AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Peach Belt Conference Board of Directors voted to hold a 16-game basketball season starting in January of 2021. The Board made the decision on Thursday after a recommendation from the PBC athletic directors. The schedule itself will be released in the coming weeks.

“There were so many factors to consider when discussing basketball this season,” said PBC commissioner David Brunk. “Our Board took all of those into consideration before making this decision, which we feel strikes the perfect balance between providing a good experience for our student-athletes and dealing with the health, safety and economic realities surrounding this pandemic.”

PBC teams will have the institutional autonomy to schedule up to six additional games to reach the NCAA allowable maximum of 22 if they so desire. Teams may also play up to three exempt contests (exhibitions, scrimmages) any time after the practice start date of Nov. 1. All PBC programs will adhere to the recently released recommendations of the NCAA Sport Science Institute.

The top four teams at the end of the regular season will advance to the PBC Tournament which will be held March 6-7. Tournament details will be announced at a later date.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Peach Belt Conference and commissioner David Brunk are pleased to announce that the league will add a second title to its Esports offerings with its first season of Overwatch this fall. Play will begin on Sept. 26 and continue for eight weeks, leading to the PBC Tournament Nov. 21 and 22. All contests, including tournament play, will be conducted remotely in keeping with current health practices. Participating teams and the inaugural schedule will be released by the league office on Friday.

“We are very excited to begin playing Overwatch,” Brunk said. “The popularity of the game among our players and fans is tremendous and we expect to have a highly competitive first season. Our coaches and advisors at our member institutions and associate members have let us know that now is the time to add this second title. Our commitment to Esports is as strong as ever and especially now when we can highlight the unique capabilities of online competition given the current college sports landscape during this pandemic.”

Published by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a fast-paced futuristic first-person game featuring two teams of six facing off head-to-head. Taking place on a near-future Earth, players choose a ‘hero’ character to control, each with their own unique abilities and roles. Matches are played on a variety of maps with different game modes where teams are tasked with defending territory, securing an objective or escorting a payload. Teams must work together, constantly adjusting their strategies based on the map and the characteristics of their selected Heroes.

“We are very excited for the arrival of Overwatch as the league continues their unwavering efforts to create a well round colligate Esports experiences for our student athletes,” said Dr. David Morris, head coach and coordinator of the USC Aiken Esports team. “The addition of Overwatch also points to a greater change in the collegiate Esports landscape, with the acceptance of first-person shooter games that focused on team work rather than a single player.”

Launched in 2016, Overwatch as quickly grown into one of the most popular Esports titles in the world with tens of millions of players competing at every level. The professional Overwatch League (OWL) debuted in 2018 and currently sports 20 franchises in Asia, North America and Europe.

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