NCAA Division I’s Western Athletic Conference pushes potential start dates into September

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is postponing its fall soccer season, pushing potential start dates for competition into mid-September.

Women’s soccer may be eligible to begin games as early as September 10, while men’s soccer will kickoff no earlier than September 16.

A total of 12 teams compete in the WAC on the men’s side: Seattle U, Utah Valley, Air Force, CSU Bakersfield, San José State, California Baptist, Houston Baptist, Kansas City, UT Rio Grande Valley, UNLV, Grand Canyon, and UIW.

On the women’s side, the WAC features the following 9 programs: Seattle U, California Baptist, Utah Valley, Kansas City, CSU Bakersfield, UT Rio Grande Valley, NM State, Grand Canyon and Chicago State.

See below for the full statement put out by the WAC:

DENVER – In consideration of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors today postponed the start of the fall season competition to no earlier than September 10 for women’s soccer and September 16 for volleyball and men’s soccer.

“Two WAC committees, the Medical Advisory Group and the Contingency Planning Group, have been meeting on a weekly basis to ensure the safest manner for member institutions to conduct to fall competition,” said WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd. “Their recommendations, which include a strong testing policy as well as a requirement for each of our institutions to put together an Emergency Action Plan, were reviewed and approved by the Board.”

The delay to the start of the season is designed to allow all teams to safely re-acclimate to training and competition following the cancellation of most organized spring and summer conditioning programs.

The Board will continue to monitor changing COVID-19 conditions and will conduct additional reviews as they become necessary.