Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Jan. 19, 2021 - North Central College will begin a phased return to athletic competition on Saturday, Jan. 23, after the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) approved a conference-only competitive schedule for the winter sports season.

The sports of men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, men's and women's swimming and men's wrestling are eligible to begin competition on Jan. 23, while competitions in men's and women's indoor track and field may begin Jan. 30. Though not governed by the CCIW, North Central's women's wrestling team is eligible to begin its season the weekend of Jan. 23 as well.

The start of the men's volleyball season has been pushed back to accommodate the above schedule. North Central's season will begin Feb. 3 at Aurora University. The CCIW has not determined if any other spring sports will need their start dates adjusted at this time.

All contests for men's and women's basketball and men's volleyball will be broadcast live by Naperville Community Television (NCTV) and the College's radio station, 89.1-FM WONC. All video broadcasts will be available for live and on-demand viewing on North Central's online video portal, Cardinals All-Access, at http://northcentralcardinals.com/watch.

In accordance with CCIW and North Central College policy, spectators will not be permitted at athletic events for the time being. A separate announcement will be made if this policy is changed.

North Central will host its first athletic events of 2021 on Saturday, taking on North Park University in men's basketball in Gregory Arena and Tiffin University (Ohio) in women's wrestling in the Residence Hall-Recreation Center. Start times for both events is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The Cardinals' women's basketball team will travel to North Park the same day at 2:00 p.m., while the women's bowling team will compete against Augustana College, Elmhurst University and Illinois Wesleyan University in an event hosted by Augustana.

The men's wrestling team will open its season at Millikin University on Sunday, Jan. 24, taking on Augustana, Elmhurst and Millikin. The men's and women's swimming teams will open their season Jan. 30 at Illinois Wesleyan, facing IWU and Millikin.

The CCIW also recently released spring competition schedules for the sports of football, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball, which will take place in March and April. Click HERE for more information.

For more information on North Central College's COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and other mitigation efforts, visit http://covid.northcentralcollege.edu.