Following a month of deliberation, the NCAA has announced an approved plan to hold fall championships in the spring for Division I schools. On Tuesday, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors released a plan outlining the championship dates for all fall sports. 

This awfully quiet fall season has been highlighted by anticipation for what’s to come as the NCAA continues to adapt to unconventional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prominent changes include the reduction of NCAA tournament bracket sizes to 75% of their normal capacity for team sports and the adoption of predetermined championship sites. The proposed changes are subject to FCS Football programs as well as other traditional fall sports. However, FBS football program schedules will remain the same.

Volleyball competition is scheduled to begin first on Jan. 22 with tournament selection set for April 4. Both men’s and women’s soccer competition is set to begin Feb. 3 and Selection Sunday will take place on April 18. For field hockey, games are able to begin on Feb. 12 with tournament selection set for April 24. Championship weekends for field hockey as well as men’s and women’s soccer are scheduled for early to mid-May, while championship weekend for volleyball is scheduled for late April.

While these dates have been laid out by the NCAA for competition to begin, the exact start dates of practice will be decided by each individual institution. As such, Maryland athletics has yet to announce any official start dates beyond the football season set to start on Oct. 24.