The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) announced its updated conference schedules for men’s and women’s basketball amongst other athletic programs in a news release last Monday.
The new updated schedule for basketball includes back-to-back doubleheaders as well as the start date for the conference season on Jan. 7th and the WAC tournament from March 10 through the 13th in Las Vegas.
During the nine-week conference season, each team will receive one bye week.
UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque, explains that the WAC decided on back-to-backs to minimize travel and COVID-19 risk during the season.
“The way the conference basketball season is put together, being able to go to one community, be able to drive in or fly in and fly out to mitigate exposure,” Conque said. “To not have to go through multiple airports and multiple destinations and locations over a weekend all of that was part of the rational that lead us to the scheduling that we have,”
For UTRGV women’s basketball head coach Lane Lord, having a set start date provides much-needed clarity and excitement for the upcoming season.
In addition, Coach Lord is pleased with his team’s home slate as they will be facing three out of the four teams picked to finish top three in the WAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
“I couldn’t be more happier with our draw, we got New Mexico State at home for two games, we got Utah Valley at home for two games and we got California Baptist at home for two games along with Chicago State,” Lord said. “The three teams mentioned first are all picked top four in the league and we get those guys at home.”
UTRGV will be facing Chicago State University at home on Jan. 8 and 9th, New Mexico State University on Jan. 22 and 23th, California Baptist University onFeb. 12 and 13th and Utah Valley University on Feb. 26 and 27th.
With the updated schedule providing a sense of normalcy for players, coaches and staff they are expected to follow NCAA and WAC COVID-19 travel protocols.
Conque explains that if games are canceled, due to COVID-19 or other factors, lost games will not be rescheduled or made-up.
“Tt would be very difficult to be able to find that open mutual date since those vary by institution, program by program so we’ll continue to have those discussions at the conference level but I think we’ll find that it’ll be very difficult to make those games up,” Conque said.
The WAC news release also announced conference season start dates for volleyball from Jan. 25th through April 3rd, men’s soccer from Feb. 6th through April 17th and women’s soccer from Feb. 18th through April 17th.
For Vaquero Radio, I’m Luis Rubio.
