The Midwest Conference (MWC) Presidents Council announced this morning that it will not sponsor league competition, including championships, for fall and winter sports during the 2020-2021 academic year. The decision covers men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's indoor track & field, and volleyball.
"While we are disappointed that our fall and winter student athletes won't be able to compete in the traditional Midwest Conference schedule, the health and safety of our campuses remains the top priority of our institutions," said Zach Messitte, Ripon College president and chair of the MWC Presidents' Council. "We are hopeful that individual teams will continue to practice and, if appropriate, compete in some limited capacity in the months ahead."
Over the past several months, the Conference has closely monitored the evolving COVID-19 situation, as well as its impact on member campuses, local communities and the Midwest region, with the hope of resuming safe competition for its student-athletes. The recent surge in positive cases, both regionally and nationally, the resulting impact on academic calendars, and the continued uncertainty surrounding the pandemic are all factors in the decision not to play a winter conference schedule.
Training, skill development and/or strength & conditioning sessions may continue for fall and winter sport athletes at the discretion of each institution. Similarly, the Council endorsed the concept of institutional autonomy with regard to scrimmages and/or competition.
The Midwest Conference continues to work diligently toward a spring season for baseball, softball, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's outdoor track & field. The Conference's COVID-19 Working Group has developed return-to-play guidance that aligns with the most current NCAA Sport Science Institute's Resocialization and Acclimatization recommendations, including elements such as testing, positive COVID-19 case response and environmental adjustments to reduce the risk of transmission.
Interim Director of Athletics Blake Theisen stated, "We will be monitoring the state of the virus closely in the weeks and months ahead. If we feel we can safely participate in athletic competition, we will do everything in our power to provide these opportunities."
The MWC decision pushes back early return dates for our winter student-athletes but does not impact campus plans for all student-athletes to return to campus for the spring semester. Jackie Slaats, Vice President for Athletics and Careers, said, "After a remote fall semester, we are very much looking forward to having our teams and coaches back together again. My hope is that this excitement and energy, along with the potential to resume competition later in the spring semester, will keep our Forester Family motivated during what I know is a challenging time."
The Northern Collegiate Hockey Conference is scheduled to make a final decision about conference competition next week. However, early return dates for men's and women's hockey were also adjusted to mid-January following the announcement from the MWC.
The United States Handball Association's Collegiate National Championships, which the Foresters annually compete in, has officially been cancelled for 2021. As a result, the College will not be sponsoring handball competition during the spring semester.
As announced previously, the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has endorsed spring sport competition for men's and women's golf.