NCAA Division I Fall Championships to Be Held in Spring of 2021

The NCAA will host 2020 Division I fall sports championships in the Spring of 2021, according to a release from the organization on Tuesday night. 

Approval from the Division I Board of Directors includes reduced brackets and predetermined playing sites for cross country, field hockey, soccer, volleyball and water polo.

"The plan sent to us by the Division I Council provides the maximum number of opportunities to fall student-athletes to participate in NCAA championships while still being fiscally responsible,” acting board chair Denise Trauth, of Texas State said. “We look forward to the spring, understanding things will look a little different but knowing the competitions will be just as meaningful as in normal circumstances."

Football teams competing in the Football Championship Subdivision will play under a plan created by the subdivision's committee and Division I Football Oversight Committee with the playoff field condensed from 25 teams to 16 teams. 

Automatic qualifications will remain in place for conference-winners, though the total playoff field in each sport has been decreased to 75 percent of their normal size.

Here's a look at how that breaks down with revised championship dates:

• Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, March 15: 255 At-Large bids per gender
• Field Hockey, May 7-9: 12 teams, 10 automatic qualifiers, 2 at-large bids
• Football, May 14-16 (exact date TBD): 16 teams, 11 automatic qualifiers, 5 at-large bids
• Men’s Soccer, May 13-17: 36 teams, 24 automatic qualifiers, 12 at-large bids
• Women's Soccer, May 13-17: 48 teams, 31 automatic qualifiers, 17 at-large bids
• Women's Volleyball, April 23-25: 48 teams, 32 automatic qualifiers, 16 at-large bids
• Men's Water Polo, March 19-21: 6 teams, 6 automatic qualifiers

Per the NCAA:

"Contests conducted in the fall term for all fall sport championships that will be conducted in the spring will count toward selection into that respective championship. Sport committees are encouraged to consider all data available to them at the time of selections.

"The oversight committees may need to revisit this topic if conditions warrant nearer the time the playing and practice seasons for these sports begin, but for now, the committees support providing maximum flexibility for selection purposes."

The NCAA Board of Governors has further instructed each championship site be predetermined and called for the reduction of preliminary round sites to reduce the risk of health and safety issues.