A new season is dawning for college soccer coast to coast.
Conferences across the country have begun to clarify their plans for the upcoming 2020 season. The new normal due to COVID-19 results in somewhat different approaches to ensure the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes. The information below is an effort to sort out the current status of individual conferences based on the information currently available. Uncertain and unprecedented times mean that conference plans, including season start dates, are subject to change. In addition, some conference’s have not finalized their plans which could impact the information provided below.
On August 13 the NCAA announced that they will not hold D1 fall championships this year. This impacts both men’s and women’s soccer. On August 21 the NCAA announced that they would work toward hosting scaled back fall championships in the spring.
On September 21 the NCAA Division I Council approved a proposal to move the 2020 fall championships to the spring of 2021 for men’s and women’s soccer. That proposal now goes to the Division I Board of Directors for approval. The proposal provides that the men’s tournament field would be reduced from forty-eight to thirty-six teams. The women’s tournament field would change from sixty-four teams to forty-eight.
American Athletic – On August 25 the American Athletic Conference postponed all competition and conference championships in men’s and women’s soccer until the spring of 2021.
America East – Season postponed for the duration of the first semester. Training and practices will be permitted at each institution’s discretion in adherence with NCAA rules and local and state health and safety guidelines.
Atlantic Coast – Conference schedules must include six games. Any additional games against conference opponents are at the school’s discretion. Schools can continue to schedule regular season cross country competition at their discretion. Competition may begin on September 10. On September 1 the Boston College men’s soccer team made the decision not to compete in any matches in the Fall.
Atlantic Sun – On August 14 the ASUN Conference postponed all ASUN Regular Season and Championship competition for the 2020 fall semester. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. Providing a spring season for the fall sports remains an ASUN priority.
Atlantic 10 – All fall contests have been postponed. The conference has agreed to a “look-in” window mid-September, allowing for a potentially truncated competitive schedule among conference opponents if the COVID-19 risk has substantially been reduced.
Big East – On August 12 the Big East Conference announced fall sports and competition will not be conducted in 2020. This includes both men’s and women’s soccer. The Big East will begin to explore conducting fall sports during the spring season if conditions allow.
Big South – On August 12 the Big South Conference announced it is delaying its fall sports season with the intent of playing in the spring. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. Member institutions may continue with permissible athletics activities, as defined by NCAA regulations and with the exception of fall sport competition, at their own discretion and in accordance with applicable local and state regulations and procedures.
Big Ten – On August 11 the Big Ten Conference announced the postponement of the 2020-21 fall sports season including all regular-season contests and Big Ten Championships and Tournaments. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. The Big Ten Conference will continue to evaluate a number of options including the possibility of competition in the spring.
Big West – Fall sports competition postponed through the end of the calendar year. Whether fall sport competition will be feasible in the spring will be determined by the Board of Directors at a later date based on conditions in existence.
Colonial Athletic Association – No fall conference schedule. Members of the conference, however, are allowed to purse independent schedules.
Conference USA – On August 21 Conference USA moved all sports to the spring of 2021 with the exception of college football.
Horizon League – On August 13 the Horizon League postponed competition for the fall season. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. A decision on whether fall sport competition can take place in the spring will be determined at a later date. Decisions relating to training and practices will be left to individual institutions in accordance with NCAA regulations, state and institutional guidelines.
Ivy League – The fall sports season has been cancelled. No determination has been made as to whether fall sports will be eventually re-scheduled for the spring semester, or cancelled altogether. Training and some organized team practices will be permitted provided they are structured in accordance with each institution’s procedures and applicable state regulations.
Metro Atlantic Athletic – The fall sports season has been cancelled. A decision on whether fall sports competition will be feasible in the spring will be determined by the conference presidents at a later date.
Mid-American – On August 8 the MAC announced the postponement of all fall sports.
Missouri Valley – On August 14 the MVC postponed conference schedules and championships in all MVC sponsored fall sports. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. The MVC will continue to evaluate options for conducting MVC competion for fall sports in the spring. Participation in non-conference competition, practices, strength and conditioning sessions, will be allowed consistent with institutional polices, public health guidelines and NCAA and Conference regulations.
Northeast – No competition in the fall season. A decision regarding the possibility of fall teams playing in the spring semester has not been made.
Pacific-12 – On August 11 the Pac-12 Conference postponed all sport competitions through the end of the 2020 calendar year.
Patriot League – No competition in the fall season. However Army and Navy may continue to engage in competitive opportunities as considered appropriate by their respective superintendents. Conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities will be permitted provided health and safety conditions support such activities. Decisions regarding the possibility of conducting fall sports during the spring semester will be made at a later date.
Southern – On August 13 the Southern Conference postponed fall conference competition, allowing for non-conference contests if desired. This impacts men’s and women’s soccer. The intention if feasible is to move the fall sports’ regular-season competition and championships to the spring.
Summit League – On August 10 the Summit League voted to postpone the regular season and championships for all sports to the spring of 2021. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. Training and practice opportunities for the affected sports will be based upon NCAA regulations and local health and safety guidelines.
Sun Belt – First permissible date of competition is September 3. Rescheduling of contests due to these adjustments will be determined by each member institution.
Western Athletic – On August 13 the Western Athletic Conference voted to suspend all fall championship and non-championship competition through the end of the calendar year. This includes men’s and women’s soccer. Conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities will be permitted per institutional discretion.
West Coast – On August 13 the WCC postponed all conference fall competition. This includes both men’s and women’s soccer. The WCC intends to explore various models for conducting WEE competition in fall sports in the spring of 2021.
