All Fall WPU Sports cancelled until 2021

All+Fall+WPU+Sports+cancelled+until+2021

Stephen Bologna, Sports Editor

Sorry Pioneer Fans, no sports for you.

The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced that all Fall sports have been postponed until the Spring. This is a tough blow for all Pioneer athletes, coaches and fans. The postponement is due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the safety of everyone in mind.

The NJAC released a statement giving insight to their decesion and a plan regarding the Spring seasons.

“The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Presidents Council, in consultation with the NJAC Board of Athletic Administrators, made the difficult decision to suspend all fall sport contests and league championships during the upcoming 2020 fall semester. The NJAC sponsors the fall sports of football, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, field hockey, women’s volleyball, women’s tennis, women’s cross country, and men’s cross country. The NJAC will pursue every avenue within the NCAA governance structure to explore the provision of a competitive season for the fall sport student-athletes during the spring 2021 semester and allow them to engage in practice and training opportunities during the fall 2020 semester.”

As of today, September 20th, some Pioneer atheltics have resumed practices and workouts, in hopes of playing next semester.

The pandemic cut short the seasons of Baseball and Softball.

Both Mens and Womens basketball has also been postponed until at least January 1st, 2021 and the season has been reduced to just conference games. They will only play 8 games max.

Here is the part Pioneer athletic departments statement on postponeing Winter Sports.

“After considering the health and safety impacts on all those who would be involved, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend fall semester competition for our Pioneer men’s and women’s swimming and diving and men’s and women’s basketball programs. If COVID-19 related conditions allow, we plan to begin winter sport competition after Jan. 1, 2021,” said Sabrina Grant, the Athletic Director for WP.

Coaches and Players will have to impliment proper safety precautions into their everyday lives as best they can, while still focusing on their practices and workouts.

The Pioneer athletic department will work with both the NJAC, President Richard Helldobler, and local authorities, in hopes of having a sports season in 2021.