The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) today announced the postponement of NCAA intercollegiate athletic competition through Dec. 31, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision was made with the health and safety of student athletes and our campus communities in mind.
The full statement from the OAC is available below.
Falls sports that have intercollegiate competition suspended include cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball. The winter-season sports of basketball, indoor track and field, swimming and diving, and wrestling will also have intercollegiate competition suspended during the 2020 calendar year, with plans to resume in January 2021.
“This is a disappointing development for our University, teams, and student athletes, particularly our seniors, but the decision was made with the health and safety of student athletes and our campus communities in mind,” said Michael D. Johnson, Ph.D., president of John Carroll University. “Our administration and athletic department remain committed to providing our student athletes with a meaningful and engaging experience including opportunities for them to train and practice as a team in compliance with NCAA criteria.”
“Together with the NCAA and OAC, we are also working to understand the opportunities for our affected athletic teams to compete on an amended schedule during this academic year,” said Michelle Morgan, Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation. “As more information and guidance becomes available, we will continue to provide updates to our community.”
OAC Postpones the Fall Sports Season
The Presidents Council of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) has postponed all NCAA intercollegiate athletic competition through December 31, 2020 amidst continued concerns about COVID-19. The Conference is committed to moving NCAA intercollegiate competition to the spring, with various models being currently discussed.
While competition will not occur in Fall 2020, the Conference is planning a robust engagement of student-athletes during the fall semester with conditioning and preparation for competition according to CDC guidelines and NCAA criteria in conjunction with local health guidelines.
“The OAC believes we can continue to provide an excellent experience for our student athletes while continuing to make the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, families, fans and campus communities our highest priority,” said Tim Gleason, Commissioner of OAC.
The fall sports that have intercollegiate competition postponed include cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball. The winter-season sports of basketball, indoor track and field, swimming and diving, and wrestling will also have intercollegiate competition postponed during the 2020 calendar year, with plans to resume in January 2021.
The OAC looks forward to cheering on our great student-athletes in the Spring 2021 semester!