Announcements About Changes To The Fall Sports Landscape - July 17

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

We'll keep a running tab today of the major announcements from around the country about college and high school sports adjustments related to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

- At a press conference today, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that all schools "must provide meaningful learning" and set five principles for schools re-opening. But it is clear, with the new strict guidelines, that most schools will not be able to open for in-person classroom instruction. Thirty-two of California's 56 counties are on a watchlist and will have to begin with online education. The CIF is expected to make an announcement about fall sports on Monday or Tuesday.

- The Atlantic 10 Conference has announced that fall sports will be postponed until spring. 

- The East Coast Conference joined a growing list of NCAA Division 2 conferences in suspending fall sports today. The Northeast 10 made a similar announcement Thursday.

- The Division 1 America East Conference has postponed sports through the first semester. They use the word "postpone" and will have a work group study how to implement the fall sports into the 2021 calendar.

 Statement from America East Board of Presidents Chair, Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, University at Albany
“The past few weeks have been unquestionably difficult in working our way through the process that led us to this outcome. However, this proactive decision by our members to postpone fall sport athletics competition for the duration of the first semester is in the best interest of all America East student-athletes, athletics departments and university communities. Right now, it is imperative that each of our institutions can safely reopen to their broader campus communities and this decision supports those efforts. We have always maintained that the health, safety and well-being of everyone within our conference, especially our student-athletes, is paramount. Unfortunately, given the current persistence, restrictions and uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear to us now that this difficult, but responsible decision must be made.”

- The Division 1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced that it will cancel non-conference competition for volleyball and soccer. 

- The Roy Griak Invitational has been canceled for 2020. The cross country meet, hosted by the University of Minnesota, also features a large high school contingent. But as a university event if won't work because of the Big Ten's announcement about conducting conference-only athletics this fall. 

- The NCAA Division 2 Colonial Athletic Association has suspended fall sports, but will allow individual schools to play an independent schedule if they are able. The conference statement recognizes that some members schools may be required to shut down fall sports while others may continue, depending on what's happening locally. At this point, it looks like only James Madison is exploring how to keep football and its other fall sports alive and build a schedule. 

- The NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference announced plans to suspend all sports through Nov. 1.