University of Idaho football’s home opener against Western Oregon University has been cancelled after the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced Friday it is suspending all intercollegiate athletic competitions through Nov. 30 due to COVID-19.
All GNAC teams will suspend competition through Nov. 30. UI’s game at Washington State University, originally scheduled for Sept. 19, was cancelled earlier this month when the Pac-12 conference announced a conference-only schedule for 2020.
UI competes in the Big Sky Conference, which has not suspended athletic competition or moved to a conference-only schedule.
“This was not a decision taken lightly but one the board believes is in the best interests of student-athletes and staff,” GNAC Commissioner Dave Haglund said. “We understand that many student-athletes will be disappointed and saddened by this news, particularly our seniors, and we have profound empathy for everyone affected by this decision, including non-conference opponents. We can only ask for their thoughtful understanding during these challenging and unprecedented times.”
Scheduling alternatives for both the WSU and WOU games are being discussed, according to a news release from UI Athletics. The UI football team is still locked into the 2020 competitive season through Big Sky and over 70 student-athletes have returned to Moscow for fall camp.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @apalermooo