Colonial Athletic Association Decisions Impact Villanova and Drexel Athletics

July 17, 2020 –

The Colonial Athletic Association Board of Directors voted to suspend conference football for the 2020 season due to continuing concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and health and safety risks for the schools and teams. The league did explore the possibility of conducting a football season in the spring.

The league did give support to each member to make decisions best for them based on local and state guidance as well as medical expertise in each community. The league has ten institutions that covers eight states.

“I commend the Board of Directors for their forward thinking and open-mindedness when dealing with the uncertain and complex moment we find ourselves in,” said CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio. “Each of our institutions is making the best decisions for its campus community, based on a totality of the circumstances analysis.”

The Villanova Wildcats and the Drexel Dragons participate in the CAA. The decisions made today impact each school in the following manner.

Since Villanova plays football only in the conference, the football decision has the heaviest impact. The Board has expressed that conference policies would permit each institution the option of pursuing playing an independent schedule in the fall of 2020. At this time Villanova is considering all possible scenarios for its football season and is continuing to review opportunities for all of its student-athletes to train and condition with the coaches and receive instruction upon returning to campus. Nova was ranked #8 in a preseason poll. The Wildcats will not have a season for the other fall sports as they compete in the Big East Conference who has suspended those seasons.

Drexel University has announced that its fall athletic teams will not compete this season. Drexel fields teams in men’s and women’s soccer, and field hockey in the CAA during the fall.

“After conferring with our peer institutions in the Colonial Athletic Association and in the city of Philadelphia, we felt it would not be in possible for Drexel Athletics to participate in intercollegiate athletics this fall,” said Athletic Director Dr. Eric Zollmer. “The safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, and professional staff are our first priority.”

The student-athletes will return to campus at the beginning of the school year and will be able to train. Drexel will explore the possibility of fall sports being played in the spring.

Decisions as to the winter and spring sports schedules for both schools will be made at a later time.

Written By: Glenn Papazian

Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com

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