With many major college football programs coming back to workouts and immediately triggering positive tests for COVID-19, the schools without the same kinds of budgets are facing different decisions.
Morehouse College has canceled football and cross country for the fall, according to an announcement from the school. The news was first reported by HBCU Gameday.
The Historically Black College in Atlanta plays in Division II.
“Like all of the decisions we’ve made related to COVID-19, this was a difficult one but was made with the health and well-being of our students and community in mind,” school president David Thomas said. “It follows my intention to maintain a safe campus in hopes that our students will be able to return in August. Our Maroon Tiger teams travel to other NCAA institutions and cannot compete without breaking from social distancing guidelines still maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sporting events also invite individuals to our campus who will not be subject to the testing and monitoring that we plan to implement for our students, faculty, and staff.
“I know this news will be most disappointing to our scholar-athletes, especially our seniors. I can only ask for your understanding and respect for the fact that the College is prioritizing your health and safety ahead of all else.”
“We are committed to the principle that our athletes are first and foremost students. Each one was admitted to Morehouse with the expectation that he has the intellectual ability and commitment to finish his degree studies here. We will support each scholar-athlete to realize that central goal that brought him to Morehouse. Our dedicated academic support for our athletes and maintenance of NCAA and SIAC compliance standards will also continue.”
Earlier this week, Maine’s Bowdoin College, canceled all fall sports, including football, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Such moves might become more common for smaller college programs, who don’t have the facilities or funding to keep athletes safe — and lack the financial pressure to play anyway.