Bethune-Cookman University announced Wednesday that it is opting out of all sports for the 2020-21 season. That includes football and basketball, as the university cited a rise of COVID-19 cases in the state and country. The university became one of the first to do so.

“In the face of a surging COVID-19 spike across much of the country and the State of Florida, we have concluded that the risks are too great for our student-athletes and staff to travel and compete at this time,” school president E. LaBrent Chrite said in a release. The university has ceased all student athletic activities until further notice, out of an abundance of caution. “The health and safety of our student-athletes, as well as our coaches, staff and fans will always be our top priority.”

The university is located in Daytona Beach, Florida, was getting ready to start its 40th and final season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) before it embarks on the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in July 2021.

The decision had to come as a surprise to the MEAC, as Bethune-Cookman was listed on the conference’s football and basketball schedules.

The university also didn’t say when it would resume sports.