FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

**UPDATED 3/22/21 Spring 2021 Spectator Policy**

Will winter and spring sports compete this year? (Note: competitions are contingent on the public health status of the campus and of individual teams, as revealed by COVID-19 testing.)
Spring and winter sports are scheduled to compete in modified/truncated seasons with outside institutions.  
 
Will fall sports have an opportunity to compete in the spring?
Fall sports will engage in a more robust version of their nontraditional spring seasons. While competitions with outside institutions seems unlikely at this time, the athletics administration will continue to monitor local, state and national COVID-19 directives. 
 
When will competition begin? 
Winter Sports - the first date of competition will be permitted on March 18th. Schedules will be forthcoming.
Spring Sports - the first date of competition will be permitted on March 28th.
Fall Sport - Currently, there are no plans for outside competition for Fall sports.
 
When will practices begin? (Note: practices are contingent on the public health status of the campus and of individual teams, as revealed by COVID-19 testing.)
Winter Sports/Spring Sports – February 23rd. Teams will follow a phased-in approach in both the weight room and practice setting. Practices and weight training sessions will increase in intensity and duration after March 4th. 

Fall Sports – March 4th. Fall sports will gradually phase-in with a combination of practices and weight training/conditioning sessions. 
 
Teams will be organized into functional training groups. 
 
When will athletes be tested for COVID-19?
All Allegheny College students will be tested following the ACHA surveillance testing program. When competition begins, testing will be reviewed in alignment with NCAC Health and Safety Committee expectations and NCAA Sport Science Institute (SSI) recommendations. As a high transmission risk sport, basketball will be tested more frequently when competition begins.

What are the testing expectations of opponents? 
Every Allegheny College opponent will be required to test at the levels recommended by the NCAA Sport Science Institute as outlined in the return to competition guidelines found here: Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition, Second Edition (Updated)

The Director of Athletics of Allegheny College will ensure that each visiting institution will be required to review and sign a pre-competition affirmation related to 2021 intercollegiate athletics during the COVID-19 Pandemic including testing policies and procedures.  
 
Will spectators be permitted?
Spring 2021 Spectator Policy
 
Will there be Senior Recognition celebrations? 
Senior recognitions will be handled on a team-by-team basis by the respective coaching staff.
 
Can commuting students participate in varsity athletics?
Yes, if students are engaging in all required COVID-19 mitigation and testing policies, they can participate in varsity athletics. Remote learners are not permitted to participate in in-person activities.
 
Important notes -

• Masking and physical distancing is required by all and in all areas of the Wise Center/Robertson Athletic Complex/outdoor venues. 
• Wise Center/Robertson Athletic Complex/outdoor venues – the athletic facilities are open only to students, faculty, and staff. At this time, no visitors are permitted with exception of prospective students and their families, when accompanied by college staff. Universal masking is required. 
• Locker Rooms – locker rooms will be open for changing purposes only. No showers. Adherence to density capacities and universal masking is strictly required. 
• Temperature checks and additional digital COVID-19 screening – all student-athletes will participate in temperature checks and digital COVID-19 screening prior to entering any athletics facilities. Coaches will be responsible for confirming that their student-athletes have completed their COVID-19 screening prior to practice
• Travel will be carefully managed; overnights will not be permitted (with possible exception for championships); COVID-19 health and safety protocols of our transportation companies will be reviewed regularly. Capacity will be limited to ½ capacity, universal masking restrictions, increased ventilation. Personal transportation will be required to follow the same protocols of universal masking, ½ capacity, and increased ventilation.

If you did not participate at Allegheny College in Fall 2020 and intend to participate in Spring 2021, be sure to talk to your coach(es) first. Additionally, contact Mandy Prusia (Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance & Operations, mprusia@allegheny.edu) to complete required NCAA Compliance paperwork and Collier Valencic (Director of Sports Medicine, cvalencic@allegheny.edu) to complete required physical as well as annual medical paperwork.

Health/Testing

What will student-athletes need to do before they are able to practice?
Along with the testing requirements put forth by the Allegheny College Health Agency, the expectation is that each student-athlete will have a pre-participation physical exam completed prior to returning to any organized activity; completed all forms on Front Rush; and completed concussion baseline testing, where applicable. Prior to each organized team activity, student-athletes will need to complete daily health screening(s), bring their universal face covering to practice, and bring their personal water bottle. 
 
Will the athletic training room be open?
Yes, but by appointment only. Our athletic training staff will be there to help with rehabilitations and treatments throughout the spring semester. Athletic Trainers will provide direct and personal care to all student-athletes in accordance with health and safety guidelines. COVID-19 screening, facial coverings, physical distancing and hand-washing requirements will be strictly enforced. Proper sanitization procedures will remain in place to clean the athletic training rooms throughout the day.
 
Will team locker rooms be open?
Locker room use will be permitted with limitations on the total number of individuals allowed at any given time, limit on duration of time in locker room, and limit in activities.

Will there be screening and/or testing for COVID-19 when we start practicing/training? Will student-athletes be tested for COVID-19 more often than the general student population while they are on campus?
Student-athletes will engage in all college-sponsored surveillance testing. Teams will undergo additional testing based on NCAA transmission risk level. 
 
Should student-athletes report if they have tested positive for COVID-19?
Yes. Student-athletes are expected to report any positive test that they have had to their athletic trainer if they plan on participating in intercollegiate athletics this year. The athletic training staff will coordinate the need for follow up care, if necessary.
 
Will there be screening and/or testing for COVID-19 when we start practicing/training? Will student-athletes be tested for COVID-19 more often than the general student population while they are on campus?
Student-athletes will complete a digital COVID-19 screening including temperature checks, prior to all team-based activities, specifically: weight training, practices, rehabilitation sessions and competitions. Student-athletes will engage in all college sponsored surveillance testing. Teams will undergo additional testing based on NCAA transmission risk level. 
 
What happens if we have a positive test result on our team?
Contact tracing protocols will be initiated to determine high-risk exposures as well as who will need to isolate, quarantine, and who will require diagnostic testing. At minimum, a positive test triggers exclusion from team activities. Length of quarantine will be determined by several factors including, but not limited to: inside vs. outside exposure; what you were doing; for how long.
 
What if I have a concern about how Allegheny Athletics is handling its return-to-sports procedures?
Please contact Bill Ross, Director of Athletics and Recreation, at wross@allegheny.edu with any concerns. The NCAA has also established a phone number and email address to allow student-athletes, parents or others to report potential return-to-sport concerns. The Association will notify school and conference administrators, who are expected to review and address concerns. Concerned individuals can call toll free 833-661-CV19 (2819) or email covidconcerns@ncaa.org with the name of the NCAA member institution, sport and brief summary of the concern. 

Seasons

What will the athletic experience be like for the spring semester? 
To put it mildly, different. Our plan is to provide as fulfilling of an experience as we can, while keeping student-athlete and staff health and safety at the forefront of everything we do. 
 
Will fall sports have the opportunity to engage in their non-traditional seasons?
The Department of Athletics and Recreation has adopted the NCAA alternative playing and practice season model which allows for 114 days of activity in all sports. This would allow fall sports to practice, but not compete in the spring semester.  The NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition, Second Edition, as well as Allegheny College Health Agency guidance, local, state and federal policies will be followed. Coaches will connect with student-athletes and design plans that best promote safety, while cultivating teamwork and well-being. 
 
Will the teams not competing this spring still be able to practice and hold team activities?
Yes. Following the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition, Second Edition, as well as Allegheny College Health Agency guidance, local, state and federal policies, teams will be able to continue to hold activities. Coaches will connect with student-athletes and design plans that best promote safety, while cultivating teamwork and well-being.

What will practices look like and what will be permitted in the way of small-group work or skill training? 
Sport-specific activities will be dictated by the NCAA's guidance and Allegheny College Health Agency on return to play. There will be benchmarks and dates for the activities. The Department of Athletics and Recreation will continue to collaborate with both local and national agencies to establish this firm set of expectations for each sport as they return to campus.
 
Are all student-athletes allowed to participate with their teams this spring?
All precautions will be taken to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 while engaging in athletic activities, but no measures can be 100 percent effective. Each student-athlete will have to determine if they have certain underlying medical conditions that place them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 while deciding if returning to athletics is prudent for their situation. 

Support Services

If a student-athlete is taking all courses online and not living on campus, can a member of the Allegheny athletics staff send them workouts and practices so they can do them on their own?
Prescribed workouts can only be required during the team’s declared season (114 days or 18/19/24 weeks). Per Bylaw 17.02.1.1.1.4-(a)(3), voluntary workouts conducted by a strength and conditioning coach may only occur during the regular academic year, which means that, yes, during this academic year, the strength and conditioning coaches can send student-athletes who are taking classes online prescribed workouts.
 
What if I am feeling stressed and/or anxious?
Counseling services will be made available to all student-athletes via televisit. Please contact Danielle Pecar (dpecar@allegheny.edu) or Jane Hill (jhill@allegheny.edu) for more information.

Eligibility/Compliance

If a student-athlete chooses to take a semester or the entire year off, how does that affect their standing on their team?
No student-athlete can be dismissed from a team for choosing not to return to Allegheny College due to COVID-19 concerns.
  
If a student-athlete engages in athletically related activity within the declared playing season in which no outside competition will be conducted, will the student-athlete be charged with a season of participation? 
No. The NCAA Presidents’ Council approved a blanket waiver request that allows student-athletes to compete up to the established dates of competition/contest maximums without being charged a season of intercollegiate participation or a term of attendance for any term (semester/quarter) during the 2020-21 academic year in which they are eligible for competition.

Will a leave of absence be necessary to stay on track from an NCAA eligibility perspective? 
No. A leave of absence is not necessary. Student-athletes have 10 full-time semesters to complete four seasons of participation in a sport.  With the NCAA waiver, student-athletes will retain two semesters of eligibility from the 2020-21 academic year. 

Can student-athletes practice/compete with an outside team if they find one while they are off campus?
Student-athletes taking all remote classes and not living on campus are allowed to practice and compete with an outside team. Student-athletes are not representing Allegheny College while participating with the outside team.  In order to minimize exposure to COVID-19, student-athletes taking classes on-campus will not be able to participate on an outside team.  Any questions or concerns should be directed to the athletic department compliance officer. 
 
How will practicing affect a student-athlete's NCAA eligibility?
Practicing will not affect a student-athlete’s NCAA eligibility. 
 
If a student-athlete takes a gap semester in the fall of 2020, will that student-athlete be eligible to participate in spring 2021, if we have a season? 
Yes. As things stand now, as long as they are a junior or senior fully enrolled in classes. Depending on your season, we would determine the amount of semesters and seasons used toward NCAA eligibility. 
 
If a senior student-athlete does not use all eligibility and graduates from Allegheny, can that student-athlete use the remaining eligibility in graduate school programs? 
Any student-athlete who does not complete their four seasons of eligibility while enrolled at Allegheny would be permitted the opportunity to use that season(s) while enrolled in a graduate school. Those interested in doing so would need to work with the compliance officer to be entered into the NCAA Transfer Portal as a graduate school participant.

Facilities

Will athletic spaces, such as fields and courts be available for student use?
Athletic spaces, such as fields and courts will be available for student-athletes use. For specific details please follow up with members of your sport’s coaching staff.

Wise Center/Recreation

Will the Wise Center be open? 
The Wise Center will be open Feb 1-17, closed for testing Feb. 18-22, and then open again Feb 23 until the end of the spring semester. The hours are listed here.  A summary of basic protocols can be found here

Who can use the Wise Center?  
Current students, staff, and faculty will be the only people allowed in the Wise Center. There will be no family members, retired employees, alumni, or outside guests allowed to exercise in the building. 
 
What public health protocols will be in place at the Wise Center? Will I need to wear a face covering while working out?
We are carefully assessing federal, state, and local guidelines in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment for Wise Center users. Protocols will include limits on the number of people in specific spaces, physical distancing, hand sanitizer at all exercise areas, and we will be asking everyone to thoroughly wipe down their own equipment before and after each use.
Facial coverings are required at all times. A summary of basic protocols can be found here.

Will club sports and recreation still be offered? 
Club sports will not be allowed to have competition, but they will be allowed to practice following similar guidelines as varsity athletics. The president of each club sport must work directly with Jared Luteran (jluteran@allegheny.edu) for protocols on their sport. Indoor intramural and recreation events will be limited, but the recreation department will host outside events and virtual programming. The spring semester indoor basketball league will not take place this year. Please follow @alleghenyrecreation on instagram for the latest recreation updates and search Allegheny Recreation on Google calendar.