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. Additional information regarding Patriot League sports sponsored by Loyola University Maryland is listed below.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The 2021 Patriot League Men's and Women's Cross Spring Country Championship is planned for Friday, March 5, at Lafayette's Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex. The League championship was last held at Lafayette in 2016.
MEN'S GOLF
The 2021 Patriot League Men's Golf Championship will be hosted by Navy at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club. The championship dates are still to be determined.
MEN'S LACROSSE
The Patriot League's nine men's lacrosse programs will be split into two divisions for the 2021 season. Army West Point, Boston University, Colgate and Holy Cross will play in the North Division, and Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy will play in the South Division. Teams will play each divisional opponent at least once with limited games against non-divisional opponents. A minimum of seven League games will be played by each team.
The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 6, concluding on Saturday, April 24, with a built-in makeup date planned for Saturday, May 1. The 2021 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Championships are scheduled to begin with the semifinal round on Friday, May 7, followed by the championship game on Sunday, May 9.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE
The Patriot League's 10 women's lacrosse programs will be split into two five-team divisions for the 2021 season. Army West Point, Boston University, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette will play in the North Division. American, Bucknell, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy will play in the South Division. Teams will play each divisional opponent at least once with limited games against non-divisional opponents. A minimum of seven League games will be played by each team.
The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, March 6, and conclude on Saturday, April 24, with a built-in make-up date planned for Saturday, May 1. The 2021 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Championships are scheduled to begin with the semifinal round on Thursday, May 6, with the championship game on Saturday, May 8.
WOMEN'S ROWING
The 2021 Patriot League Rowing Championship is scheduled to begin on Friday, May 14 at Cooper River in New Jersey.
MEN'S SOCCER
The Patriot League's 10 men's soccer teams will be divided into two five-team divisions for the 2021 spring season. Army West Point, Boston University, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette will play in the North Division. American, Bucknell, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy will play in the South Division. Teams will play each divisional opponent at least once. A minimum of six League games will be played by each team. The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 27, and conclude on Saturday, April 10. The championship dates are still to be determined.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
The Patriot League's 10 women's soccer teams will be split into two five-team divisions for the 2021 spring season. Army West Point, Boston University, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette will play in the North Division. American, Bucknell, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy will play in the South Division. Teams will play each divisional opponent at least once. A minimum of six League games will be played by each team. The League schedule is set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 27, and conclude on Saturday, April 10. The championship dates are still to be determined.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
The 2021 Patriot League Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Championship is scheduled for four days, beginning on Wednesday, April 21, and competing through Saturday, April 24. Bucknell University is scheduled to host the championship.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The Patriot League's men's and women's indoor track and field programs will compete in the Patriot League Challenge at four different sites on either Saturday, Feb. 27 or Sunday, Feb. 28. Lehigh will travel to Army West Point. Boston University will welcome Holy Cross. Bucknell will host Colgate and Lafayette. American and Loyola Maryland will compete at Navy.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The 2021 Patriot League Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships are planned for two days, beginning on Friday, April 30 and concluding on Saturday, May 1. Army West Point is scheduled to host the championship.
MEN'S TENNIS
The 2021 Patriot League Men's Tennis Championship is scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 22, with competition concluding on Sunday, April 25 at Lehigh University.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
The 2021 Patriot League Women's Tennis Championship is planned for three days, beginning Thursday, April 29, through Sunday, May 2. The U.S. Naval Academy is the scheduled host for the championship.
VOLLEYBALL
The Patriot League's nine women's volleyball programs will play a 10-match, League-only schedule beginning on Friday, Feb. 19. Teams will play five home and five road contests during the regular season, scheduled to conclude on Sunday, March 28, with Tuesday, March 30 designed as a makeup date.
The top four teams will qualify for the 2021 Patriot League Spring Volleyball Championships with semifinal-round action set for Friday, April 2. The League championship game is planned for Saturday, April 3.
