NSIC cancels 2020 fall competition and championships

| NSIC Release | NSIC FAQ |

In light of the NCAA Board of Governors' decision to direct all institutions and conferences to meet specific requirements to conduct fall sports and the NCAA Division II Presidents Council's announcement that all NCAA Division II fall championships are canceled, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's Board of Directors has canceled NSIC fall competition and championships, and has suspended all athletic competition through Dec. 31, 2020.

This decision will cancel fall competition for the women's soccer, volleyball and women's cross country programs at St. Cloud State University. The SCSU winter sports impacted by this decision include men's basketball, women's basketball, wrestling, women's swimming and diving and women's indoor track. Those NSIC sports at SCSU will have competition suspended through Dec. 31.

The competition schedules for men's hockey and women's hockey are still under discussion for the upcoming 2020-21 seasons. Updates and information on those sports will be posted at scsuhuskies.com when those details become available. SCSU men's swimming and diving, Nordic ski and men's soccer programs will follow competition guidelines set by the NSIC.

"The events of the past six months are unprecedented, and really, far beyond what most of us could have imagined. Our student-athletes have spent years practicing and honing their skills in preparation for their college careers, and we are sad to see their seasons canceled and reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic," St. Cloud State University Director of Athletics Heather Weems said. "I am grateful for the dialogue and decision-making process led by Commissioner (Erin) Lind and my colleagues across the NSIC. The travel and testing protocols required to safely support our student-athletes in competing this fall were daunting, and in some cases, unattainable given the current environment. We remain hopeful that we will be able to compete later this year and are committed to providing our student-athletes a meaningful, although adapted, experience across all of our programs. Our students and programs continue to need your support, and we look forward to cheering them on when we are able."

The NSIC recognizes the value an NCAA championship experience provides for student-athletes and that was a factor in the analysis. However, health and safety concerns prevailed in the league's decision. Additionally, current recommendations for testing, exposure, and quarantine make it very difficult for a season to be successfully completed at an institution or across the conference without severe disruptions.

"The league's initial decision to delay the start of fall sports was made with the rationale to allow campuses the ability to focus solely on reopening safely for their broader university communities," said NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind. "In light of the recent decisions made by the NCAA Board of Governors, it is no longer feasible to conduct outside competition this fall semester. Our student-athletes deserve a competitive experience that provides a greater degree of safety and certainty than current conditions would allow. We believe now is the right time to provide clarity to our student-athletes so we can turn our efforts towards helping institutions reopen and ensuring a safe return to campus to start the academic year."

Although the NSIC will not conduct a league schedule for 2020 fall sports, the membership is committed to exploring meaningful opportunities and experiences for fall student-athletes in the spring, if it can be done reasonably and safely. The conference will continue to monitor the landscape and conditions surrounding the pandemic, locally, regionally, and nationally, and make any decisions or announcements, as necessary.

Saint Cloud State University Athletics

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