Athletics Competition For Fall Semester Canceled
After much deliberation during the past few weeks and upon the recommendation of Rob Coleman, Athletics Director, and approval of the University's Executive Council, we have decided to cancel and postpone all athletics competitions scheduled before January 2021, except for esports. This includes volleyball and men's and women's soccer, which we hope can be rescheduled for the spring semester. Men's and women's basketball seasons will be delayed or suspended until January. Fall semester competitions or games for men's and women's tennis and golf, and baseball and softball will not be played.
The St. Mary's Esports Program, an online sport played remotely, will begin competitively in October.
Yesterday, the presidents of the NCAA DII Lone Star Conference (LSC) universities met. Recognizing the uncertainty and complexity of scheduling fall sports, the LSC presidents decided to delay the start of fall sports practices until Aug. 24, 2020, at the earliest and to delay all fall sports competitions as the LSC presidents await and then evaluate additional NCAA guidance.
The conference presidents made this decision mindful that several conference members will be canceling — not delaying — fall athletics either because of state or local government, public health, NCAA directives or guidance, or university policy. St. Mary's is not alone among the LSC universities to cancel fall athletics with the goal of rescheduling them for the spring semester. Nine of the 24 Division II conferences have suspended fall athletics and postponed them until the spring semester, and five have delayed the start of fall competitions.
We understand how disappointing our decision is for St. Mary's student-athletes, coaches and supporters who were looking forward to a fall season. We too are saddened by yet another consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the science of COVID-19, the surge of infections in San Antonio and throughout Texas, and the University's commitment to the safety and health of the entire St. Mary's community — our students, faculty and staff — have guided our decision. Importantly, driving our decision is the COVID-19 protective measures we are implementing for the entire St. Mary's campus community's health and safety, including for our student-athletes.
St. Mary's will honor all scholarship aid committed to individual student-athletes, regardless of plans for competitive play this year. Student-athletes do not need to arrive early for physicals and other athletics-related purposes but should be prepared to return in person on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, when on-campus classes resume. Student-athletes who plan to live on campus should follow housing move-in dates. International student-athletes should follow the schedule provided by the University's Center for International Programs.
Individual student strength and conditioning training and modified small group team practices following University and local government health and safety regulations and protective measures for COVID-19 are planned for fall.
During this time that student-athletes will not be practicing and competing as usual, the University will offer all student-athletes — and all St. Mary's students — opportunities to engage in diversity and inclusion initiatives that promote a more just, compassionate and inclusive society on our campus and beyond. Student-athletes will also participate in career and leadership development and focus on their mental and physical health as they prepare to continue their sports in the spring.
We are grateful to St. Mary's coaches and athletics staff for adapting to the changes brought about by the pandemic, their dedication to providing a quality student experience, and their commitment to the Catholic and Marianist educational mission of St. Mary's University.
Tom Mengler, University President and Rob Coleman, Athletics Director
