The Great American Conference's hopes of playing sports this fall were dashed Friday.
After a meeting of the GAC council of presidents, the conference announced it is suspending all fall and winter sports through Dec. 31, according to a news release Friday evening.
"We are disappointed for our student athletes, coaches and communities," GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said in the statement. "Our membership's presidents and athletic administrators did not arrive at this difficult decision lightly. Our hopes and work to date have been to proceed with fall competition following federal and state health guidance.
"However, recent decisions by the NCAA Board of Governors make this possibility unrealistic."
The decision falls in line with what a number of the other NCAA Division II conferences have done because of a litany of issues and concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier in the day, the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced that sports would not be played for the remainder of the year.
The GAC's ruling means 21 of the 23 NCAA Division II conferences have either canceled, postponed or suspended their fall seasons.
Still, Ouachita Baptist University football Coach Todd Knight said Friday's verdict was a tough pill to swallow, especially after his team reported to campus Thursday.
"I hate it for our seniors, I hate it for our [athletic directors] and our presidents," he said. "You're talking about a gut-wrenching decision. It's really, really disappointing to say the least. Really, the only thing we can control right now about the whole thing is our attitudes, and we plan on getting better.
"We'll get up [Saturday] and go to work. That's all we know how to do."
Earlier in the week, Prewitt expressed optimism that the conference would hold athletic competitions during the fall, but he also wasn't sure if those plans would remain in place.
Football, basketball, cross country, soccer, volleyball, golf and tennis are affected by the decision.
The GAC's release noted that in-season and out-of-season practices, including weight training and voluntary workouts led by staff, would be allowed on campus during the fall if the individual schools are able to abide by the guidelines issued by the NCAA Board of Governors.
Knight, who's led the Tigers to three consecutive conference titles and five overall, said he talked with his team about the league's ruling in groups.
"I met with them by class for two reasons," he said. "One, it's different for each of them. If you're a freshman, it's basically a redshirt year anyway, and it can be a blessing in disguise.
"But if you're a senior, especially a fifth-year guy or if you're graduating at Christmas -- which a lot of ours are -- it's tough news. There's a very good chance you don't play next year.
"That sophomore and junior class, we talked to them together because they may now have to change degree plans. Another class I hate it for is the Class of 2021, because if you have 90% of the seniors come back, all of sudden you don't have as much aid to give out. The planets are all messed up right now for recruiting."
The conference said it would announce revised sports schedules at a later date.