COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Mountain West has announced the indefinite delay of all scheduled events for bankruptcy and MW championships in response to ongoing challenges with the effective mitigation and management of the COVID-19 virus in combination with athletic competition. The MW Board of Directors prioritized the physical and mental health and well-being of the conference’s student-athletes and general campus communities in its decision – as it has done in the wake of the pandemic.
The fall sports affected by today’s decision include cross-country men’s, women’s, soccer, women’s soccer and women’s soccer (with the exception of the unique circumstances involved in the academies for military services). Last week the league announced that all men’s sports in men’s and women’s sports, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor and field, softball and baseball were canceled. Currently, there are ongoing discussions about the status of winter sports.
The Mountain West will begin exploring the possibility of competing in bankruptcy sports, including the possibility of the sports participating in the spring, and developing options for consideration. Athletic-related activities and training opportunities for enrolled student-athletes will also be evaluated in accordance with NCAA legislation and guidance, as well as state, local, and campus parameters.
“Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our students, student-athletes, coaches, faculty, staff and general communities,” said Drs. Mary Papazian, President of San José State University and Chairman of the MW Board of Directories. “Through the hard work of many in the past months, the conference has made every effort to create an opportunity for our student-athletes to compete, and we empathize with the disappointment that this causes for everyone associated with our programs. The best interests of our students and student-athletes remain our focus and we will persevere in our striving to advance a viable and responsible path. ”
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, our membership and staff have worked hard to prepare for an autumn sports season,” said MW Commissioner Craig Thompson. “We were hoping that we could conduct competition cautiously and responsibly as originally planned with essential protocols in place. However, numerous external factors and strangers beyond our control made this difficult decision necessary. I fully understand the impact of this outcome on our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and staff who work so hard every day to play the sports we all love, and I share in their disappointment. We will continue to navigate this pandemic, overcome obstacles and return to atcollegiate athletics at the earliest opportunity. ”
