AMC Communications
Scott Barker
ST. LOUIS – The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in several changes to the American Midwest Conference Championship schedules. As previously announced, the soccer and volleyball tournaments have been moved from November to April. In all instances, all schools sponsoring a sport not under quarantine or isolation 24-hours before the start of Conference postseason events will participate.
Indoor Track & Field: The status of the Indoor Track & Field Championship, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 in Elsah, Ill., remains under review. At this time, the Conference expects to host an event that day; a final decision will be made at a later date, including whether the event will be a Conference Championship, a non-Championship meet, or a Last Chance meet.
Men’s Basketball: An opening-round game between the No. 8-seed and No. 9-seed is added to the Tournament schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 23. The winner of that game advances to take on the No. 1-seed in the Quarterfinals on Thursday, Feb. 25. The Tournament’s remainder follows the previous schedule with Quarterfinals on Feb. 25, Semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 27 and the Championship game on Tuesday, Mar. 2.
Women’s Basketball: The women’s basketball Tournament may see the most drastic changes. It was initially scheduled to be a single-site Tournament in 2021, that has been delayed until the 2022 postseason, and higher seeds will host throughout as they have in the past. Monday, Feb. 22, will see two opening-round games as the No. 7-seed hosts the No. 10-seed and the No. 8-seed hosts the No. 9-seed, with the winners advancing to face the No. 2-seed and No. 1-seed, respectively, in the Quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 24. The Semifinals will be played on Friday, Feb. 26 and the Championship game is Monday, Mar. 1.
Wrestling: Due to the pandemic, the NAIA has provided Conferences with flexibility on Conference wrestling championships, which serve as the NAIA qualifying event. The AMC has moved its Championship from Saturday, Feb. 20 at Missouri Baptist University to Saturday, Feb. 13 at Central Baptist College. Should circumstances prevent the Championship from being contested on Feb. 13, Feb. 20 will be used as an alternative date.
Men’s Golf: Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo. will again host the AMC Championship for the fifth time in the last eight years. As previously scheduled, the Championship will run May 3-4.
Baseball: The 2021 AMC Baseball Championship will be played at CarShield Field in O’Fallon, Mo. and has been moved up one day to be played May 4-7. The Tournament will include two single-elimination games (No. 5-seed vs. No. 8-seed and No. 6-seed vs. No. 7-seed), with those winners moving into a 6-team double-elimination bracket.
Softball: With the decision to open the Tournament to all ten teams, the AMC Softball Championship goes away from the two-pool format to a 10-team bracket following the NAIA Softball World Series and shortened from five days to four (May 5-8).
The AMC Championships for outdoor track & field (May 7-8 at Missouri Baptist University) and women’s golf (May 10-11 at Redfield Golf Club, Eugene, Mo.) remain unchanged at this time. Due to the uncertainties created by COVID-19, the Conference’s regular season and Championship schedules remain fluid, and changes will be announced as necessary. The Conference crowned two champions in the fall as Columbia College won both the women’s and men’s cross country championships.
Additional information on all AMC Championships can be found on the championship pages of the Conference web site.