The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will postpone fall sports to at least Sept. 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the league announced on Thursday.
The decision, made in a unanimous vote by the ACC Board of Directors, won’t impact football but will delay other sports like field hockey and soccer, ESPN reported. The football season will still begin on Sept. 2.
College teams are already responding to COVID-19 outbreaks. North Carolina’s football program experienced a rash of COVID-19 cases earlier in the week, causing the team to halt voluntary athletic workouts. The Clemson University athletics department was also hard hit by the virus with 47 cases.
The ACC’s announcement follows a similar one by the Patriot League, which delayed fall sports to Sept. 4, while the Ivy League cancelled fall sports altogether. But the ACC is the first Power 5 collegiate conference to officially push back the fall season.
