There will be no CIAA men’s or women’s basketball this winter.

Nor will there be any women’s volleyball.

The CIAA Board of Directors has voted to cancel the seasons because of fears related to COVID-19.

Basketball season was to begin Jan. 9, with an abbrevi- ated schedule and postseason tournaments in Baltimore.

Women’s volleyball already had been moved from the fall to winter because of the pandemic.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 continues to challenge the conference’s ability to see a clear path to move forward collectively,” CIAA Commis- sioner Jacqie McWilliams said in a statement. “The impact to health and wellness, community concerns, as well as the economic ramifications, are real.”

In lieu of games being canceled and no in-person tournament events, the CIAA still plans to engage alumni, students and fans the last week

of February through a virtual experience. The CIAA will host a series of non-basketball events including the CIAA Fan Fest and CIAA Step Show. A full list of tournament week events will be released later.

The CIAA has a rich tradition in hoops. CIAA schools have won the NCAA Division II national men’s basketball championship—Winston-Salem State University in 1967, Virginia Union University in 1980, 1992 and 2005, and North Carolina Central University in 1989.

The conference has produced some of NBA basketball’s elite players in Sam Jones, Earl Monroe, Marvin Webster, Al Attles, Rick Mahorn, Charles Oakley and Ben Wallace.

The CIAA also has produced two NCAADivision II women’s champions, Virginia Union in 1983 and Shaw University in 2012.

Founded in 1912, the CIAA is the nation’s oldest historically black athletic conference. The CIAA Tournament has been an annual event since 1946.