As we hope you are, those of us with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics are encouraged by today's announcement from the Big Ten Conference regarding plans to resume sports competitions during the coming fall. Health and safety of our students, coaches and staff, and fans remain the first and foremost priority of both the Big Ten and our University, and as the conference made clear today, we will not hesitate to suspend, delay, or cancel competition should such a decision be dictated by community health concerns. 

The Big Ten released initial plans for fall sports, announcing that they will compete against only Big Ten Conference opponents. In addition, the Big Ten reiterated that for all member schools during this summer and upcoming academic year, participation in sports by our students is voluntary and scholarships and financial aid are protected for all student-athletes regardless of their participation. 

Following today's announcement that fall sports will compete against only Big Ten Conference opponents, we anticipate a flurry of questions from fans, ticket holders, donors and others regarding the implications of that announcement for football, volleyball, soccer, and cross country at the University of Illinois. Many of these questions do not yet have answers because there are still many pending decisions regarding length of season, opponents, home and away schedule dates, ticket prices and more. As soon as more information becomes available, we will share it broadly using all communication methods. 

We understand the lack of answers creates an inconvenience for our fans and we appreciate their patience during these unprecedented times.