double round-robin format, but will eliminate non-conference contests. That season opens on Friday, November 13. The 22-game season represents the maximum playable contests set forth by the NCAA.
"The Great American Conference athletic administrators, Commissioner Will Prewitt and Council of Presidents have worked very diligently to modify sports schedules to comply with new NCAA Division II guidelines," said Northwestern Oklahoma State President and GAC Council of Presidents Chairwoman Dr. Janet Cunningham. "I believe we have struck a good balance of cost efficiencies and student-athlete safety while also preserving the student-athlete experience."
With regards to the 14 conference championships the GAC contests, the number of competing teams will remain the same as in years past. However, a series of championships will see a reduction in length and multiple events will move to campus locations. The volleyball, basketball, golf, women's tennis, baseball, and softball championships see oneday reductions in their formats.
"I'm appreciative our leadership identified ways to retain championship experiences for as many teams and individuals as possible," Prewitt said. "These decisions are not pleasant to make, but our presidents, athletic directors, and additional administrators have worked hard to balance the financial realities that we are battling with allowing student-athletes to compete for championships." 2020 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 9/12 | at Oklahoma Baptist
9/19 | vs. Southern Nazarene
9/26 | vs. Henderson State
10/3 | at Ouachita
10/10 | at Southeastern Oklahoma 10/17 | vs. East Central (Homecoming) 10/24 | vs. Arkansas Tech
10/31 | at Harding
11/7 | vs. Southwestern Oklahoma 11/14 | at Arkansas-Monticello 2020-21 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS M/W BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Fri., 11/13 | vs. Arkansas Tech Tue., 11/17 | at Ouachita
Fri., 11/27 | at Northwestern Oklahoma Sun., 11/29 | at Southwestern Oklahoma Thur., 12/3 | vs. Harding
Sat., 12/5 | at Henderson State Thur., 1/7 | vs. East Central
Sat., 1/9 | vs. Southeastern Oklahoma Thur., 1/14 | at Arkansas-Monticello Sat., 1/16 | at Harding
Thur., 1/21 | at Oklahoma Baptist Sat., 1/23 | at Southern Nazarene Thur., 1/28 | vs. SW Oklahoma
Sat., 1/30 | vs. Northwestern Oklahoma Thur., 2/4 | vs. Arkansas-Monticello Sat., 2/6 | vs. Henderson State Thur., 2/11 | at Southeastern Oklahoma Sat., 2/13 | at East Central
Thur., 2/18 | vs. Southern Nazarene Sat., 2/20 | vs. Oklahoma Baptist Thur., 2/25 | vs. Ouachita
Sat., 2/27 | at Arkansas Tech