By Marty Gordon
The Big South Conference of which Radford University is a member has announced fall sports competition will begin September 3.
In a release, the conference said with a priority for the health and safety of student-athletes and others due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will begin athletic activity.
The decision was made by the league’s executive committee in consultation with the Big South Council of Athletics Directors, Chief Executive Officers and medical professionals. It provides each member institution the opportunity to further focus on return to competition protocols and necessary resources to facilitate the resocialization process while maintaining competitive opportunities for its student-athletes this fall.
The new start date for competition includes all exhibition and non-conference games in the traditional fall sports of women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country and coincides with the beginning of football season on Sept. 3. Baseball, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, softball and men’s and women’s tennis, which hold their traditional seasons in the spring, will also begin scheduled fall competition activities on or after Sept. 3.
Big South member institutions may continue with any permissible athletics activities, as defined by NCAA regulations, at their own discretion as outlined in their respective return to competition protocols, as well as local and state policies related to individual campus decisions.
Rescheduling of contests will be determined by each institution.