The Big West Conference Board of Directors announced on Thursday that fall sports competition will not be conducted in 2020-21, which means women’s indoor volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s cross country will not compete again until fall 2021.
In a press release through the conference, the Board said the decision came after extended consideration of the ongoing health and safety challenges affecting Big West campuses and communities, and the significant resources required to properly safeguard the health and well-being of all student-athletes.
The decision does not impact fall sports unaffiliated with the Big West, which includes UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo), Cal State Bakersfield, UC San Diego, UC Davis and Hawaii.
“Protecting the health and safety of our student-athletes and following public health guidelines are our top priorities,” Big West commissioner Dan Butterly said. “Despite a strong desire to return our fall sport student-athletes to competition, the Board unanimously agreed that the resources and protocols needed to safely and equitably conduct fall, winter and spring sports seasons concurrently was not in line with those priorities nor in the best interests of our student-athletes and coaches.”
The conference will not, as some student-athletes had hoped, attempt to push fall sports competition into winter or spring months. That scenario could pose serious logistical challenges when it comes to scheduling access to shared facilities such as gyms and weight rooms.
“This was a difficult decision, particularly in light of the significant sacrifices our staff, coaches, student-athletes and their families have already made in the interest of public health,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman, the Chair of the Big West Board of Directors. “While this decision is disappointing for many, the health and safety of Big West student-athletes, coaches, staff and the campus community continue to be the preeminent priorities for the CEO’s of the conference’s 11 institutions.”
The Board also acknowledged it will continue to monitor and evaluate the current program of COVID-19 medical and safety protocols in men’s and women’s basketball, which are underway and are scheduled to begin conference play later this month. Basketball will guide a decision regarding a safe return to competition for Big West spring sports. That decision is expected by late January 2021.
As medical and scientific data rapidly evolves surrounding the pandemic, the conference said it will continue to monitor developments and will consider additional actions as needed.
The Big West competes in 18 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s volleyball, softball, women’s beach volleyball and women’s water polo.
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