(Featured file photo courtesy of Capital University Athletics)
As an athlete, I have to acknowledge my bias towards the subject of this article.
On Feb. 3, the NCAA Division III administration announced the cancellation of all winter sports championships.
In a press release on their website, Jeremy Villunueva, assistant director of communications, wrote, “Due to low participation numbers among member schools, NCAA Division III winter championships are canceled for the 2020-21 academic year.”
The NCAA came to this conclusion based on a survey they released to member schools. They received responses from 98% of those schools. From that survey, the administration concluded that there would not be the necessary 60% threshold of school participation in order to host championship tournaments.
The sports impacted as a result of this announcement are men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and wrestling.
Specific to Capital University, the sports impacted are our men’s and women’s basketball teams and our men’s and women’s track and field team.
While speaking to Ryan Gasser, assistant director of athletics for Communication, he shared that while everyone was holding out hope for the opportunity to compete in winter championships, we always knew it was a reality.
As one of the athletes impacted by this announcement, I have to share my disappointment following it.
When this was announced, I found myself ranked number one in the nation in both the shot and weight throw, and even at this time, find myself ranked second in both of those events. So, to put a mild tone on it, I was beyond disappointed, but just as Gasser expressed in the interview, I knew it was a reality.
To express it on part of all the athletes that were impacted by this, it sucks to have this taken away, but you can rest assured that we have stayed working towards other goals this season.
The Ohio Athletic Conference has stayed committed to hosting their championships and tournaments this year, and the Crusaders are working hard to claim the titles this season.
