American Rivers Communications
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Due to Friday’s NCAA Board of Governors announcement, the American Rivers Conference Presidents Council has announced the postponement of four sports from the fall to the spring semester. Those sports are football, women’s and men’s soccer, and volleyball. The conference intends to go forward with fall competition in women’s and men’s cross country, women’s golf, and women’s tennis.
The Board of Governors put new mandates in its “Resocialization of Collegiate Sport” plan, the most concerning of which was the requirement to test frequently with short windows for test results in several sports. Prior to Friday’s announcement, the NCAA’s member schools had the latitude to use local and state guidelines in their approach to safely practice and competition for the fall.
The NCAA previously referenced the “Resocialization” document as “… intended as a resource for member schools to use in coordination with applicable government and related institutional policies and guidelines.” Friday’s release changed that stance. The decision by the Association’s highest governing body left the A-R-C’s Presidents Council with no options.
The conference now will focus on its plans for movement of the previously mentioned sports to the spring semester along with full conference competition in cross country, women’s golf, and women’s tennis. The discussion of winter sports also will take high priority in the coming weeks. The conference sponsors women’s and men’s basketball, women’s and men’s indoor track and field, and wrestling in the winter.
Further announcements will be made public as appropriate.