Mars Hill University and South Atlantic Conference Announce Delayed Fall Athletics Season

July 24, 2020

Mars Hill University and the other institutions of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) announced today a delay in the start of fall sports, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The SAC Presidents Council decided to delay all scheduled competition for the 2020 fall sports season until September 26. This affects the following Mars Hill sports: men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball, which will be allowed to compete only against other SAC teams.

Mars Hill continues working hard to ensure the safety of its student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, fans, and others associated with the athletics programs, when the competition seasons begin. “This certainly was not an easy decision for the Presidents Council to make, but it’s the right call,” said MHU’s director of athletics, Rick Baker. “We all love sports and the thrill of competition, but at the heart of that is our love for our student-athletes, so we want to be absolutely sure they’re safe when we do get back on the athletic fields and courts.”

For now, schedules for winter and spring sports are unchanged, other than restricting any fall competitions for spring sports to the same September 26 start date. Mars Hill and the South Atlantic Conference will continue to monitor the COVID-19, NCAA, and public health developments and may make other schedule revisions, as necessary.

Read more in the news release from the South Atlantic Conference at https://www.thesac.com/general/2020-21/releases/20200724h48aaj.

For more information contact Rick Baker, director of athletics, at rbaker@mhu.edu or (828) 689-1373.