The Mid-American Conference announced today the return of football this fall as the league unveiled plans for a six-game schedule in conjunction with a conference-approved COVID-19 testing protocols.
The MAC will implement a COVID-19 testing program requiring four antigen tests per week with all positive tests needing confirmation with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Any student-athlete with a positive test will enter a cardiac screening protocol.
The MAC's approved COVID-19 testing protocols, including four tests per week, will begin Monday, Oct. 5. The complete set of protocols will be released next week.
"While this has been the most unconventional fall, it is wonderful that we now have the chance to experience a degree of normalcy," Director of Athletics Larry Williams said. "Great credit should be given to our medical and logistics personnel who have done an amazing job of charting a safe path to this opportunity for our football student-athletes. Football in Northeast Ohio, in the Akron community, and on our campus is enlivening."
"We are grateful that the Mid-American Conference, our presidents, athletic directors, and medical teams have re-examined our opportunity to compete and have made the decision to move forward with a fall season," Akron head coach Tom Arth commented. "If we have learned anything over the last six months, it is how to improvise, adapt, and overcome. Our team has displayed great toughness and resiliency amidst all the uncertainty and to be blessed with the opportunity to play the game we love this fall means so much."
Fans who purchased tickets for any of our sports during the fall 2020 season have several options to decide how they want to handle their current funds on the account such as giving to our Zips Rise Together initiative through the Z-FUND. We urge you to extend your generosity toward our student-athletes by giving to the Z-Fund, which supports the greatest needs of the athletic department at any given time. Historically, these funds have covered summer school tuition, team equipment needs, and the cost of attendance scholarships. Our goal is to raise $1,000,000 or more through our Zips Rise Together Initiative. This is a critical period for our mission of preparing Zips to succeed in competition and life and your gifts today will be applied to the immediate needs of our teams allowing us to sustain our enterprise and build the support of our students who proudly wear the Akron Blue and Gold! If you prefer to keep your funds on account as a credit for future athletics contests or explore another option, please contact our athletics ticket office. You may contact the C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office directly during regular business hours at 888-99-AKRON (25766).
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