The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Tournament Management Committee held a conference call on Thursday to vote on a structure for spring sports tournaments.
The most notable change is the elimination of state tournaments. The TMC voted 16-1 in favor of limiting postseason play to sectional tournaments only, should the season start on May 4 and end no later than June 12. Earlier in the week, the MIAA Board of Directors adjusted the start of the spring season to May 4, coinciding with the school guidelines set by Gov. Charlie Baker.
The sectional tournaments would be limited to baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis and volleyball. Seeding would take place on June 13, with tournaments starting June 15 and ending no later than June 28.
The TMC voted 15-0-1 to hold sectional and divisional track & field meets on June 17 and 27, respectively. The committee also voted 16-0 to eliminate the individual tennis tournaments for this spring.
These plans hinge on students returning to school on May 4. Schools have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The MIAA is following the lead of Baker. The Board of Directors may not necessarily vote on the tournament structure provided by the TMC, but additional discussions and questions may occur over the next month, according to Tara Bennett, director of communications for the MIAA.