INDIANAPOLIS — More college conferences are moving fall sports to the spring because of the coronavirus.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference, a Division II conference that the University of Indianapolis and the University of Southern Indiana compete in, announced Monday that they are moving some, but not all, fall sports to the spring.
Scott Young, the director of athletics at UIndy, says the GLVC made the decision based on the NCAA’s levels of “low-risk,” “medium-risk” or “high-risk” sports.
“The sports that have been moved are volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, and football,” Young said. “They’re considered high-risk sports.”
However, tennis, golf, and cross-country will still compete this fall because they are classified as “low-risk” or “medium-risk.”
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Young says volleyball, soccer and football players were upset and frustrated when they learned the news Monday, but are trying to remain positive.
“It’s not the perfect scenario for us,” he said. “But it still does provide opportunities to offer practices and those types of things in the fall. So we should still be in a good place once we get the student-athletes back on campus for classes, while still going through full practices and prepare for the spring.”
Young added that coaches and players are optimistic, and just glad that their seasons haven’t been completely canceled, just postponed to the spring.
For now, those teams will continue workouts and practices. For the last month, fall athletes have been able to be on campus for voluntary workouts, while implementing safety precautions. Young says at UIndy, there are daily screenings each day the student-athletes and coaches come into the facility. They also have to answer a questionnaire and get their temperature checked. Then they’re given a wristband so staff can keep track of who is and isn’t supposed to be in the facilities.
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is also expected to make a decision about the future of this upcoming basketball season by October 1.
