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SEC delays start of volleyball, soccer, cross country through Aug. 31

No decisions have been made regarding the SEC football season, but the conference announced Tuesday that it will postpone the start of volleyball, soccer and cross country competition through at least Aug. 31.

In the statement, the SEC announced that the delay in competition will include all exhibition and non-conference games, and that "any rescheduling of non-conference contests impacted by the postponed start of the fall seasons in volleyball, soccer and cross country will be determined by each school."

The announcement comes after conference officials met Monday in Birmingham, Alabama, where commissioner Greg Sankey reiterated that decisions regarding football -- another fall sport -- would be made later this month.

"It is clear that current circumstances related to COVID-19 must improve and we will continue to closely monitor developments around the virus on a daily basis," Sankey said. "In the coming weeks we will continue to meet regularly with campus leaders via video conferences and gather relevant information while guided by medical advisers. We believe that late July will provide the best clarity for making the important decisions ahead of us."

The SEC said its member schools will continue to follow the guidance of the Conference's Return to Activity and Medical Advisory Task Force and the NCAA's Resocialization of College Sports Guidelines as student-athletes are preparing for an attempted return to sports.

The conference concluded its Tuesday statement saying, "The SEC continues to monitor developments related to COVID-19 as it evaluates the potential impact on fall schedules in all sports, with the understanding that the primary responsibility of the SEC and its institutions is to ensure the health and well-being of its student-athletes."