Upcoming fall sports in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference including cross country, football, soccer, and volleyball will now get played in spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MIAC on Wednesday announced that they are working to develop spring schedules for those sports, which have been deemed at medium- or high-risk for coronavirus transmission by the NCAA.
Paul Pribbenow, Chair of the MIAC Presidents' Council and Augsburg University President, issued a statement Wednesday afternoon.
"Our number one priority is the health and safety of students and staff," Pribbenow said. "The decision to postpone competition for many of our fall sports was very difficult, as we know how much our student-athletes want to compete and how important athletics are to each of our campuses, but we need to put ourselves in a position to return to play as safely as possible."
According to the MIAC, men's and women's golf and tennis, categorized as low-risk sports, can compete against conference opponents only this fall in accordance with campus, state, and NCAA health directives, as well as the MIAC's Return-to-Athletics Plan.
Winter sports remain under evaluation by the MIAC as more information is shared by the NCAA and public health officials.
In Wednesday's release, the MIAC said training, practice, and other athletically-related activities for all teams, including the fall sports moved to the spring, will be permitted in accordance with NCAA Division III rules and campus, state, and NCAA health directives.