Ivy League’s winter sports canceled over virus concerns
The Ivy League became the first Division I conference this year to cancel all winter sports, including men’s and women’s basketball.
The decision Thursday came 13 days before the scheduled start of the college basketball season. The league had decided this past summer, when it canceled fall sports, not to allow any of its sports to start play before early December.
“Regrettably, the current trends regarding transmission of the COVID19 virus and subsequent protocols that must be put in place are impeding our strong desire to return to intercollegiate athletics competition in a safe manner,” the Ivy League presidents said in a joint statement. “Studentathletes, their families and coaches are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health — and we do not make this decision lightly.”
The news comes as coronavirus cases are soaring across the United States. Newly confirmed cases per day in the U. S. have rocketed more than 70% over the past two weeks, reaching an average of about 127,000 — the highest on record. And the number of people hospitalized with the virus hit an alltime high of more than 65,000.
Deaths per day in the U. S. have soared more than 40% over the past two weeks, from an average of about 790 to more than 1,100 as of Wednesday, the highest level in three months.
The Ivy League has tried to be in front of the virus. The league was the first conference to scrap its postseason basketball tournament last March. That preceded a cascade of cancellations. All major college and professional sports were halted within days.
The Ivy League announcement affects not just basketball, but wrestling, indoor track and field, swimming, fencing and other sports. The league also said that spring sports are postponed through at least the end of February.
More cancellations: Pittsburgh’s game at Georgia Tech was postponed after the Panthers were forced to pause team activities due to COVID19 protocols. The ACC said both teams were having coronavirus issues and the game slated for Saturday will instead be played Dec. 12.
Also, Conference USA announced that the Rice at Louisiana Tech game scheduled for Saturday had been postponed because of virus issues with Louisiana Tech. No makeup date has been set.
ExIowa players sue: A lawyer for 13 Black former Iowa football players announced that he has filed a lawsuit alleging his clients suffered racial discrimination under longtime coach Kirk Ferentz.
The plaintiffs, including former standout running back Akrum Wadley and career receptions leader Kevonte Martin-Manley, suffered “serious and pervasive discriminatory treatment and harassment,” according to a press release from attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons.
They allege they were demeaned with racial slurs, forced to abandon Black hairstyles, fashion and culture to fit the “Iowa Way” promoted by Ferentz, and retaliated against for speaking out, the release said.
College basketball: Kentucky women’s head coach Matthew Mitchell, 49, announced his retirement after 13 seasons because of complications stemming from a head injury. Associate coach Kyra Elzy will serve as interim coach of the 11thranked Wildcats.
Obituary: John Schlarman, the Kentucky offensive line coach who was an AllSEC player for the Wildcats, died after a twoyear fight with bile duct cancer.
Schlarman was diagnosed in the summer of 2018 but continued to coach through treatments and had become an inspiration in the community.