The Big Ten became the first Power Five conference to postpone fall sports season over concerns about COVID-19 on Tuesday.

The decision applies to both regular-season play and conference championships. It follows the trend the conference set in July, when it became the first Power Five conference to announce a modified schedule.

In its press release, the league said it made the decision in consultation with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. Its administration said it continued its aggression in the best interest of those most impacted by its actions.

“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “As time progressed … it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.

The sports impacted by Tuesday’s announcement are:

• Football 
• Men’s and women’s cross country 
• Field hockey 
• Men’s and women’s soccer 
• Women’s volleyball

Additionally, the Big Ten is currently evaluating the possibility of moving these sports to the spring, per the statement. It is also beginning to debate whether and how to move forward with the winter and spring seasons.