EIVA players required to wear masks while on court for 2021 season

EIVA players will be masking up — even when they are on the court.

The NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball conference announced during the weekend that players will be required to wear masks or face coverings while competing in matches for the upcoming season.

This requirement is among the numerous new safety protocols the EIVA has put into place to help keep players, coaches and staff safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

The virus has already killed more than 315,000 Americans and there have been more than 17.5 confirmed cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recent weeks, though, has approved two vaccines to treat the coronavirus.

The EIVA is the first conference in college men’s volleyball to mandate that players wear masks during matches.

While the conference will have a standard protocol on masks, it does not have a set policy for fans in attendance. Individual schools in the EIVA will be able to set their own att