The Horizon League will postpone the start of all of its fall sports until at least Oct. 1, the conference said in a statement, delaying the first competitive events for Robert Morris in its new conference home.
“All fall sports competition (championship and non-championship) will be delayed with the understanding that if competition occurs, it will not begin before October 1,” read a statement from the Horizon League. “The decision allows each campus to further focus on ensuring return to competition protocols uphold the Council’s principle of safety and can be reasonably implemented.”
The decision is related to concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic. It includes non-conference and exhibition games but will allow the re-scheduling of non-conference games that had been planned for September to occur at some point later in the fall. The conference also allowed latitude for schools to practice if appropriate.
“Decisions related to training and practice will be left to members’ discretion,” the Horizon League release read.
NEWS: @HorizonLeague Fall Sports Competition Postponed to October 1
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— RMU Athletics (@RMUAthletics) July 16, 2020
Fall sports at Robert Morris affected include women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. Men’s golf and softball are sports that will be affected as well because although they have spring seasons, they do compete in the fall (softball only in exhibitions).
“The Council’s top priority is the health and safety of its student-athletes, coaches, and staff, guided by the League’s core value of student-athlete well-being,” the conference statement read.
RMU football is not affected at this time. The Colonials are playing as an independent this season before joining the Big South in 2021. A school spokesperson indicated that Robert Morris would follow any decision the Big South made regarding football, in addition to university and state guidance.
After almost four decades as a charter member of the Northeast Conference, Robert Morris announced last month that it was joining the Horizon League. After opening the new UPMC Events Center and winning the NEC in men’s (tournament) and women’s (regular season) basketball, the move benefits the athletic program’s marquee sport of basketball.
Basketball is a winter sport and unaffected by Thursday’s announcement.
Horizon League Statement on 2020-21 Fall Season.
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— Horizon League (@HorizonLeague) July 16, 2020
Conferences across the country, to varying degrees, have made announcements regarding their fall sports over the past week since the Ivy League on July 8 announced it was canceling all fall sports. Some conferences have pushed back competition to the spring, others have canceled nonconference games and others have called off some 2020 fall sports entirely.
Other members of the 12-school Horizon League are Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Illinois-Chicago, IUPUI, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Purdue-Fort Wayne, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wright State and Youngstown State.
