Big East suspends 2020 fall sports season, may reschedule to spring

The Big East might’ve been the last conference to cancel its men’s basketball tournament in March, but it’s not taking any chances now.

As college conferences re-examine plans for the fall sports season, the Big East decided to suspend its fall athletics, following the Pac-12 who made a similar decision a day earlier on Tuesday.

“Due to the unprecedented and continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big East Conference and its member institutions have announced that fall sports competition will not be conducted in 2020,” the conference said in a statement. “The conference will assess alternative options to stage fall sports contests during the spring of 2021.”

Given the current climate and uncertainty around sports, it’s not too surprising, but still disappointing.

About a month ago, the conference decided to cancel its non-conference games for all fall sports.

The sports impacted by the Big East’s decision are men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball and field hockey.

Men’s and women’s basketball, and other winter sports that start late in the semester are unaffected — for now.

Big East fall sports athletes will be allowed to practice, participate in small-group workouts and training sessions if permitted by the school and as long as they follow health and safety protocols set by their campus, state, and the NCAA and conference.