Western New Mexico will not play football or volleyball this fall

SILVER CITY – Western New Mexico University Mustang Athletics will postpone the football and volleyball seasons.

“We have an obligation to our university, community and the state of New Mexico to do our part in keeping everyone safe during these unprecedented times,” said Director of Mustang Athletics Scott Noble. “It is certainly one of the toughest decisions we have had to make, and I truly believe it is the right one.”

Cross country and other Mustang sports remain on schedule.

The governor of New Mexico has asked all New Mexico universities to postpone the start of high-risk contact sports until spring.

Per the governor's recommendation and considering the rise in positive cases statewide, the Mustang Athletic Department determined that delaying the start of these two sports is in the best interest of staff and student-athletes.

Of the 23 NCAA DII conferences, 11 have also moved high-contact sports — and, in some cases, all fall sports — to the spring semester.

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While the Lone Star Conference, to which the WNMU Mustangs belong, has delayed the start of all fall sports until Sept. 21 and mandated conference play only, the conference as a whole has not postponed contact sports to spring.

Decisions on winter and current spring sports have not been determined, but conversations within the Lone Star Conference and the NCAA are ongoing.