NAIA fall championships for volleyball, men’s soccer and cross country have been postponed until the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision still allows NAIA conferences to compete in the fall and winter if they so choose. The GPAC, for example, plans for regular-season competition this fall.

Prior to the NAIA Council of Presidents’ vote, 51 NAIA individual institutions had opted to postpone fall competition until the spring. Dates for the postponed championships have yet to be announced.

Competition for volleyball, soccer and cross country is slated to begin Sept. 5. Teams can begin practice on Aug. 15.

The timing of the football national championship will be determined on Friday. Morningside is the defending champion.

Earlier this week, the Northern Sun and RMAC, a pair of NCAA Division II conferences, announced a delay in the start to their fall seasons.

For the Northern Sun, which includes Wayne State, football teams can begin practice Sept. 2 with the first date of competition scheduled for Sept. 26. Volleyball and soccer’s first competition will be Oct. 2.

First practices for teams in the RMAC, which includes Chadron State, will be Aug. 24 with first competitions on Sept. 18. Chadron’s football opener now will take place Sept. 19.​