Men’s college soccer won’t become a two-semester sport after all.
Two-thirds of Division I schools rescinded a previously approved rule change to college soccer’s calendar, the NCAA announced Friday, Nov. 6. The rule change would’ve moved the men’s college soccer national championship to the spring semester; now, it will remain during the fall.
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The sport’s oversight committee had previously adopted the rule change in May. Men’s college soccer moving to a two-semester sport was also recommended by U.S. Soccer, the highest governing body in the country.
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The rule change was subject to a 30-day rescission period because it didn’t receive 75% approval from the Division I Cabinet in October. Then, 241 of 361 Division I schools voted against the change.
Under the previous rule change before it was rescinded, teams would be allowed to play a maximum of 18 games during the fall semester and 10 games during the spring semester before the national championship.
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The NCAA previously said the calendar change was in the best interest of student-athletes, including “a more balanced academic and athletic experience by reducing time demands in any single term,” a “decompressed playing season with potentially fewer midweek games, resulting in less missed class time and promoting stronger academic performance and degree completion” and “opportunity for enhanced recovery time between matches, which could support injury prevention and return-to-play protocols.”
The men’s college soccer season is played in a 10- to 13-week window. The Men’s College Cup will be held as scheduled on Dec. 11 and Dec. 14 in Cary, North Carolina.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Div. I schools vote against making men’s college soccer a two-semester sport
