Houghton College winter student-athletes received encouraging news on Tuesday as the Presidents' Council of the Empire 8 reached unanimous agreement on their intent to resume conference athletic competition with winter sports. The decision impacts men's and women's basketball, indoor track and field and swimming and diving.
 
The safety and well-being of its student-athletes and campus communities remains the primary goal of the Empire 8. As such, these plans are contingent upon federal, state and local health guidance and the status of all contests will be subject to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The council approved March 1 as a tentative start of its conference basketball schedule while the Empire 8 Indoor Track & Field and Swimming & Diving championship dates have not been finalized. The league continues to support the NCAA Guidelines for the Resocialization of Sport and developed a detailed Pandemic Protocol Handbook. These plans include a rigorous testing strategy as well as protocols for travel and meals to ensure health and safety of all participants.
 
"This decision by the President's Council is strong affirmation from the presidents and the conference of the importance of the athletic experience for all of our student-athletes," said Houghton Director of Athletics Matthew Webb. "The timing of this decision allows our student-athletes to make appropriate plans for returning to campus in the spring, and is assurance that we intend to play."
 
Conference leadership is working in conjunction with athletic directors from each conference school to finalize schedules and iron out other details related to winter sports competition.   
 
Fans can monitor the Empire 8 website, as well as each member institution's athletics website for updated schedules throughout the coming weeks as they are finalized.

The conference had earlier announced its intent to move fall sports to the spring, but schedules have yet to be finalized.