(Photo via Cronkite News courtesy Mesa Community College Facebook)
The 10 campuses of the Maricopa County Community College District canceled all 2021 indoor spring sports and delayed outdoor ones on Friday.
The news, which was announced in a district press release, came in response to the continued rise in COVID-19 cases across the state.
The move cancels all men’s and women’s basketball games, as well as volleyball matches for the spring semester, while outdoor sports will be delayed until Feb. 1.
The decision was made by college presidents, athletic directors, athletics ad hoc committees and other groups.
Outdoor sports, like baseball, softball, track and field and men’s and women’s soccer will begin on Feb. 1. The decision can be amended or overruled by various officials from local and state governments, as well as the National Junior College Athletics Association.
The MCCCD previously announced in July that all fall and winter sports, including volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s soccer, would be held in the spring.
Under that plan, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball practices were supposed to start practice on Jan. 11, while men’s and women’s soccer practices were scheduled to start on March 15.