University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Athletics
MADISON, WI (WSAU) — The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s winter sports seasons are finally drawing near.
The league released a statement on Tuesday outlining the procedures for shortened, conference-only schedules in all major winter sports beginning the week of February 1st.
“I would like to thank UW System President Tommy G. Thompson, WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris, WIAC Directors of Athletics and WIAC Athletic Trainers for their amazing work in making it possible for our student-athletes to compete,” UW Oshkosh Chancellor and Council of Chancellors President Andrew Leavitt said.
In basketball, schools will be divided into two divisions of four teams each. Schools will play six games against divisional opponents and two games against opponents from the opposite division for a total of eight games. All eight schools will then qualify for the WIAC tournament that will begin on March 1st.
The winner of that tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament, which is currently slated to begin on March 11th.
Divisional alignment for basketball will put UWSP in the East with Oshkosh, Whitewater, and Platteville. River Falls, Eau Claire, Stout, and La Crosse will populate the West.
The Pointer’s cross-divisional games for both the men and women will be against River Falls.
Women’s hockey clubs will play an eight-game conference schedule as well and all five teams will participate in the WIAC Championship/O’Brien Cup Playoffs. For men’s hockey, all six league squads will play a ten-game season and all will qualify for the WIAC Championship/Commissioner’s Cup Playoffs.
Should any WIAC schools be selected for the NCAA Division III hockey tournaments, those will begin on March 10th (women’s) and March 18th (men’s).
Wrestling schools will be allowed to compete in dual events through February 19th. The WIAC tournament has been canceled, but NCAA regional and national tournaments are still scheduled.
Olympic sports such as swimming and diving, indoor track and field, and women’s gymnastics will be allowed to compete through early March, but there will be no WIAC Championship events. The NCAA does currently have National Championship events scheduled for all three of those sports.
There will be no spectators allowed at any WIAC games or events until further notice. All institutional, state, and local health guidelines will also be strictly followed.
Schedules for team sports will be announced
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