NCAA President Mark Emmert announced the cancellation Thursday of Division I fall sports championships, which included volleyball’s Final Four originally set to be held in December in Omaha.
Emmert revealed the decision via a video on Twitter.
FCS (football), volleyball, soccer and cross country are among the sports affected. The College Football Playoff operates separately from the NCAA.
“We cannot now, at this point, have fall NCAA championships — because there’s not enough schools participating,” Emmert said. “Sadly, tragically, that’s going to be the case this fall.”
Earlier in the week, the Pac-12 and Big Ten became the first two major conferences to announce that their fall sports teams wouldn’t compete in 2020 due to the pandemic. Their decisions likely sealed the fate of volleyball’s postseason since several of the sport’s powerhouse programs are members of those leagues.
Emmert said the first priority, in terms of scheduling and planning, will be devoted to winter and spring sports that had championships canceled five months ago. That includes the NCAA basketball tournaments and College World Series.
But the NCAA can also work to create a spring blueprint for a modified fall sports postseason, Emmert said.
“There’s a way to do it,” he said. “Will it be normal? Of course not. You’ll be playing a fall sport in the spring.”
Whether Omaha would host a rescheduled volleyball championship is unclear. Emmert mentioned Thursday the possibility of establishing predetermined sites to create bubble environments for multiple sports, including volleyball.
The Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority, which operates the CHI Health Center, has already started rescheduling concerts that were postponed because of the coronavirus. Some events might fill dates in the spring.
But MECA President and CEO Roger Dixon said he and his staff will do their best to coordinate with the NCAA as it explores new options.
“We are continuing conversations with the NCAA and understand they’re considering a number of options,” Dixon said in a statement. “We will attempt to be as accommodating as possible — but certainly these are strange and trying times.”
The CHI Health Center would have hosted the volleyball Final Four from Dec. 17 from 19. But like many other events scheduled for 2020 in Omaha, it won’t happen. The city was supposed to host the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the MLB draft, the College World Series and the U.S. Swim Trials this year.
Volleyball has brought its Final Four to Omaha three other times. Nebraska twice won national titles (2006 and 2015) in the city.
The 2021 volleyball Final Four is scheduled to be played in Columbus, Ohio. No other future sites for the sport’s championship have been announced.
The all-decade Nebraska volleyball team
The all-decade Nebraska volleyball team
First Team: Mikaela Foecke, outside hitter, 2015-18
First Team: Kelsey Robinson, outside hitter, 2013
First Team: Kadie Rolfzen, opposite hitter, 2013-16
First Team: Amber Rolfzen, middle blocker, 2013-16
First Team: Lauren Stivrins, middle blocker, 2017-present
First Team: Kelly Hunter, setter, 2013-17
First Team: Justine Wong-Orantes, libero, 2013-16
Second Team: Gina Mancuso, outside hitter, 2009-2012
Second Team: Hannah Werth, outside hitter, 2009-12
Second Team: Annika Albrecht, outside hitter, 2014-17
Second Team: Brooke Delano, middle blocker, 2008-2011
Second Team: Brianna Holman, middle blocker, 2015-2017