The Southland Conference has joined several other conferences in postponing all fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference released a statement on Thursday morning describing its decision to postpone all fall sports to the spring. The Southland joins the Ivy League, Patriot League, MEAC, CAA, SWAC, NEC and Big Sky as conferences from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) that has postponed its seasons until the spring.
The Southland Conference is home to four programs from the state of Louisiana which includes McNeese State, Nicholls State, Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State.
The conference’s statement:
The Southland Conference 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 with an intent to explore conference competition in the spring semester. Meeting frequently in recent weeks, including Wednesday afternoon, presidents of the 13 Southland members also authorized planning for spring semester championship events for volleyball, soccer and cross country.
Institutions may choose to participate in limited fall competition.
“After thoughtful consideration, the Southland Conference Board of Directors reached consensus in postponing league competition for our fall semester sports,” 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.”
“The Board concluded that an entire fall sports season is not likely, and that a postponement to spring can provide the important opportunities our teams annually seek,” Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett added. “While disappointed that we won’t be playing these sports in the Southland’s 58th year of fall competition, we look forward to a unique spring season of athletics that also includes NCAA postseason opportunities.”
It is expected that Southland athletic directors will immediately begin work with the Southland staff to determine spring competitive planning and other issues.
With teams allowed to participate in limited fall competition, no word if that means the University of Louisiana vs. McNeese State football game — scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5th — is going to be cancelled.