American Athletic Conference postpones soccer season to the spring

The American Athletic Conference (AAC) became the latest NCAA Division I organization to postpone all competition for the Fall 2020 semester.

Although the conference had previously held off from postponing entirely, allowing member universities to make their own decisions, the AAC has now elected to align with the NCAA’s spring championships format.

Members of the AAC include: Memphis, Cincinnati, Temple, SMU, Central Florida, Wichita State, Tulsa, East Carolina, Houston, South Florida and Tulane.

See below for the full statement from the AAC:

IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference announced Tuesday that it will postpone all competition and conference championships in the sports of men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball until the spring of 2021 to align with the NCAA championship season. A decision regarding cross country competition will be forthcoming pending further NCAA clarification.

The decision was approved by the conference’s athletic directors and senior woman administrators following the NCAA Division I Board of Directors’ confirmation that NCAA Division I fall championships would move to the spring.

“We remain committed to providing our student-athletes a quality experience and competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics,” said American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco. “We were prepared to conduct competition in the fall in men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, but moving to the spring was in the best interest of our student-athletes as it will align our schedules to allow our teams to compete for national championships.”

The American will announce the spring regular season and championship formats and schedules after the NCAA Division I Council clarifies the revised playing and practice season and championship formats.