The Missouri Valley Conference announced Friday the postponement of its fall championship events and conference schedules. 

The league cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty around the ability to play full league schedules safely.

The announcement comes a day after the NCAA announced Division I fall championships were postponed. 

The announcement does not include football — however, the Missouri Valley Football Conference (a separate league) had already announced it was moving its conference season to the spring. 

Fall seasons include sports such as men’s and women’s soccer, indoor volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country. The Valley said it will evaluate options for conducting MVC competition in those sports and potentially participating in MVC and NCAA championships during the spring. 

“The Conference will continue to evaluate options for conducting MVC competition in these sports and potentially participating in NCAA championships during the spring of 2021,” the release says.

“Plans for MVC-sponsored winter and spring sports….are not impacted at this time.”

During the fall months, MVC student-athletes in all sports will be allowed to participate in athletically-related activities consistent with institutional policies, public health guidelines and NCAA and Conference regulations, the valley said in its release. 

Men’s and women’s basketball were not impacted by the announcement. 

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or join the conversation on Twitter where his handle is @WyattWheeler_NL. You can also sign up for his free “Bears Beat” newsletter by subscribing on News-Leader.com.