NCAA Cancels Division II, III 2020 Fall Championships
Aug 5, 2020, 3:56 PM
A detail of giant NCAA logo is seen outside of the stadium on the practice day prior to the NCAA Men's Final Four at the Georgia Dome on April 5, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NCAA announced the cancellation of all division II and division III fall championships ahead of the upcoming 2020 fall season. The “operational, logistical and financial challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” are the reasons for the cancellations according to the NCAA.
DII Presidents Council cancels fall 2020 championships: https://t.co/ANi4gC6C6b pic.twitter.com/DsUF0vrsQt
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) August 5, 2020
“After reviewing and discussing the Board of Governors’ directives, the Division II Presidents Council made the difficult decision that holding fall championships in any capacity was not a viable or fiscally responsible option for Division II,” said Sandra Jordan, chancellor of South Carolina Aiken and chair of the council. “This decision was discussed very thoroughly, and I assure you, it was not made lightly. It is important to note that fall student-athletes will be given eligibility-related flexibility to allow them championship opportunities in the future. As we move forward, we will continue to focus on providing the best championships experience for our winter and spring student-athletes who were not afforded those opportunities at the beginning of this pandemic.”
Ohe of the many Board of Governors’ directives included – “if 50% or more of eligible teams in a particular sport in a division cancel their fall season, there will be no fall NCAA championship in that sport in that division.”
Division III Presidents Council cancels fall championships: https://t.co/bvpoNxsjbF pic.twitter.com/zg5XsyW7LC
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) August 5, 2020
As of Wednesday, 11 of the 23 Division II conferences had announced they will not compete during the traditional fall season.
Westminister College is the only Division II or III University within the state of Utah.
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Tom Hackett is a Utah Football and Real Salt Lake Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the It’s Utah’s World Podcast (Utah Football themed) and The Lion’s Den Podcast (Real Salt Lake themed). Follow him on Twitter: @TomCantHackett.
