ROSEMONT — The Big Ten Conference announced that it has postponed all fall intercollegiate competition due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Conference made its decision Tuesday with the aid of advice from medical counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee.
“Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and President of Northwestern University.
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren agreed.
“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” Warren said. “As time progressed, and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risk to compete this fall.”
The sports postponed include football, men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.
The Conference, in its press release, said that fall sports could possibly resume in the spring and that winter sports also remain under evaluation.
The Pac-12, Mid-American Conference and the Mountain West Conference have also postponed fall sports due to COVID-19.