NORFOLK, Va. – Saturdays will be a bit quieter in Norfolk this fall.
Old Dominion University announced Monday there will be no fall sports season.
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“We concluded that the season – including travel and competition – posed too great a risk for our student-athletes,” said President Broderick.
The university’s goal is to play these sports in the spring, “but first and foremost it has to be safe for everyone involved and would also require NCAA approval,” said ODU Athletic Director Wood Selig.
Monday’s news makes ODU the 14th Football Bowl Subdivision school to announce it won’t play, following the University of Connecticut and the 12-team Mid-American Conference, according to the university.
Broderick said not only was the decision made to protect student-athletes, but also others on-campus and the Hampton Roads community.
“We’re not like the NBA. We can’t put our athletes and coaches and fans in a bubble, and we don’t have unlimited resources,” explained Broderick.
Along with football, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball also will not compete this fall.
The volleyball team would have launched its inaugural season at ODU.
Additionally, spring sports that play a modified fall season will also not play.