GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Missouri Valley Football Conference's Presidents Council announced tonight that the league will not conduct a fall 2020 football season. The conference will hope to play a full, 8-game spring league schedule with the expectation to culminate the season with the NCAA FCS playoffs.
 
"This calendar year has been unprecedented for us all," said UND Athletics Director Bill Chaves. "We certainly support our conference's decision to look for another way to provide competition opportunities for all of our football teams in the Valley.  For us at UND, we look forward to playing a unique spring season."
 
"This a challenging time for our football program and especially for the players that have put forth great effort to prepare for the 2020 season," said North Dakota head football coach Bubba Schweigert. "We were looking forward to competing this fall in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. We understand the decision by the MVFC was difficult, yet a decision we support. We look forward to the day when we will continue competition on the field."
 
"Without question the most important part of our decision-making process was listening to our student-athletes and hearing their feelings," stated Jim Tressel, chair of the MVFC Presidents Council and President at Youngstown State University in a statement by the league. "What we clearly heard was that they want to play this year for a chance to participate in the FCS Playoffs. It's great to know tghat they believe we are taking all the steps necessary to keep them safe in the process. All 11 MVFC teams weighed in with their positions on the options we considered, and all thoughts and concerns guided our thinking."
 
Since UND began offering varsity football beginning in 1894, this marks the fourth cancelation of a fall season and the first since the 1943 and 1944 campaigns were halted due to World War II. The Fighting Hawks will not be playing any games this fall. 
 
For more news on UND football, visit FightingHawks.com. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @UNDfootball.