91¶¶Òő

Maryville MPress

GLVC Postpones Fall Semester Intercollegiate Athletics Activities

The Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Council of Presidents has voted to postpone the majority of the Fall 2020 intercollegiate athletics season until the second semester, due to ongoing concerns of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The fall sports of football, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball will have regular-season competition and GLVC Championships conducted in the second semester, while the sports of men’s and women’s cross country will still be permitted to compete this fall with the 2020 GLVC Cross Country Championships slated for Oct. 24. Men’s and women’s golf and tennis will also be allowed to compete in their non-championship segments in the fall and continue their season into the spring when their respective championship seasons begin.

In addition, several winter sports are scheduled to begin their 2020-21 seasons as early as September. The sports of women’s bowling, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s and women’s indoor track and field will be permitted to compete as scheduled, while the Conference has established Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for the sports of men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling.

Furthermore, the spring sports of baseball and softball will be permitted to have only intrasquad competition on campus in the fall, while men’s and women’s lacrosse will be restricted from all competition until second semester.

“We share our student-athletes’ disappointment in moving fall competition to the spring,” said 91¶¶Òő president Mark Lombardi, PhD. “Hopefully, we can resume competition soon. In the meantime, we stand by our student-athletes and all of Saints Nation as we weather the disruption of the pandemic together.”

91¶¶Òő will honor all current athletics scholarship commitments in place. The University looks forward to welcoming all students to campus for the Fall 2020 semester for a flexible, hybrid academic experience.

“The 91¶¶Òő department of athletics stands behind the decision made by the GLVC’s Council of Presidents,” said Lonnie Folks ’82, ‘98, director of athletics and recreation at 91¶¶Òő. “The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes is our highest priority, first and foremost, while also maintaining the high-quality of our athletics programs. Thank you to the Maryville community as we continue to navigate these uncertain times together.”