IRVINE, Calif. --- The PacWest Conference Office reaffirmed its intention to resume competition this spring and announced general schedules for several sports in a release Thursday.

The PacWest Executive Board voted unanimously to allow the conference to announce return to competition dates with the understanding that competition will resume as allowed by local and state guidelines. Additionally, Thursday's release also specified that the PacWest will construct schedules for several sports that will group the conference membership into specific competition pods. 

For sports where games or matches are scheduled "in pod", Biola will compete in the Southern California Pod alongside Azusa Pacific, Concordia Irvine and Point Loma. The PacWest will also form a Northern California pod made up of Academy of Art, Dominican, Fresno Pacific and Holy Names and a Hawai'i pod composed of Chaimade, Hawai'i Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific. At this time, basketball, soccer and volleyball schedules will be scheduled in pods for the coming semester. 

"This is a big step forward for our conference in our continuing efforts to safely return to competition during these challenging times," Commissioner Bob Hogue said. "We've been working hard to create the right conditions for student-athletes to have meaningful seasons of competition in a way that minimizes risk and is in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines. We are looking forward to seeing student-athletes back to competing in the sports they love."

Women's and Men's Basketball will usher in the conference's return to sport, with the PacWest intending to begin a seven-week basketball schedule on January 18. The conference also expects to start the women's and men's soccer schedule in early February, followed by the volleyball schedule from mid-March to late April. 

Specific details for the cross country schedule will be released at a later date. Spring schedules and details of spring championships administered by the PacWest will be released at a later date. At this time, the PacWest still intends to begin the baseball and softball seasons in mid-March and is planning a return to competition for the spring championship sports: golf, tennis and track & field.

The official announcement from the PacWest can be found on the conference website.