Colleges That Have Cancelled Sports Due to COVID-19

College sports cancellations

The University of Iowa, Brown University, Stanford University, George Washington University and Florida Tech are just a few of the many colleges eliminating college sports programs amid the coronavirus pandemic. Over 300 sports programs across the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA have since been cut, dropped, or suspended. In addition, many schools and college sports conferences are postponing/canceling their fall sports seasons altogether. 

If your college or athletics program has been impacted and is not listed, please share with us at updates@ncsasports.org so we can add it to our resource list. See below for the latest news regarding cancelled athletics for the 2020–21 season: 

• The NCAA Division I Council has outlined the structure and timing of potential replacement spring seasons and championships for non-football fall sports. Three sports would be allowed to begin play as early as January: water polo on Jan. 16, volleyball on Jan. 22 and cross country on Jan. 3. Men’s and women’s soccer would follow as early as Feb. 3 and field hockey on Feb. 12.
• The Big Ten Conference announced it would launch its college football season the weekend of Oct. 23-24 after adopting “significant medical protocols” amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• Associated Press: Virus toll on sports: 3,000-plus football games, sport cuts Updated August 21
• Washington Post: Which college football teams and conferences have canceled? Updated August 13
• Inside Higher Ed: Divide Deepens as More Leagues Postpone Fall Sports Updated August 13

Is NCAA football cancelled?

While many college sports programs have been canceled, much of NCAA football has resumed competition at the Division 1 FBS level. For some conferences, like the Big Ten and Pac-12, the decision to resume competition came after initial delays and planned cancellations. Conference championships and a national championship are still planned for the FBS. At the Division 1 FCS level, football will not resume in the fall, instead resuming in the spring and wrapping up with a 16-team national championship.

Is NCAA Division 1 cancelled?

No, NCAA Division 1 seasons are not cancelled but many seasons have been delayed or postponed, and all Division 1 fall championships besides football were cancelled. According to NCAA COVID-19 news and schedule changes, sports like D1 men’s and women’s basketball have simply been postponed three weeks and will continue their typical schedule in the winter season. Meanwhile, the American Athletic Conference has postponed fall sports like soccer and volleyball to spring to allow for a national championship to be played at a later date. However, according to Mat Talk Online, at least 93 D1 sports programs have been cut and 12 have been suspended. Most of these come from colleges that are cutting multiple teams, such as Stanford University, Dartmouth University and George Washington University, among others. 

NCAA Division 1 schools cutting sports

• La Salle will cut seven sports at the end of the academic year including men’s baseball, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo, women’s softball, volleyball  and tennis. 
• The University of Minnesota will cut men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis at the completion of their 2020–21 competition season. 
• William & Mary has decided to cut Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics; Men’s and Women’s Swimming; Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field; and Women’s Volleyball at the conclusion of the 2020–2021 academic year.
• The University of Iowa will be cutting men’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s tennis at the conclusion of the 2020–2021 academic year.
• Old Dominion latest FBS team to cancel 2020 college football season amid COVID-19 concerns Updated August 10
• UConn becomes first FBS team to cancel football season due to coronavirus Updated August 6
• Fall sports canceled at Drexel, other CAA schools as another Coronavirus mitigation effort Updated July 24
• Furman University to cut baseball and men’s lacrosse programs (Updated May 18)
• The University of Akron announced it will eliminate men’s cross country, men’s golf and women’s tennis — at the end of this academic year. (Updated May 14)
• Florida Tech eliminates its football program amid coronavirus pandemic (Updated May 12)

Is NCAA Division 2 cancelled?

NCAA Division 2 cancelled its seven fall 2020 championships. However, the Division 2 Administrative Committee also offered additional flexibility in scheduling sports for the 2020–21 regular season. Fall and winter athletes at the Division 2 level were also granted an extra year of eligibility. This remains a situation to monitor going forward. 

NCAA Division 2 schools cutting sports

With the Division 2 Presidents Council cancelling fall 2020 championships, many sports programs were impacted financially, and colleges made cuts and suspensions as a result. According to Scholarship Stats, at least 60 college sports programs have been eliminated and 15 have been suspended at the Division 2 level. However, the majority of these sports are from a handful of universities that are downsizing their sports departments. This includes teams at Urbana University, Rollins College and Notre Dame de Namur University, among others. 

Is NCAA Division 3 cancelled?

Much like Division 2, Division 3 also cancelled its fall 2020 championships. However, all Division 3 athletes were granted a blanket waiver for an extra year of eligibility. Check out the latest D3 news page for updates.

NCAA Division 3 schools cutting sports

Like colleges at the Division 1 and Division 2 levels, Division 3 colleges have also cut some sports programs. Based on information from Scholarship Stats, at least 62 Division 3 programs have already been cut and another three programs have been suspended. Schools with multiple sports team cuts include UMass-Dartmouth, Pine Manor College, McMurry University and Johnson and Wales University, among others. 

What is happening with NAIA college sports?

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Council of Presidents made the decision to postpone most fall 2020 championships to spring 2021. Additionally, NAIA student-athletes competing in fall 2020 and winter 2020 sports were granted an extra year of eligibility. This eligibility was not extended to spring 2021 student-athletes. 

NAIA schools cutting sports

Compared to other division levels, the NAIA has seen a lower rate of college sports program cuts. Based on information provided by Scholarship Stats, 27 sports teams have been cut. Most of these teams are from Holy Family University and Johnson and Wales University.

NJCAA schools cutting sports

• NJCAA shifts all close-contact fall sports to spring semester Updated July 13
• City Colleges of Chicago suspends sports for 2020 – 21 (Updated June 25)

College sports conferences updates

While different division levels have provided guidance and voted on recruiting rules going forward, various sports conferences have also chosen to operate differently under those rules. For example, when Division 1 FBS football was allowed to resume, the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences initially planned to cancel their seasons and only later decided to resume at a postponed date. Check this section for more updates from specific conferences.

• The Mid-American Conference will begin its football season on Nov. 4 (Updated September 25)
• SEC men’s basketball to begin conference play Dec. 29, women to open Dec. 31 (Updated September 25)
• Pac-12 to play seven-game football slate starting in November and Pac-12 men’s, women’s basketball get go-ahead for Nov. 25 start (Updated September 24)  
• American Athletic Conference moves non-football fall sports to spring (Updated August 25)  
• ACC Athletic Departments COVID-19 Updates (Updated September 19) 
• ACC could postpone football season if fewer than 8 teams are available to play (Updated September 12)
• ASUN Conference postponing fall sports due to coronavirus pandemic Updated August 14
• Mountain East Conference pushes back fall sports to spring Updated August 14
• BIG EAST Announces Fall Sports Postponement Updated August 13
• WAC and Big Sky cancel fall sports, affecting Utah Valley, Weber State, Dixie State and Southern Utah programs Updated August 13
• Big South postpones fall sports to spring Updated August 13
• Southland Conference Postpones League Competition in Fall Sports Updated August 13
• VMI, Southern Conference abandon fall football plans; NCAA cancels fall championships Updated August 13
• MAC cancels football: What it means for the Power 5 and more Updated August 10
• MIAA will postpone fall conference contests and tournaments until second semester of 2020 – 2021 academic year Updated July 31
• Northeast Conference postpones fall sports amid coronavirus pandemic Updated July 30
• ACC Announces Plans for Football and Fall Olympic Sports Updated July 29
• Big West Conference: Fall sports postponed through end of calendar year Updated July 29
• Little East postpones all fall sports Updated July 29
• MAAC cancels fall sports due to coronavirus; spring move an option Updated July 27
• SCIAC and Pacific West cancel most of their fall sports due to COVID-19 pandemic Updated July 24
• Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference votes to move fall sports to spring Updated July 27
• CCIW Postpones Fall 2020 Competition Updated July 27
• Middle Atlantic Conference suspends college sports until 2021 Updated July 24
• Mountain East Conference delays start of fall sports Updated July 22
• MIAA To Delay the Start of All Sports Practices, Competition Updated July 22
• ODAC postpones fall sports season until spring semester Updated July 22
• Atlantic 10 postpones fall sports due to coronavirus concerns. Updated July 17
• SWAC specifies plans for spring football season as part of fall sports postponement Updated July 21
• Colonial Athletic Conference cancels football season due to coronavirus pandemic. Updated July 17
• Ivy League cancels college football season for fall 2020, will reevaluate playing sports in January 2021 Updated July 9

COVID tracker for colleges throughout the U.S.

Some states have been affected by COVID-19 more than others, and this in turn has had a bigger effect on certain colleges in those states. For example, North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan have all had four colleges that have reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases, while California has only had one. In general, there are more campus cases of COVID-19 closer to the East Coast region because there are more colleges in that area. Especially when considering visiting a college, this New York Times map of coronavirus cases at US colleges is a helpful tool.

About NCSA

The impacts of COVID-19 are being felt throughout the sports community. As we head into the spring and summer season, there is a lot of uncertainty into how the youth sports community will be impacted. At NCSA we are believers on the importance of sports first and recruiting experts second. We are making all of our research into the impacts of COVID-19 public to help in any way we can. We will continue to update these materials as updates are necessary. Please send any questions or requests to updates@ncsasports.org.

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