No LHU Wrestling, Volleyball or Hoops This Winter; Women’s Swimming Moves Forward

 

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Lock Haven University announced on Wednesday that the school’s wrestling program, among others, will not be competing this season, but women’s swimming, deemed low risk per NCAA return-to-competition guidelines, will take place.

The announcement came after the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced earlier in the day that individual schools within the conference had until late Wednesday to declare their intentions to compete this winter. LHU, other than swimming, chose not to.

School officials cited the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic in announcing the decision. Athletic Director Tom Gioglio said, “While the decision to cancel all winter sports with the exception of swimming comes with great disappointment, it was the correct decision to make.”

The LHU release:

LHU announces update on 2020-21 athletic competition

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Earlier today, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced the cancellation of its mandated regular-season and championship competition for winter sports following a vote of the league’s Board of Directors.
Following the PSAC’s official statement, Lock Haven University has announced its plans regarding athletic competition for the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year.

Last week, the PSAC Board of Directors cancelled PSAC championship seasons in fall sports, yet allowed for league championship opportunities in those sports should six or more schools elect to participate. All schools electing to play must abide by existing league rules and the NCAA guidelines that have been set due to the existing COVID-19 pandemic. The same requirements exist for the winter sports that have been cancelled.

Fall and winter PSAC sports that may be subject to cancellation include: men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, indoor track & field, soccer and swimming, as well as women’s sports in volleyball and field hockey, and men’s sports in football and wrestling. Any cancellation of league schedules or championships does not preclude individual institutions from participating in countable athletically related activities nor exploring competition outside of the previously mandated PSAC schedule.

Per the PSAC, should member institutions wish to compete in fall and winter sport championship seasons, they are to declare their intent to the conference office by the end of the work day Wednesday, November 18. The PSAC office will review all notifications and make an announcement as soon as possible as to whether there is support to continue with a championship season in any of those sports.

LHU plans to opt in and compete in men’s and women’s cross country and women’s swimming. Both sports were recently deemed low risk by the NCAA’s most recent return-to-sport guidelines, released November 13. Lock Haven has the option to opt out at any time if it is believed the environment is unsafe for the student-athletes to compete.

The PSAC will announce plans for the 2021 PSAC cross country and swimming championships at a later date.

Furthermore, the university has announced that the Division I men’s wrestling team – an affiliate member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) – and the women’s wrestling program will not compete during the 2020-21 season.

To date, the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) still plans for field hockey to compete in the spring. LHU’s Division I field hockey team is an affiliate member of the A-10 for the sport of field hockey.

Both LHU President, Dr. Robert Pignatello and director of athletics, Dr. Tom Gioglio, understand that this comes as a difficult decision, but stand by the decision to keep LHU student-athletes safe as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge throughout Clinton County, central Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth.

“This is the worst health crisis in over 100 years. The decisions being made here regarding athletic competition recognize that we must do all we can to foster the health and safety of our student-athletes and mitigate virus transmission for everyone on campus and throughout the greater community,” Pignatello said.

“We will continue to look for ways to provide a safe return to competition when and as conditions allow for it.”
Gioglio agreed, “While the decision to cancel all winter sports with the exception of swimming comes with great disappointment, it was the correct decision to make.”

Gioglio noted that with the current trends of the COVID-19 virus increasing, the commitment to the health and well-being of our student-athletes and coaches remains at the forefront of athletic decision-making. “I am extremely proud of our student-athletes, their families and coaches who are sacrificing for the good of public health.”

In line with today’s PSAC announcement, Lock Haven has committed to compete in a full regular and championship season for all spring sports as long as the student-athletes can compete safely. LHU’s spring sports include baseball, softball, lacrosse, women’s golf, women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s outdoor track & field.

Additionally, LHU reaffirmed its commitment to allow all athletic teams the opportunity to practice, train and potentially compete during the spring 2021 semester if a safe and healthy environment presents itself.

Over the course of the last month, LHU athletics has returned to official team strength and conditioning and skill-development practices.
Both Pignatello and Gioglio made note of how proud they were of each team’s safe return to practice and they look forward to working to expand upon those opportunities during the spring semester.

The NCAA previously announced that eligibility for all fall and winter student-athletes will not be impacted this year, meaning that no fall or winter sports student-athletes will lose a season of competition. The LHU Department of Athletics will continue to work with the coaches and student-athletes of each team to ensure the understanding of future eligibility status.

– Official PSAC Statement – November 18
https://psacsports.org/news/2020/7/15/general-psac-suspends-ncaa-competition-for-fall-2020.aspx

– NCAA issues updated return-to-sport guidelines – November 13
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/ncaa-issues-updated-return-sport-guidelines