A day after the NBA and NCAA took drastic measures to protect athletes and fans from the coronavirus pandemic, the Big West Conference followed suit on Thursday morning.
Around 10 a.m., the conference announced that it was canceling the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, even though games were played on Wednesday night.
At 11:15 a.m., the conference announced via Twitter that it was suspending all spring sports indefinitely.
The prepared statement read:
“The Big West Conference announced today that it is indefinitely suspending all spring conference and non-conference competition, effective immediately.
“The main priority of the Big West Conference continues to be the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus.”
At 1:30 p.m., the NCAA announced that it was canceling both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, while also jettisoning all spring championships, ending the season for numerous sports at UCSB.
The NCAA’s decision came after the Mountain West Conference also suspended spring competition earlier in the day, while the SEC, BIG 10 and American Athletic Conference also canceled their basketball tournaments.
In professional leagues, Major League Soccer suspended its season, while Major League Baseball will also delay Opening Day.
This is a breaking news story, please check back for more details as they become available.
email: nmasuda@newspress.com
