Horizon League postpones fall sports citing coronavirus concerns
MILWAUKEE - The Horizon League is the latest Division I collegiate conference to cancel their fall sports season amid concerns for the health and safety of student-athletes and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In response to the announcement Thursday, UW-Milwaukee Director of Athletics Amanda Braun said:
"We continue to have to make unprecedented decisions for Milwaukee Athletics and today is no different," Braun said. "As difficult as this decision is, the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff, and our campus community must drive our decisions. It has become clear to the leadership throughout the Horizon League that with the remaining unknowns and uncertainties stemming from the current environment, we cannot allow our student-athletes to compete in the fall season. We will continue to support our student-athletes in all respects – including a focus on their physical and mental health – and look forward to watching them compete in the future."
This decision impacts all Horizon League sports that compete in the fall both for their championship season (men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, volleyball) and for their non-championship segment (men's and women's golf, baseball, softball, men's and women's tennis).
A decision on whether fall sport competitions can take place in the spring will be determined by the Board and Council at a later date. Individual institutions will make decisions regarding training, practice and recruiting in accordance with NCAA regulations, state and institutional guidelines.
The voting members of the Horizon League Board of Directors are comprised of the 12 member institutions' chief executive officers. The Council consists of the 12 member institutions' athletic directors, chairpersons of the Senior Woman's Administrators and Faculty Athletic Representatives and a student-athlete.