Duke & Other WBB Season Cancellations

[Ignatius L Hoops]

https://www.startribune.com/ap-source-duke-women-end-basketball-season-amid-virus/600004223/

Kara Lawson's first season was a short one:

The Duke women's basketball team has ended its season amid the coronavirus pandemic, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The men's team planned to keep playing.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the school has not publicly announced the decision.

The women's basketball team has been on pause since Dec. 16 because of two positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the program's travel party. The Blue Devils (3-1) postponed games against Miami, N.C. State and UNC Wilmington. The team's next scheduled contest was against Louisville on Thursday.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Confirmation:

 

[HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving]

This sets up Coach K to pull the plug.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

'They've done everything they could': Duke basketball parent speaks out about team's decision to cancel season

The mother of a Duke women's basketball player says she's proud of the team's willingness to sacrifice its own season to show the world the importance of COVID-19 health and safety.

abc11.com

More on the Duke player's decision to cancel remainder of season.

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The mother of a Duke women's basketball player says she's proud of the team's willingness to sacrifice its own season to show the world the importance of COVID-19 health and safety.

This comes days after the team announced it was opting out of the rest of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.

"When they were talking to me about COVID they were talking about a social responsibility for your country, for other players," said Michelle Goodchild. "They aren't just looking at the student-athletes. They've got a bigger vision. They're looking at how to protect Durham, the greater Duke community and beyond.
[...]

"I know that Miela was tested daily," she said. "They just had no cases, felt very confident. They would travel and I can't say what was happening at other universities, but they were put in a position and it was compromised."
[...]
She also added that if the league came up with a bubble format or stricter precautions she thinks the team would agree to resume the season.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Women’s Basketball Cancels Remainder of 2020-21 Season - SMU Athletics

DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team has decided to not play the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19.

smumustangs.com

SMU players cancel remainder of season

DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's basketball team has decided to not play the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19.

Potential virus-related issues including the possibility of isolation, quarantine and season disruptions resulted in a decision by the student-athletes to opt out of the 2020-21 season. While all agreed that SMU had taken all possible steps and precautions to keep them healthy and safe, ultimately the women decided that the totality of the circumstances was resulting in an in-season experience that they did not wish to prolong.

"This was not a decision our student-athletes took lightly," said Rick Hart, SMU Director of Athletics. "It was a difficult decision for them to make. That said, we support them, as we have supported the choices of our student-athletes in all sports whether they have elected to compete or to opt out. Our priority is their health, safety and wellbeing. We look forward to our women's basketball program resuming competition in 2021-22."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Many questions remain after Duke women's basketball cancels season

Neither coach Kara Lawson nor anyone from the athletic department has addressed Duke's decision not to play the rest of the 2020-21 season.

www.espn.com

ESPN's Mechelle Voepel writes about the cancellation of Duke's season:

The Duke women's basketball team announced on Dec. 25 that it was canceling the rest of its 2020-21 season because of COVID-19 concerns. But questions remain about how the program made that decision and what's next for it and its players, especially since neither first-year coach Kara Lawson nor anyone from the athletic department has publicly addressed the decision.

 

[JellyBean2144]

Pretty cool move by Duke, and SMU WBB as well as other conferences, to shut down for the year. Never easy but the right move.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Virginia (0-5) ends season due to COVID issues

Virginia has joined Duke as the only Power 5 women's basketball teams to have canceled their seasons due to COVID-19 issues. The Cavaliers were 0-5 and haven't played since the program was paused Dec. 19.

www.espn.com

Virginia ends season.

Virginia's women's basketball program became the second ACC team to cancel its season because of COVID-19 issues, making the announcement on Thursday.

Duke canceled its season on Dec. 25. So far, they are the only teams on the men's or women's side from a Power 5 conference to end their seasons early.

The Cavaliers are 0-5 and haven't played since a 69-51 loss at Florida State on Dec. 13. The program went on pause Dec. 19.

In a statement, Virginia said it will maintain the current competition schedules for its other varsity sports programs and keep adhering to ACC health and safety protocols.

"We have the pleasure of coaching a very resilient group of young women who have fought through injuries, a strict COVID-19 protocol, and all the mental battles that come with it," Virginia coach Tina Thompson said. "So the decision to end our season mid-stream comes with great difficulty. As difficult as it is to end our season in this manner, it is a necessary one. The health and safety of our student-athletes will always be the No. 1 priority. We will continue to focus on their overall well-being and prepare to resume competition in the fall."

Thompson, a four-time WNBA champion as a player, is in her third season at Virginia, which was her first head-coaching job. She previously was an assistant for three seasons at Texas.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Women's Basketball Cancels Remainder Of 2020-21 Season

An update from the Spartan women's basketball program.

sjsuspartans.com

San Jose State cancels remainder of season.

San José, Calif. -

The San José State women's basketball program will not play the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to health and safety concerns stemming from COVID-19.

"This was an incredibly tough decision, but one that is in the best interest of the health and safety for our program's student-athletes, coaches and staff," says Athletics Director Marie Tuite. "San José State will maintain its current schedule of competition in other sports while continuing to implement the athletics department's health and safety protocols. We look forward to watching the continued and exciting growth of our women's basketball program in the 2021-22 season."

Due to Santa Clara County guidelines regarding intercollegiate athletics, SJSU relocated its day-to-day operations to Phoenix, Arizona, on December 17, 2020.

Members of the women's basketball program will begin their mandatory 10-day quarantine, as outlined by Santa Clara County's travel directive, upon their return to San José. Individuals that are currently in quarantine or isolation will remain in Arizona. They will not return to San José until completion of the quarantine or isolation

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Women’s Basketball to Discontinue Season

Decision driven by student-athletes, supported by university officials

vucommodores.com

Vanderbilt cancels remainder of season:

Due to a combination of COVID-19 related circumstances, opt-outs and injuries, the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program has elected not to continue the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

“We fully support and respect the decision of our student-athletes. Their health, safety and well-being have always been, and will continue to be, a top priority,” said Candice Lee, Vanderbilt’s Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director. “We know that this was a tough call for them, in a year full of tough calls, and a disappointing outcome for the student-athletes and the program.”

“As a staff we have and will always prioritize the health and safety our student-athletes,” Vanderbilt head coach Stephanie White said. “We are coaching a group of young women who have been resilient in dealing with opt-outs, injuries, COVID-19 protocols as well as the physical, mental and emotional toll that comes with COVID-19. We respect our student-athletes’ decision and support them as we continue to move forward.”

Vanderbilt finished the 2020-21 season 4-4 overall and 0-3 against SEC opponents

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Detroit Mercy suspends season amid allegations

Detroit Mercy announced it has suspended the rest of its women's basketball season amid allegations of abuse by first-year head coach AnnMarie Gilbert.

www.espn.com

A strange season gets stranger: Detroit Mercy cancels remainder of season amid abuse allegations.

Detroit Mercy has suspended the rest of its women's basketball season, the school announced Thursday.

The decision was made after the parents of all the players sent a letter to school administrators alleging abuse by head coach AnnMarie Gilbert in her first season at the school, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.

The letter, a copy of which was printed by the Free Press, said that the parents had gotten together on a Zoom call to discuss the experiences of their daughters.

"It has become painfully obvious that our young women are suffering emotional, mental and physical abuse under the leadership of their head coach," the letter said. "In addition, those of us who are former collegiate athletes and/or coaches are clearly aware there are possible NCAA violations being committed."

Gilbert has not responded to a request for comment by ESPN. Detroit Mercy is 1-13 this season and last played Saturday in a 71-61 loss to Oakland.

According to the letter, the parents alleged that Gilbert, who was hired in April 2020, asked players to exceed the 20 hours of countable athletically related activities, has tried to dissuade them from reporting injuries or illness and pushed them to compete even when hurt. The parents also alleged that she referred to the players as "cowards" and acted unprofessionally toward her assistant coaches.

One of the parents who signed the letter, Shakela Webb, is the mother of player Kaela Webb, whose father, Tim Webb, is an assistant coach for Gilbert. The letter alleged Tim Webb and other assistants were "humiliated and harassed in front of players" by Gilbert.

"The health and well-being of our student-athletes is our athletic department's top priority," Detroit Mercy director of athletics Robert Vowels said in a statement. "We have talked with all players and members of our women's basketball program about their concerns. We take them very seriously and will continue to review them closely."

Vowels' statement went on to add, "As we have prioritized the needs of our student-athletes during this challenging academic year, we have decided to suspend the 2020-21 women's basketball season."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Women’s Basketball to Discontinue Remainder of 2020-21 Season - University of Vermont Athletics

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont women's basketball program will not play the remainder of their 2020-21 campaign. To date the team has played just six of their scheduled

uvmathletics.com

Vermont cancels remainder of season at request of players.

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont women's basketball program will not play the remainder of their 2020-21 campaign. To date the team has played just six of their scheduled 12 America East contests. The decision was made by the student-athletes with the full support of their coaches and the athletic department.

"We respect our players' decisions and they have had our complete support throughout this unprecedented time," said Mayer Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "It has not been easy for anyone involved with our program and I feel for them. I'm extremely proud of our team and what we have accomplished on and off the court. This group of impressive young women has a bright future ahead."

"I have tremendous respect for our women's basketball student-athletes, coaches and staff and fully support what I know was a very difficult decision," said Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman. "I'm particularly appreciative of the leadership that Coach Kresge and her staff have provided during this very challenging season. Our program has made great strides under this coaching staff and I look forward to watching the group continue to build on the solid foundation that has been established. All of our student-athletes will remain enrolled and we will continue to fully support their academics and their health and wellbeing as they complete the semester."

The Catamounts conclude the 2020-21 season with a record of 4-2. Their 4-2 start in America East play matched the best by Vermont since 2012-13. They were on a three-game conference winning streak after defeating UMBC 65-54 in the final game on January 4. Vermont has won three league games in a row just three times in the last 11 years all under Coach Kresge in each of the three seasons she's led the program.

 

[thatjanelpick]

I'm really surprised Rutgers hasn't called it a day (especially given that us Gophers fans have seen her and her team quit right in front of our eyes).

 

[tripledouble]

I'm wondering how much a conference has to do with whether a team is allowed to call it quits or not. I am sure this has been a trying year for players and coaches, but I'm wondering how the BIG would look upon a team calling it quits. Would that school then lose some BTN revenue? That may not be much of a factor in women's basketball, but I think it would be a major factor in men's basketball. A couple of other thoughts...I've noticed that some coaches seem to hate the flexibility that they're required to have with the covid situation (games cancelled, practices cancelled, not enough players to practice with, etc.) Coaches including Duke men's Coach K and Baylor's Mulkey definitely have seemed to have some problems with the patience required. On the whole, I still think that for the most part the players want to play and the coaches want to coach. IMO, the team's that can get through the season will have an advantage over those who don't.

 

[thatjanelpick]

In most of the situations where teams have canceled their seasons, it's been positioned as a player call (although that's not the case, exactly, with Detroit Mercy).

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

SC State Women’s Basketball Cancels Remainder of the 2020-21 Season - South Carolina State University Athletics

ORANGEBURG, SC- SC State Athletics announced Wednesday (Feb.3) that the women's basketball team will not complete the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to concerns

www.scsuathletics.com

MEAC's South Carolina State cancels remainder of season (emphasis added).

ORANGEBURG, SC- SC State Athletics announced Wednesday (Feb.3) that the women's basketball team will not complete the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to concerns for the health and safety of the student-athletes.

The decision was made after the team was plagued with injuries, leaving the Lady Bulldogs player roster depleted. The diminished player headcount made it challenging for coaches to continue to practice and compete at a high level beginning in Fall 2021.

SC State will maintain the current competition schedule for all other varsity sport programs in season this Spring. SC State Athletics will continue to keep the best interest of the student-athletes first, both on and off the field of play.

"As a team we have made a very difficult decision to cancel the remainder of our Women's Basketball season due to safety concerns," said Director of Athletics Stacy L. Danley. "I'm very proud of our Lady Bulldogs for demonstrating the courage that it took to come to this decision and we support this decision as the health and safety of our student-athletes remains our number one priority".

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Canisius Women’s Basketball Cancels Remainder of 2020-21 Season - Canisius University Athletics

The Canisius athletic department announced today (Feb. 4) that the Golden Griffin women's basketball program will not complete the remainder of the 2020-21 season

gogriffs.com

Canisius cancels remainder of season.

The Canisius athletic department announced today (Feb. 4) that the Golden Griffin women's basketball program will not complete the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to health and safety concerns.

This decision was made with the overall health and safety of the women's basketball student-athletes in mind. Following conversations between the student-athletes, coaching staff and athletic department administration, the collective decision was made to end the competitive schedule for the 2020-21 season. The Griffs have not been able to play a game since Dec. 20 at Saint Peter's, and the team's current pause will not allow the Griffs to return to game action until at least Feb. 18. Non Covid-19 related injuries have also affected the team's roster, which has further impacted the program's ability to safely practice and compete.

"The women in our program discussed the challenges of this most recent pause and made the difficult choice to end their competitive season," Canisius Director of Athletics Bill Maher said. "The administration at the College supports their decision, as we have supported the choices made by all student-athletes at Canisius during this unprecedented time. Canisius will maintain its current schedule of competition in other sports and will continue to observe our rigorous health and safety protocols, which include regular testing for all student-athletes, based on guidance from Erie County, New York State and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Women's Basketball Cancels Remainder of 2020-21 Season - University of Hartford Athletics

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Head coach Morgan Valley met with the Hartford women's basketball team on Wednesday, and they jointly arrived at the difficult decision to

www.hartfordhawks.com

Hartford cancels remainder of season.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Head coach Morgan Valley met with the Hartford women's basketball team on Wednesday, and they jointly arrived at the difficult decision to not play the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

The women's basketball program worked hard to make the most of this season in the midst of a pandemic. The Hawks are the third women's basketball program in the America East Conference to cut their season short to focus on academics and getting their student-athletes back to their full physical and mental health.

"I love these young women and admire all they have pushed through and fought for this year," said Valley. "With multiple quarantines, shut downs, missed holidays, cancelled/rescheduled games and many unknowns, we decided that this is the best path forward for our program at this point in time. I would like to thank President Woodward, Maria Feeley and Brian Mik for their constant support and understanding during these difficult times."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

William & Mary Women’s Basketball Opts Out for Remainder of 2020-21 Season - William & Mary Athletics

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's basketball program has opted out and will not participate in the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to concerns over

tribeathletics.com

William & Mary cancels remainder of season.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's basketball program has opted out and will not participate in the remainder of the 2020-21 season due to concerns over student-athlete health and well-being.

"This season presented extraordinary challenges – and I couldn't be prouder of the hard work and sacrifices by these student-athletes and the resiliency they displayed," head coach Ed Swanson said. "While the decision to opt out was a difficult one, it is also the right one. The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes have always been the top priority. We will put all our resources into ensuring their overall well-being and work towards preparing for next fall."

The Tribe paused activities for the first time on Jan. 28 due to COVID-19 and had its last six games postponed because of the virus. In total, eight women's basketball games had been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 in 2020-21. W&M finishes the season at 6-7 overall and 3-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

William & Mary Athletics will maintain its current competition schedules for all other varsity sports programs for the 2021 spring season and will continue to follow the guidance of the university's Public Health Advisory Team as well as university, local and state protocols.

Statement from William & Mary Interim Athletics Director, Jeremy Martin
"We respect and support the decision our student-athletes made this morning to discontinue the season, as we have respected all our programs' decisions on competing this academic year. Our biggest priority is the wellbeing of our student-athletes and staff as we seek to train and compete as safely and fiscally responsibly as possible this year. This decision does not impact the remainder of the department, as all programs will continue with the competitive schedules as planned, while adhering to all the applicable health and safety protocols."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Colgate WBB Cancels Remaining Games - Colgate University Athletics

HAMILTON -- Colgate Women's Basketball is foregoing the final two weeks of 2020-21 after yet another season-ending injury.

gocolgateraiders.com

Colgate cancels remainder of season.

HAMILTON -- Colgate Women's Basketball is forgoing the final two weeks of 2020-21 after yet another season-ending injury.

The Raiders have been attempting all year to put together a successful campaign after having begun play back in January with four players out for the season because of injury. Despite that, Colgate began this year's abbreviated schedule with high hopes thanks to a convincing win at Army to open the season.

It looked like the perfect carryover from last year's terrific 19-win showing.

But the injuries never abated and the season-ending list increased to five and then six and now seven, with more Raiders doubtful for a return to action over the next two weeks. Thus, the difficult yet necessary decision was made to halt play at nine games completed.

"We appreciate our medical team and administration putting the needs and safety of our student-athletes first and foremost," Raiders head coach Bill Cleary said. "Despite how things have gone, I'm extremely proud of this team and the fight they showed throughout.

"They are looking forward to getting a fresh start and picking up where we left off with such a good feeling after last season."