College of Idaho cancels all remaining spring sports
A day after the Cascade Conference suspended athletic competition for a minimum of two weeks, the College of Idaho went a step further Friday, canceling all athletic events for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
The decision was made in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which saw its first confirmed case in the state of Idaho on Friday.
“This has been a very difficult decision that we make with a heavy heart,” College of Idaho athletic director Reagan Rossi said in a release. “We want to thank all of our coaches, student-athletes and staff for their understanding, their commitment to our programs and The College of Idaho. They continue to represent us with tremendous sportsmanship, humility, respect and grace. We are so proud to call them Yotes.”
The decision ends the seasons for baseball, softball, outdoor track and field, golf, men's lacrosse and women's tennis. It also cancels spring practices for football, soccer and volleyball.
On Thursday, the College of Idaho men's basketball team saw its season end when the NAIA canceled the NAIA Division II Tournament. The Yotes had been the overall No. 1 seed and won their first round game on Wednesday. Later in the day the Cascade Conference suspended all athletic activities for two weeks.
“Our hearts go out to all of our wonderful students,” College of Idaho co-president Jim Everett said.“Many are losing their opportunity to perform in plays and musical performances, athletic events, trips and research and the fellowship we have on this campus. This is especially difficult for our seniors. The health and well-being of our campus community is and always will be our top priority and that caused us to end all of these activities for the remainder of the spring term.”
The decision ends a successful season on the field for College of Idaho athletics, which saw teams win conference championships in football, men's and women's cross country, men's basketball and men's skiing. With six top-10 finishes in the country, the College of Idaho is currently ranked No. 8 in the NAIA Learfield Directors Cup standings.
“We want to thank our Yote Fam for their continued support of our student-athletes, we know we can’t do this without you,” Rossi said. “We assure you we are committed to returning in the fall term and picking up where we left off with successes in the classroom, on the court, field, track and pool.”