SAN ANTONIO — The University of Incarnate Word's football season has been postponed.
According to a press release tweeted out from Southland Conference, UIW's league, the conference's board of directors "has determined that league competition in the sports of football, volleyball, women's soccer and cross country will be postponed from the fall semester."
It's of note that the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), home of UIW men's soccer, also announced today that it will suspend competition (championship and non-championship) during the 2020 fall season
The decision was made amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Houston Davis, Board Chair and President of the University of Central Arkansas, said. “Protecting competitive opportunities in a safe manner for our student-athletes was paramount in the review, and a delay to the spring allows campuses and athletic departments to get a better handle on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
There is an "intent to explore conference competition in the spring semester," according to the release.
The full press release can be viewed here.
UIW Atheltic Director Richard Duran issued the following statement in response to the decision:
"From the onset of the pandemic, our University has prioritized the health and safety of our students." "This has continued to be paramount in our athletics department decision-making and conversations with fellow Southland Conference members. We refused to rush back and spent the summer putting a plan in place to meet the NCAA recommendations well before they became mandates. We strived to do the right thing for the right reasons, and we stay true to that approach."
According to a press release from UIW Athletics, the Cardinals will hold voluntary practices and strength and conditioning sessions through the fall and look forward to the possibility of competing in the spring.