North Carolina’s Michael Carter (8) carries the ball throughout an NCAA faculty soccer recreation towards Mercer in Durham, N.C., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. UNC is meant to host FAMU in its season opener, however the recreation was in critical doubt Friday, with FAMU shorthanded. Ben McKeown, AP
On Saturday, the 2022 faculty soccer season will start for 22 groups throughout the nation.
It was nearly solely 20.
In response to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, North Carolina’s season opener towards Florida A&M, an FCS program within the Mid-Jap Athletic Convention, was in actual hazard of being canceled.
In response to ESPN sources, as of 12:20 p.m. Friday, FAMU — which relies in Tallahassee, Florida — hadn’t boarded its flight to North Carolina for a recreation that's anticipated to kick off at 6:15 p.m. MDT Saturday.
Sources: FAMU nonetheless hasn’t boarded a flight to North Carolina for his or her recreation at UNC tomorrow. There’s an expectation that FAMU could be taking part in shorthanded, as a major quantity of gamers – greater than 10 – are going through eligibility points. Count on a choice later right now.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 26, 2022
The problem, per a number of experiences, was that FAMU was too shorthanded to securely area a group.
In response to reporting by Alison Posey — the sports activities director for ABC 27, primarily based in Tallahassee — 20 FAMU gamers are ineligible to play, for myriad causes, together with however not restricted to lecturers or switch eligibility.
Simply spoke with Florida A&M head soccer coach Willie Simmons. There are twenty gamers which can be ineligible, be it to lecturers or switch eligibility.
— Alison Posey (@AlisonPosey14) August 26, 2022
He mentioned solely seven offensive lineman that may journey - that’s not sufficient to securely play a soccer recreation. https://t.co/ix3AnfgvLH
Per Posey, FAMU head coach Willie Simmons left the choice to play Saturday as much as his gamers, and as later reported by each Thamel and Posey, the gamers elected to play the sport regardless of having solely seven out there offensive linemen.
FAMU will play UNC this weekend, a college spokesman tells ESPN.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 26, 2022
Simmons informed Posey that a few of FAMU’s ineligible gamers are out for the season, whereas others are anticipated to overlook 4 video games, pending NCAA appeals.
UNC and FAMU are a part of the Week 0 lineup that may kick off the 2022 faculty soccer season on Saturday.
Utah State will host UConn as a part of the Week 0 slate, with different notable video games together with Nebraska vs. Northwestern in Dublin, Eire, Wyoming at Illinois, Nevada at New Mexico State, and Vanderbilt at Hawaii.