Statement From AD Marcus Manning Regarding Suspension of Fall 2020 Athletics Season
Statement from Centenary Director of Athletics and Recreation Marcus Manning regarding the suspension of the Fall 2020 athletics season is below.
Following a meeting with the league's President's Council, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference has made the decision to suspend NCAA intercollegiate competition during the Fall 2020 season due to health and safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision impacts cross country, soccer, volleyball and golf as relates to non-traditional outside competition.
We have continued to work with our campus community including a COVID-19 Athletics Team and COVID-19 Student-Athlete Group, the SCAC and Ochsner-LSU Health to establish the strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus, as it relates to athletics. We have explored ways in which we can provide the student-athletes with a competitive experience that is safe, devoid of daily disruption and uncertainty.
As a former student-athlete, I realize there is nothing which will actually replace the competitive experience. But, I also know this is the right decision during the current times.
Moving forward, our goal for this fall remains to create an environment for our student-athletes which promotes leadership, teamwork, campus competition, mental discipline and wellness, diversity and inclusion initiatives, preparation for life after athletics and more. We will adapt and pivot our focus and energies toward establishing a transformational experience to [that will] provide our student-athletes the physical and mental challenges they desire.
We, like the conference, are committed to exploring meaningful competitive experiences for our fall sport student-athletes including the possibility of spring competition.
With this decision made, we now have an incredible opportunity to choose to focus on what is in our control.
Please note, decisions related to winter and spring sport competition will be made at a later undetermined date.
Below is a link to the full release from the SCAC Presidents Council Statement Regarding Fall Sports via the SCAC web site:
https://www.scacsports.com/news/covid19_update3
#GoCentenary #CTheOpportunity
