DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — The Mount St. Joseph University football, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball seasons have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Council (HCAC) of Presidents unanimously voted to modify the timing of conference competition and championships for fall sports classified by the NCAA as high risk (football, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball).
MSJ will continue to have golf and cross country seasons this fall, according to sports information manager Blake Watson.
The HCAC is the latest NCAA Division III conference with Ohio ties to postpone some or all fall sports. It joins the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and North Coast Athletic Conference(NCAC). Case Western Reserve in Cleveland also made a recent announcement to postpone fall sports.
"The HCAC is committed to offering engaging athletic experiences for student athletes in these sports with extensive team activities this fall followed by spring competitive seasons," the conference said in a statement. "In adjusting to the challenges presented by the pandemic, these modifications maintain safety as the highest priority but help ensure the opportunity for as much participation as possible in each HCAC sport."
The HCAC said it will continue with fall seasons with golf, tennis and cross country. The conference will also schedule some competitions in baseball and softball in the fall that will not count toward league standings.
The HCAC said a decision on the timing of the basketball season, which is defined as a high contact risk sport by the NCAA, will be made in the near future.
Swimming and diving is classified as a low contact risk sport and will continue forward with its standard schedule.
Indoor and outdoor track and field, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse have also not been altered at this time, the HCAC said.
