UConn cancels 2020 football season due to coronavirus concerns
FILE – In this Nov. 24, 2018, file photo, Connecticut linebacker Darrian Beavers (43) leads his team onto the field before the start of an NCAA college football game against Temple in East Hartford, Conn. UConn football is on the road to independence and the American Athletic Conference is not feeling any pressure to replace the Huskies when they leave for the Big East. The University of Connecticut is set to announce later this week that it will be leaving the AAC and re-joining the Big East, which does not sponsor football, in 2020. (AP Photo/Stephen Dunn, File)
STORRS, Conn. (News Nation) — The University of Connecticut Department of Athletics announced Wednesday that its football program will cancel the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 precautions.
“After receiving guidance from state and public health officials and consulting with football student-athletes, we’ve decided that we will not compete on the gridiron this season,” said director of athletics David Benedict in a statement.
“The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk,” Benedict said.
“We engaged and listened to the concerns of our football student-athletes and feel this is the best decision for their health, safety, and well-being,” head football coach Randy Edsall said. “Our team is united in this approach and we will use this time to further player development within the program and gear ourselves to the 2021 season.”
Team members will maintain full-time student status and enroll in classes either virtually or in person. The student-athletes will also have access to training facilities and support services in accordance with NCAA regulations.
