On Wednesday, with the health of student athletes as it’s top priority, the Big South Conference announced that it will be delaying all fall sports, with the hopes of playing in the spring of 2021. With Robert Morris leaving the NEC earlier in the year, and set to join the Big South in the fall of 2021; they now have an opportunity to win the Big South Championship in the spring.

“The path forward must protect the health and safety of our student-athletes, and some of the current trends and unknowns with COVID-19 have made that a huge challenge,” said Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander. “Our intention is to shift these fall seasons to the spring as we would like nothing more than to crown Big South champions in all 19 of our sports this year.”

Big South Football members voted to allow up to four non-conference games in the fall at institutional discretion, however RMU opted not to pursue. The Colonials were set to play Duquesne, Bowling Green, VMI, and Hawaii this year.

“Today’s announcement by the Big South Presidents and Athletic Directors to postpone the conference football season this fall provides RMU and our conference members with additional time to determine the best, and safest, course of action moving forward,” Robert Morris Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris King said in a statement on RMUColonials.com. “The presidents and athletic directors made this extremely difficult decision after extensive meetings, discussion on numerous scenarios and the consideration of many factors.”

King went on to say, “With the excitement of playing as a first-year member of the Big South Conference, we recognize how meaningful this opportunity was for our student-athletes, our coaches and staff in competing for a conference championship in a new league… RMU Athletics will work directly with the Big South Conference to shift our attention and provide our student-athletes and coaches with a conference schedule and a Big South Conference championship opportunity in the spring.”