The Missouri Valley Conference postponed all fall sports Friday, meaning Indiana State University's cross country, women's soccer, women's volleyball and women's golf teams will not have a fall season.
It is possible that MVC fall sports will have a season in the spring.
The decision was made by the league's Presidents and Athletic Directors because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the NCAA's cancellation Thursday of all Division I fall championships.
"Once again, the pandemic is taking away something our student-athletes have worked so hard to prepare for, and it's heartbreaking," ISU President Deborah J. Curtis said. "But it is the right decision because our foremost concern is the health and safety of students."
Said Director of Athletics
Sherard Clinkscales: "Our student-athletes were notified this morning. It was a difficult, but absolutely necessary, decision. We're hopeful that these teams will be able to compete in a spring sports season."
The MVC is the conference for all Sycamore intercollegiate sports except football, which is in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Indiana State postponed its football season last week after the MVFC postponed the conference season. Curtis, Clinkscales, and head football coach
Curt Mallory agreed that, with the safety and wellbeing of student-athletes as the priority, there should not be a football season.
It is possible there will be a conference football season and NCAA Championship in the spring.
The MVC said that during the fall, student-athletes in all sports will be allowed to participate in athletically-related activities such as practices, strength and conditioning, and team meetings. Those decisions will be guided by public health agencies, institutional policy, and NCAA regulations.
The MVC has a COVID-19 Working Group consisting of athletics administrators, faculty athletics representatives, sports medicine personnel, and student-athletes. It will continue to monitor the national and local landscapes and work diligently to develop protocols for a safe return to MVC regular-season and championship competition.
Today's decision by the MVC does not impact winter and spring sports, which are still scheduled at this time.
