Horizon League, the conference Robert Morris joined in June, postpones fall sports season

One day after Robert Morris University athletics announced it plans to move its football season to the spring in connection with the Big South Conference postponing its fall sports seasons, the remaining Colonials fall sports teams found out they will not play this fall.

The Horizon League, of which RMU is a new member, announced Thursday it has decided to postpone fall competition.

RMU athletics said in a release that the league’s board of directors, acting on a recommendation from the league’s council, made the decision “guided by its core value of student-athlete well-being and considering further developments in the outbreak of covid-19.”

Horizon League sports affected by this decision for their championship season are men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball.

Sports in the league that have non-championship competition in the fall are men’s and women’s golf, baseball, softball and men’s and women’s tennis.

“Today’s announcement by the Horizon League Board of Directors to postpone fall sports provides RMU and our conference members with additional time to determine the best, and safest, course of action moving forward,” RMU athletic director Chris King said.

“The Horizon League Board of Directors made this extremely difficult decision after extensive meetings, discussions on numerous scenarios and the consideration of many factors.”

The league’s board and council plans, at a later date, to determine whether fall sports competition can take place in the spring.

RMU, along with the league’s other institutions, will be given the opportunity to make decisions regarding training, practice and recruiting in accordance with NCAA regulations, as well as state and institutional guidelines.

“With the excitement of playing as a new first-year member of the Horizon League, we recognize how meaningful this opportunity was for our student-athletes, coaches and staff in competing for a championship in our new conference,” King said.

“We also recognize that our student-athletes and coaches will be disappointed, but our highest priority has been, and will continue to be, the health and safety of those involved in our athletics program. Our entire department has been dedicated throughout the summer to keep our student-athletes, coaches and staff safe as they returned to campus for workouts and practice.”