As COVID-19 continues and there remains uncertainty about the Canada/USA border land crossing, the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) basketball teams will play an exclusive Canadian schedule for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Canadian Mennonite University Blazers (CMU), Providence University College Pilots (PUC) Pilots have played, since 2017-18, a combination of MCAC basketball games and also participated in the Northern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC). Both schools decided to compete only in Canada this season.
Université de Saint-Boniface Les Rouges (USB) has never played in NIAC as this is essentially their first full year for their basketball programs.
CMU and PUC basketball programs were originally scheduled to play this season in the NIAC from December 3 to February 5.
In this season, the updated 2021-22 MCAC basketball schedule now includes an additional six games between each of the three schools to round out the whole regular-season schedule.
“As a conference, we have been wanting to grow MCAC basketball to the CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) level for several years. With all our teams and games now restricted to competing in Manitoba and in Canada, we’re hopeful that this season will provide a foundation for growth on this side of the border,” stated Russell Willms, Canadian Mennonite University Director of Athletics.
For this first time in two seasons, MCAC basketball regular season is back in action when CMU Blazers host PUC Pilots on Friday, November 5, 2021 with the women’s game starting at 6 p.m. CT and men’s tip-off at 8 p.m. CT.
The MCAC basketball championship weekend will be held in Niverville, Manitoba on February 11 and 13, 2022. The CCAA basketball championships are scheduled for March 16-19, 2022 with women’s at Nanaimo, BC and men’s in Toronto.
The full updated 2021-22 MCAC basketball schedules can be viewed at: https://mcacathletics.ca