The NCAA Division III fall sports championships have been canceled for the 2020-21 season, the NCAA announced Wednesday, citing “the COVID-19 pandemic and related administrative and financial challenges.”
The NCAA Board of Governors directed each division to make its own determination on whether to hold fall championships, which allowed the Division III Presidents Council to finalize its decision Wednesday.
“Looking at the health and safety challenges we face this fall during this unprecedented time, we had to make this tough decision to cancel championships for fall sports this academic year in the best interest of our student-athlete and member institutions,” said Tori Murden McClure, chair of the Presidents Council and president at Spalding, in a statement. “Our Championships Committee reviewed the financial and logistical ramifications if Division III fall sports championships were conducted in the spring and found it was logistically untenable and financially prohibitive. Our Management Council reached the same conclusion.”
Other divisions have until Aug. 21 to decide whether they will hold fall championships. If 50% of more of eligible teams cancel their season, the NCAA will not hold championship events in that division.