In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the NAIA announced  that the remainder of the 2020 spring sports season has been canceled, effectively immediately.

Previously, the Heart of America Athletic Conference made the decision to suspend competition through March 30. But the announcement from the NAIA overrides the previous decision from the Heart of America.

NAIA president and CEO said, “all possible scenarios that would have supported a spring sports season were seriously considered by multiple NAIA governance groups. However, the growing state of emergency due to COVID-19, as well as the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation yesterday to limit gatherings to fewer than 50 people for eight weeks, meant we could not in good conscience move forward with the spring sports season and championships.”

The NAIA also made the decision that no spring sport athlete would be charged a season of eligibility. “Any spring sport student-athlete who was enrolled full-time in 2020 will be awarded two additional semester terms of attendance or the equivalent.” The decision to grant an extra year of eligibility can help provide some relief to the student-athletes that are facing the heart break of a season ending by unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances.