ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (July 27, 2020) — The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) announced this morning to postpone all fall sports competition and championships. The decision, which came as the result of a unanimous vote from the CCIW Council of Presidents (COP), affects football, women’s volleyball, men and women’s soccer, men and women’s cross-country, women’s golf, and women’s tennis.
“This was a difficult decision, not made lightly, and sure to disappoint many of our athletes and our fans,” said Augustana President Steve Bahls. “As a college president, I have the responsibility to care for our students and take actions to prevent undue risk to our students. Given the person-to-person contact in sports, the inability to wear masks and social-distance, travel in larger groups, and the related heightened risk of spread, continuation of fall sports is a risk that I am unwilling to expose our athletes to.”
The CCIW office will explore the feasibility of opportunities for the sports of cross-country, soccer, football, and women’s volleyball to compete in the spring. At the same time, the league will maintain full-conference competition in spring sports. Women’s golf and women’s tennis championships will move to the spring on dates still to be determined by the CCIW.
“I am absolutely heartbroken for our fall sports student-athletes and coaches, but considering the current state of the national public health situation, this announcement should not come as a complete surprise,” said Augustana Director of Athletics Mike Zapolski. “I anticipate that our fall sports programs will plan to practice and train in the weeks ahead with the hope of being able to conduct competition during the spring.”
Fall sports teams will be allowed to practice and there is the possibility of limited, low contact competitions. These competitions would not be sponsored or endorsed by the CCIW and must be in accordance with NCAA Division III rules and campus, local, state, and NCAA health directives.
“The decision by the CCIW presidents to postpone conference seasons applies to conference activities only. It does not prohibit skill development, conditioning and other similar opportunities for all studentathletes on campus during the fall (including some competition) if consistent with state of Illinois policies and NCAA guidelines,” said Bahls. “I have asked Mike Zapolski, our director of athletics, to work with the coaches to provide these opportunities for our athletes during the fall, ensuring that there are written and approved safety plans showing compliance with college policies, public health guidelines and NCAA guidance.”
The CCIW Council of Presidents will continue to meet and a decision on winter sports, which has not been made at this time, will continue to be evaluated in the coming weeks.
Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. Augustana is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study-abroad, an internship, or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 165 Academic All-Americans, two Nobel laureates, 13 college presidents, and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world’s most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.
