Reports: CAA won’t play
National media say that Danes’ league will nix league games in football
The Colonial Athletic Association, which includes the University at Albany in football, is going to cancel its football season because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to national reports.
Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports tweeted the CAA will announce Friday morning it will not play football this fall.
“Please don’t do this to us !!!!! ” tweeted Ualbany quarterback Jeff Undercuffler, followed by three crying emojis.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Great Danes won’t play at all this season.
Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic followed by tweeting CAA members who want to play an independent schedule can try to do so.
Ualbany athletic director Mark Benson, CA A commissioner Joe D’antonio, Ualbany football coach Greg Gattuso and a Great Danes athletic department spokesman didn’t return messages seeking comment.
Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore, who is a Ualbany graduate, said he hadn’t heard anything.
The Great Danes have an 11game regular-season schedule, including three nonconference and eight league games. However, they already won’t play their nonleague opener at Delaware State on Sept. 5. The Mid-eastern Athletic Conference, of which Delaware State is a member,
suspended its fall season on Thursday.
Ualbany would play its home opener against Monmouth on Sept. 12.
No football could hurt Ualbany as one of the school’s three revenue sports, along with basketball and lacrosse.
The CAA’S reported decision follows other leagues canceling as COVID-19 cases spike around the country. The Ivy League has called off competition until at least January and the Patriot League won’t play this fall.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which includes Siena and doesn’t sponsor football, could adjust its fall sports schedule. The MAAC presidents held a meeting this week.
Stadium’s Brett Mcmurphy tweeted if the decision had to be made now, the NCA A would likely cancel its fall championships, including the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Ualbany played in the FCS tournament a year ago and reached the second round.
The NCA A put out a “return to play” document on Thursday that spelled out the medical guidelines and challenges to resuming competition during the pandemic.
“Today, sadly, the data point in the wrong direction,” Emmert said in a news release. “If there is to be college sports in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic.”
The NCA A document recommended testing athletes in high-contact sports such as football and basketball for coronavirus within 72 hours of competition. It emphasized the importance of wearing masks, or for football players, face shields. It also pointed out some football players, particularly linemen, are at increased risk from COVID-19 because they have the underlying condition of obesity with a body mass index of more than 30.