DENVER - A pair of NM State teams - women's soccer and volleyball - learned today their respective 2020 seasons have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as the Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors postponed the start of the fall season competition to no earlier than September 10 for women's soccer and September 16 for both men's soccer and women's volleyball. 

The delay to the start of the season is designed to allow all teams to safely re-acclimate to training and competition following the cancellation of most organized spring and summer conditioning programs. The Board will continue to monitor changing COVID-19 conditions and will conduct additional reviews as they become necessary.

"Two WAC committees, the Medical Advisory Group and the Contingency Planning Group, have been meeting on a weekly basis to ensure the safest manner for member institutions to conduct to fall competition," said WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd. "Their recommendations, which include a strong testing policy as well as a requirement for each of our institutions to put together an Emergency Action Plan, were reviewed and approved by the Board."

The defending WAC champion NM State volleyball team has not yet unveiled its schedule for the 2020 season, nor has the NM State soccer team. Updated schedules will be made available to the public once they have been finalized. 

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