While it may have seemed like a foregone conclusion for football at the Division III level, the NCAA announced their decision on fall championships moments ago.
The release reads:
"NCAA Division III championships in fall sports for 2020-21 are canceled. With the health and safety of the division's student athletes, coaches athletics administrators and communities as its priority, the Division III Presidents Council made the decision Wednesday to cancel the championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related adminsitrative and financial challenges."
Yesterday, the NCAA Board of Governors opted to not vote on fall championships, effectively pushing the issue onto the Division III Presidents Council to make a decision today. Decisions are expected soon from the FCS and Division II levels as well.
If memory serves me correct, all but one Division III football conference had made the decision to not play football this fall, so it really wouldn't have made a ton of sense to play a championship. Now it's official.
North Central (D-III - IL) captured the school's first national title last fall with a resounding win over Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Stagg Bowl, and will get the honor of calling themselves the defending champions for a bit longer than the traditional champs for now.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.