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The Minnesota State presidents of the member colleges of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) which includes Riverland Community College met to determine how to move forward with intercollegiate athletics for fall semester in light of COVID-19.

The presidents reaffirmed the commitment to protecting the health of student athletes. In consideration of the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minnesota Department of Health, fall sports will be limited to those that have been identified as low-risk, Clay Target and Golf. Seasons have been canceled for football, volleyball, and soccer.

“I know this is going to be a tough fall season for our student athletes in volleyball and soccer, the coaches and fans of the Blue Devils,” said Dr. Adenuga Atewologun, Riverland president. “Our athletes are an important part of our enrollment and our campus life at Riverland, but we need to continue to protect people’s health first and foremost.”

This decision also impacts some competition by other teams including wrestling, baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball.  All late-fall and early-winter starting sports will begin their seasons in Spring Semester.  This will include cancelling non-conference scrimmages and play scheduled prior to the beginning of January 2021.

Riverland Community College is a member of the Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIII. Eligibility requirements are established by the NJCAA and the MCAC. The Riverland athletics program includes men’s baseball, basketball, soccer and women’s volleyball, basketball and softball. Academically, Riverland offers an Associates in Arts degree with a physical education/coaching emphasis and a 9-credit coaching certificate.

Riverland Community College, a member of the Minnesota State system, is a community college that inspires personal success through education. Approximately 9,000 students are served annually through a wide range of credit-based educational opportunities and non-credit courses. Campuses are located in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna. Riverland may be found on the Internet at www.riverland.edu.

The colleges and universities of Minnesota State serve students at campuses in 54 communities across the state and offer 3,900 academic programs — more than 700 fully online.