WEBSTER GROVES (July 27, 2019) - The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) announced on Monday afternoon the postponement of all 2020 fall competition for both volleyball and men's and women's soccer. All games in both sports will be rescheduled to the Spring 2021 season.

With the postponement of the fall team sports season, the league will conduct its championships in both volleyball and men's and women's soccer during the spring of 2021 due to the ongoing battle with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This was not an easy decision and I understand many of our athletes in volleyball and soccer were looking forward to returning to play in the fall," Webster University Director of Athletics Scott Kilgallon said. "This decision was made in the best interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, support staff and campus community.  Our fall team sports of volleyball and men's and women's soccer to shift their non-traditional season that is usually in the spring to the fall and then they will hold their traditional, championship season during the spring of 2021." 

Monday's announcement by the SLIAC about soccer and volleyball does not affect Webster University's other fall sports – men's and women's cross country, men's golf and men's and women's tennis. Those sports will be allowed to have limited competitions during the fall of 2020, while following the directives of local, state and national health organizations.

The SLIAC along with Webster University remain committed to providing student-athletes as full and inclusive a competitive plus non-competitive season as will be allowed by the new NCAA legislation, while consistently following local and national health and safety protocols. Non-traditional athletic activities would include, but are not limited to, individual and team skill instructions, practices, leadership development, strength training and scrimmages.

The NCAA released guidance on the resocialization of collegiate sports and blanket waivers during the 2020-21 season. The links to those documents are below. For institution guidance on the return to campus this fall for Webster University students, visit the Webster University COVID-19 homepage (Webster COVID-19 homepage).

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The President's Council of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC), after much deliberation and discussion, has voted to postpone the 2020 fall competition in the team sports of both volleyball and soccer and move both sports to a spring, 2021 season.
 
Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Golf and Men's and Women's Tennis will be allowed to have limited competitions during the fall of 2020 while following the directives of local, state, and national health organizations.
 
The SLIAC and its member institutions remain committed to providing student-athletes as full and inclusive a competitive plus non-traditional season as will be allowed by new NCAA legislation while consistently following health and safety protocols. Non-traditional athletic activities would include, but are not limited to, individual and team skill instruction, practice, leadership development, strength training, and scrimmages.
 
Specific details on rescheduled seasons, contests, and championships will be discussed by the conference and announced at a later date. Winter sports schedules currently remain unchanged but will be evaluated as the conference approaches their respective start dates. The SLIAC will continue to monitor the health and safety recommendations put forth by the NCAA, CDC, federal, state, local, and campus health organizations with the well-being of athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, and the campus community the foremost concern.
 
Finally, with SLIAC institutions representing four states and varying regions in the Midwest, institutional autonomy will be allowed by the Presidents' Council as it relates to the decision to participate in intercollegiate athletics.