This fall, sports at Hillsdale College will look different in a way that hasn't been seen since the fall of 1944.
The continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has caused the NCAA to cancel fall championships and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to postpone the football and women's volleyball seasons to the spring. That means this fall semester will be the first at Hillsdale without women's volleyball since its introduction as a varsity sport in the 70s, and the first without football since the height of World War II.
But while Hillsdale will be without two popular fall sports, the Chargers are forging ahead with outside competition in five sports that are considered low or medium-risk for viral transmission: men's and women's cross country, men's and women's tennis, and men's golf. That includes three home events scheduled for this fall.
The Charger cross country teams will be the only Hillsdale squads competing for a championship this fall, as the G-MAC has decided to hold its already-scheduled conference championship meet for both the men and women at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 24 hosted by Tiffin University.
Hillsdale's cross country teams are planning on racing a three-meet schedule, including the championship. That includes a home invitational scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Hayden Park.
The Charger cross country teams also will travel to Tiffin for a tune-up invite on Oct. 2, getting a look at the G-MAC championship course before the championship meet on Oct. 24.
Tennis and golf also will be participating in their non-championship seasons in the fall. The Hillsdale men's tennis team will compete in two meets, hosting their annual Charger Invitational beginning at 9 a.m. on Sept. 13 and welcoming G-MAC foes Findlay, Walsh and Tiffin to the event.
The Charger women's tennis team will also host their annual fall home tournament on Oct. 3, and both the men's and women's tennis teams will play in the ITA Fall Midwest Regional event from Sept. 19-21 at the University of Indianapolis.
Last, but not least, the Charger men's golf team will be competing in four events this fall, beginning with Findlay's Fall Invitational at Findlay Country Club on Sept. 20-22.
The Charger golf team also will compete in the Kyle Ryman Memorial Invite at Mohawk Golf Club in Tiffin, Ohio, from Oct. 4-6, and play in the Midwest Regional Tournament at Fox Run Golf Club in St. Louis, Missouri from Oct. 11-13.
Hillsdale's golfers will round out the fall portion of their season from Nov. 1-3 in Miami, Florida, playing in the Miami Intercollegiate at Trump Doral Golf Club.
For the latest on schedule updates for all Hillsdale College sports, check hillsdalechargers.com throughout the school year.