LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Presidents Council announced on Thursday that NCAA intercollegiate competition will not occur during the Fall 2020 season due to health and safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"While we are disappointed, we fully support this decision as our primary focus is the safety and welfare of our student-athletes," said Austin College Director of Athletics David Norman. "We have already begun planning a safe, positive, and engaging fall semester for all of our programs and are excited to welcome our teams back to campus in August."
In discussions that included a review of public health guidance and safety standards as well as NCAA Resocialization recommendations, the group unanimously agreed that conference teams in the sports of cross country, soccer and volleyball will not engage in competition (conference or non-conference) during the fall season. This includes sports such as golf and tennis that utilize the fall for non-traditional activities. Teams will be encouraged, as health and safety conditions allow, to conduct conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities during the fall semester.
"Collegiate athletics are key pillars of the student experience at SCAC institutions," said Trinity University President Danny Anderson, chair of the SCAC Presidents Council. "With this decision, SCAC institutions will gradually resocialize our sport programs to campus with the goal of safe competition and a return to regular conference play."
The conference is committed to exploring meaningful competitive experiences for all fall sport student-athletes, including the possibility of conducting fall sport competition and championships during the spring semester.
"Not unlike the decision we had to make this past spring, today's decision was difficult and not taken lightly," said SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "At the very least, it is extremely frustrating to be forced to continue the suspension of competition this fall."
"After putting together a COVID-19 Task Force made up of administrators from each member institution, we thought we had landed on a reasonable plan for resocialization that would have allowed for measured increases of athletic activities upon the arrival of our student-athletes coming out of summer break," continued Hanberry. "However, with recent spikes in cases, especially within our footprint, the decision to suspend competition for fall sports during the Fall semester and allow our campuses to focus on the health and safety of all students within a structured environment became the logical outcome."
Decisions related to winter and spring sport competition will be made at a later date.
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Presidents Council
Steven O'Day, Austin College
Christopher Holoman, Centenary College
Mike Edmonds, Colorado College
Thomas Hibbs, University of Dallas
Charlie McCormick, Schreiner University
Laura Trombley, Southwestern University
Richard Ludwick, University of St. Thomas
Debbie Cottrell, Texas Lutheran University
Danny Anderson, Trinity University