Galesburg, IL – The Midwest Conference announced today that it will suspend league competition through December 31. The presidents of the ten member institutions made the decision in coordination with representative athletic directors in order to protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administration, their families, and broader campus and local communities.
The Midwest Conference remains focused on providing meaningful experiences for all student athletes in 2020-2021. Member institutions are committed to providing engaging and significant team experiences for their student-athletes. Engagement in limited non-conference competition remains at the discretion of individual institutions and Knox will explore this possibility. This will be done in accordance with MWC, institutional, and applicable state and local regulations and other guidance in mind.
“This is a disappointing day for our student-athletes but they should not be without hope. We will keep moving forward to re-imagine their athletics seasons to ensure they have the most robust experience possible this year,” said Director of Athletics, Daniella Irle. “There are many options remaining to be explored and I am confident that our Prairie Fire student-athletes and coaches will continue to adapt and adjust to changing environments. They are a resilient group and we will continue to navigate the COVID-19 landscape together.”
The MWC will continue to monitor those factors impacting the decision for suspension of the fall and winter sport seasons, and take action to resume athletic competition when it is deemed safe to do so. The conference has developed a Q&A document to provide additional information.
“COVID-19 has tested us in so many ways, but I am confident that the spirit of the Prairie Fire will not be broken,” said Knox College President Teresa Amott. “I look forward to supporting our student-athletes in this fall and winter season unlike any other.”
In the short term, the Prairie Fire Athletics department is developing programs to provide meaningful athletic experiences. These experiences could include non-conference competition, practice, small group training, skill development, life skills development, leadership training, nutrition for athletes education, and/or strength and conditioning
within safety guidelines.
To this end, we will continue to use the guidelines established by the MWC. Guidelines include a phased approach to practice activities that allow for interaction among student-athletes and coaches. This will begin with small group workouts and build to larger group practice sessions if conditions permit.
Director of Athletics, Daniella Irle stated “Given that sport participation is such an integral part of educational experience for student-athletes, it is important that we dutifully explore opportunities while keeping the safety and wellness of our students and staff in mind. Decisions on winter and spring sports competition calendars, fall sports non-conference competition opportunities, and the feasibility of fall sports competing in the spring, will be made in the coming weeks both at the institutional level and the conference level.”
Student-athletes will still be scheduled to return to campus early, but it is possible the dates of arrival could change. The continued early arrival allows for a staggered return of all students to campus. The new dates, if applicable, for return to campus will be communicated to the fall sport student-athletes this week by the Director of Athletics and head coaches. If a change in travel plans creates a significant financial hardship for a student, this should be communicated to the head coach and Director of Athletics.
Fall and winter student-athletes will receive more detailed information from the Director of Athletics and their head coaches this week.
***Report courtesy of Knox College***
