UNK, league postponing fall sports a full month

KEARNEY – The University of Nebraska at Kearney is delaying the start of fall sports competition to Sept. 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

UNK and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association officials announced the decision today. It was approved unanimously by chancellors and presidents of the conference’s 14 schools.

Football, volleyball, cross country, women’s golf, women’s soccer and women’s tennis will all start about one month later than anticipated. Student-athletes at UNK and all MIAA schools will report for fall camp and begin practices Aug. 31. UNK has 420 student-athletes.

“This is very challenging and creates some difficulties, but delaying the start of our seasons gives us hope that there will be games this fall,” said UNK Athletic Director Marc Bauer. “We need sports on this campus and in our community because it pulls us together. It’s been an empty feeling the last four months with no practices or games. At the same time, we know we have to move forward in a way that’s safe and protects the health of everybody.”

The NCAA has approved a new rule that fall sports may have split seasons, with teams playing a portion of their schedules one semester and competing for championships in another. The MIAA is not canceling early-season games, but rather starting the season later. The MIAA will address scheduling of conference championships at a later date, after the NCAA Division II Administrative Council determines regional and championship dates, said Bauer.

“Our plan right now is to pick up games we lose in the fall and finish our seasons by playing those games in the spring,” said Bauer. “Most indications are that the NCAA will move championships to the spring.”

Under the current plan:

UNK football will play seven games in the fall and open its season Oct. 3 at home against Missouri Western. The Lopers first three previously-scheduled games – against Northwest Missouri State, Lincoln University and Central Missouri – will be moved and played in the spring.

The UNK volleyball team will open Oct. 2 with a home match against Northwest Missouri State. The team’s five matches scheduled for September will be moved to the spring.

The Loper women’s soccer team opens Oct. 2 at home against Newman University and will move its four games scheduled in September to the spring.

Schedules for women’s tennis, women’s golf and cross country are still being put together and finalized.

“We need to be flexible because there is still so much uncertainty,” said Bauer. “We’ll work together as a university and conference to give our student-athletes and fans the best experience possible. I’ve asked our coaches and athletes to be leaders through this process.”

Nine of the 23 conferences in NCAA Division II have canceled fall seasons, but UNK officials don’t expect the NCAA to cancel fall sports, said Bauer. “UNK and the MIAA is committed to a strong experience for our student-athletes, and we are ready to play games this fall.”