SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Fall sports at Shepherd University will have to wait until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) voted Tuesday to suspend athletic events and championships through the fall semester at all 18 member schools.
The PSAC intends to make a decision later this year about moving fall sports to the spring.
“The entire conference has worked hard these last few months to prepare for the return of sports to our campuses beginning this fall,” PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray said. “However, it has become apparent that the safe conduct of sports under the guidelines of social distancing is untenable for our members. We cannot place our student-athletes at greater risk than the general student body. Despite our planning and collective efforts, it has become clear that we are not able to do so.”
Chauncey Winbush, @SUAthleticsVP, talks with @HoppyKercheval about the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, which has suspended competition through Dec. 31. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/0oQiyHBg3s
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) July 15, 2020
“Football, our men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf and cross country,” Shepherd Vice President of Athletics Chauncey Winbush said on MetroNews Talkline. “All of those fall sports will be rescheduled and hopefully we’ll be able to support their competition in the spring of 2021.”
“I think overall it is the right call,” Winbush said. “While disappointing, we have to think of the health and safety of our student athletes, coaches, fans and our community. I think that outweighs competitions at this point.”
Shepherd University joined the PSAC in 2019 after leaving the Mountain East Conference (MEC). Shepherd is currently the only conference member not from Pennsylvania.