Photo courtesy of Pixy.org
By Gigi Picard ’22
Sports Editor
After the onset of COVID-19 last spring, colleges across the U.S. canceled end-of-the-season athletic competitions. The three divisions within the NCAA had to reevaluate plans for future seasons across all sports.
The future of football remained questionable because it is a contact-heavy sport. The Big Ten and PAC-12 NCAA Division I conferences originally canceled their football fall seasons. This sparked controversy and outrage among players and coaches. There has been pressure by the ACC, Big 12 and SEC conferences, all of which have begun their football season, for the Big Ten to play. The Big Ten recently considered revoting and starting a season. The return of other sports, whether they are played on the field, court or in the water is questionable as well.
Another decision colleges had to make concerned their own athletic departments. Some colleges in all NCAA divisions cut at least three varsity teams due to financial trouble as a result of COVID-19. Schools such as Stanford University, the University of Connecticut and the University of Minnesota were among those who had to cut athletic programs. Some sports that faced the chopping block included swimming and diving, tennis, golf, lacrosse, soccer, cross country, field hockey, rowing, squash, track and field and equestrian. These changes will take place after their 2020-2021 seasons.