BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League has announced a plan for League schedules for baseball, field hockey, football, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball and volleyball during the 2021 spring semester. League play will be contingent on the League and its member institutions being able to conduct competitions in ways that protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff members and their communities. 
 
In addition to the nine sport spring schedules, the League has plans to host championships for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's rowing, men's and women's swimming and diving and men's and women's tennis. Competitive opportunities will also be available for men's and women's indoor track and field. 
 
Scheduling for field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer and volleyball will be limited to League-only contests. Non-League scheduling for baseball, men's and women's lacrosse and softball can proceed per institutional discretion. League institutions are responsible for setting regular-season schedules for cross country, golf, rowing, swimming and diving and indoor and outdoor track and field. Opponents must follow comparable health and safety protocols.
 
Consistent with the prioritization of health and safety, the 2020-21 schedule format features a significant reduction in travel and overnight stays. No teams will be permitted to fly to games. Instead of the League's traditional formats, teams will play an increased number of games against League opponents in closer geographic proximity.
 
The Patriot League office will announce detailed League schedules at a later date.
 
FOOTBALL
The Patriot League's half dozen football teams will be split into two three-team divisions for the 2021 spring season. Colgate, Fordham and Holy Cross will play in the North Division. Bucknell, Lafayette and Lehigh will play in the South Division. Teams will play each divisional opponent once with two non-divisional games. The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 13, and conclude on Saturday, April 17, with a championship game between the two division winners. There is a make-up weekend scheduled for the weekend of April 10. The Georgetown football program will forgo participation in the spring 2021 season. If conditions allow and within permissible local and federal guidelines, the Hoyas will work to bring football student-athletes back for training in the spring in preparation for the traditional fall 2021 football season.
 

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.