With growing concern over the widespread coronavirus spike that has made its way to Allegheny County, Carnegie Mellon will not participate in fall sports, the university announced Wednesday.
Sports that will be shelved are football, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and women’s volleyball. All but football and volleyball field men’s and women’s teams.
The decision comes after the University Athletic Association, the conference where CMU plays all sports except football, told schools they could schedule their own games outside of the conference, essentially going opposite of other Division III conferences, such as the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, which is moving ahead with only conference games in the fall.
CMU football plays in the PAC.
The UAA wants to eliminate plane travel and limit bus travel.
CMU felt it was best to shut it down — for now.
“Over the past few months, we have explored every possible avenue for a safe return to play,” CMU athletic director Josh Centor said in an email to student-athletes. “…The health and safety of our students, staff and community members are at the forefront of every decision we make. With that as our guiding principle, we cannot appropriately return to sport at this time.”
A decision has not been made by CMU on winter and spring 2021 sports.
The school’s “Return to Play Task Force” plans to meet to discuss further plans.
Announcement on Fall Sports at Carnegie Mellon: https://t.co/nq18T9gdX9
— CMU Athletics (@tartanathletics) July 8, 2020
