Horizon League postpones fall sports due to coronavirus pandemic

On Thursday, the Horizon League became the latest collegiate body to postpone all fall sports due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The conference's official statement said:

"This decision impacts all Horizon League sports that compete in the fall both for their championship season (men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball) and for their non-championship segment (men’s and women’s golf, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis).

"A decision on whether fall sport competition can take place in the spring will be determined by the Board and Council at a later date. Individual institutions will make decisions regarding training, practice and recruiting in accordance with NCAA regulations, state and institutional guidelines."

Institutions within the Ivy League, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West, Big Ten, and Pac-12 are also currently open to scheduling springtime formats for fall sports impacted by postponements. None has set a schedule for those competitions as of Aug. 13.

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and Ryan Day of Ohio State have both campaigned for eight-game Big Ten football schedules that would occur during the first half of 2021. It's unknown if either the conference or the NCAA would sign off on such an idea while also allowing schools to then begin preparations for a fall 2021 campaign so soon after the completion of the previous season.