This school year was supposed to be a big one, perhaps the biggest, in the life of the athletic programs at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
It still will be, just, not until, at the earliest, January 1.
That’s when the rest of the Presidents Athletic Conference will begin its athletic activity that was postponed or delayed because of COVID.
The significance for FUS stems from the 2020-21 season is the university’s first as a full-fledged member of the PAC.
FUS’ men’s and women’s lacrosse teams were accepted as associate members a few season’s ago. Last season, the women’s golf team, along with both indoor and outdoor track teams were full PAC members.
Other teams still played against in-conference competition. The women’s basketball team, which finished 10-15 overall, picked up a pair of wins against PAC teams in defeating Bethany and Geneva. The men’s team defeated Grove City.
Franciscan is the first new members full integrated into the PAC since Chatham and Geneva joined in 2007.
“The PAC Presidents’ Council was very impressed with the school's academic stature and student-centered focus in a faith-based learning environment, as well as its commitment to continuing to develop a broad-based, successful NCAA Division III athletic program,” PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko said during the official announcement in 2019.
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