SWAC leaders will discuss options for fall sports Monday

Will they or won’t they? That’s the question facing the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in regards to playing any sports this fall as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Stadium’s Brett McMurphy reported Friday that sources indicated the SWAC will announce Monday that it is canceling fall sports.

Southwestern Athletic Conference will announce Monday it is canceling fall sports, sources told @Stadium. SWAC is latest FCS league that won’t play football in the fall

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 17, 2020

SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland denied that any decision has been made but confirmed a meeting to discuss the conference’s options is set for Monday.

Here's more on what this story is about >> https://t.co/ghLw0JRC4B https://t.co/eUl3XdG2Rd

— WAFB 9Sports (@WAFB9Sports) July 17, 2020

“That report is 100% inaccurate and premature. We do have a meeting scheduled for Monday. It’s a meeting that’s been on the books now for a week and a half on our ongoing discussions about what we are supposed to do and what we will do with our sporting events. We will get together Monday with our council of Presidents and we will have a decision as to whether or not we’re going to delay, whether we’re going to keep course, or whether we’re going to move sports to the spring. The report that a decision has been made and is imminent on Monday is 100% inaccurate and premature.”

Southern athletic director Roman Banks also confirmed what McClelland said while GRambling released the following statement:

“Grambling State University has not released any decisions concerning our Fall 2020 sports schedule. The SWAC Council of Presidents have a scheduled meeting with our SWAC Commissioner on Monday, July 20, to continue discussions about fall sports. There has not been an official vote to cancel or to maintain the current fall sports schedule.

The Council of Presidents and Commissioner McClelland will put the health and safety of our student-athletes and fans at the forefront of all decisions. More information is forthcoming.”

Several FCS conferences including the Ivy League, Colonial Athletic and MEAC have canceled or postponed fall sports this month.