The Mountain West is postponing its fall sports season because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the conference announced on Monday.
We were hopeful we could carefully and responsibly conduct competition as originally scheduled with essential protocols in place,” Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said in a statement. “However, numerous external factors and unknowns outside our control made this difficult decision necessary.
“I fully understand the impact of this outcome on our student- athletes, coaches, administrators and staff who work so hard daily to play the sports we all love, and I share in their disappointment. We will continue to navigate this pandemic together, overcome the obstacles and return to intercollegiate athletics at the earliest opportunity.”
The Mountain West is the second FBS conference to postpone football and other fall sports, joining the Mid-American Conference, which voted to do so Saturday morning. A source said the postponement is indefinite, although the Mountain West will look to the spring as an option for football and other fall sports.
Last week, the Mountain West announced a football schedule model that included eight conference games and up to two non-league games at each member’s discretion. The schedule was set to begin no earlier than the weekend of Sept. 26.
Sources told ESPN on Sunday that the vast majority of Big Ten presidents favor postponing the fall season, although the league had not taken an official vote as of Monday afternoon. Pac-12 presidents are set to meet Tuesday and discuss the most recent health information around the pandemic and possibly vote on the fall sports season.
