By Paul Cifonelli – Sports Editor
The NCAA has cancelled the remainder of its 2020 winter and spring championships. This includes the Division I tournament, known as March Madness, and the Division III tournament Brockport is hosting.
“Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships,” the NCAA stated. “This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities.”
According to Director of Athletic Communication and Media Relations Gil Burgmaster, no decisions have been made about the rest of the spring athletic seasons.
“There’s a lot of discussions that have to be had still,” Burgmaster said. “Everybody’s a little shocked and taking it in right now.”
The men’s basketball team is the most immediately impacted by this decision. It was set to play its Sweet 16 game against Tufts University on Saturday.
Fifth year guard Tyler Collins said the men’s basketball team found out its season was over while it was in the middle of practice.
“I think our team manager saw a Tweet from the NCAA about it and then he told [head] coach [Greg] Dunne,” Collins said. “Then, coach made a few phone calls and then came back in the gym and brought us all in and told us that they cancelled [the tournament].”
For Collins, who redshirted last season due to injury, this was his final chance to win a national championship at Brockport.
“Initially, it sucks,” Collins said. “But, everybody has to understand that it’s for the best and for the safety of everybody. But it’s hard because as a kid you imagine playing in front of as many fans as humanly possible. Then all week they were saying we’d play and there’d be no fans. You don’t want to end that way either, but then to not play at all is even worse.”
The men’s basketball team officially ended its season with a 26-3 record and a 19-game win streak.
As more information becomes available it will be published.
