SEC Tourney canceled; regular seasons suspended; football UPDATED
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In another earth-shaking announcement, Thursday's decision by the SEC to cancel the men's basketball tournament and suspend all regular-season events due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) was trumped by the NCAA which canceled all remaining winter spring championships for 2020.
That means no College World Series in Omaha and no softball World Series in Oklahoma City.
It’s unclear if the SEC would resume play with its spring sports should the situation improve.
As for the status of Georgia's start of spring practice scheduled to get underway Tuesday, that remains unclear. Athletic Director Greg McGarity told UGASports earlier Thursday that practice would continue as expected. But that was before the University of Georgia elected to close all its campuses across the state for the next two weeks.
There were some decision made in regards as it pertains to recruiting. Earlier, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced that he was putting a hold on all on- and off-campus recruiting.
"I have stopped off campus and on campus recruiting for a period of time. That could be extended," Sankey said. "I've identified the NCAA needs to fully engage on this issue as well. The practice issue may be for them nationally. I think we had some conversations. I don't know that we came to a destination, so that means it's still on that list that we're creating."
The news continued. Later, the University System of Georgia announced that is has told its Presidents not to shut down their campuses for a two-week period of time. Georgia students not living in dorms have been told not to return to campus.
Thursday's decision to cancel the SEC Basketball Tournament did not come lightly.
"We have a public health situation in this country and across the globe that is emerging. I'm not an epidemiologist," Sankey said. "I'm not a researcher in immunology or infectious disease, but those who are engaged at the NCAA level provided some stark information yesterday that guided the NCAA to close its tournament to public attendance. That then guided us."
Georgia, who beat Ole Miss Wednesday night 81-62, was scheduled to play Florida in Thursday’s second-round game.
Prior to the NCAA's decision to cancel all its remaining winter and spring championships, the SEC announced that all regular season sporting events will be suspended until March 30.
"I tell you that simply to say there's no one in this conference who's taken these decisions lightly, and I would not want to work with another set of presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors in the world," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. "I have the utmost respect for each of the campus leaders and thank them for their engagement, their work, their consideration, their discussion, and support during the past 24 hours."
McGarity told UGASports that the correct choices were made.
"It's unfortunate, but this was the right decision," McGarity said. "We're operating under these standards until March 30. We'll be in constant conversation, almost daily, regarding any changes to that."
More to come.
