Southeastern Conference athletics for the 2019-2020 academic year are over.
The SEC confirmed in a statement Tuesday afternoon that all regular season and non-conference games, postseason events, spring football games and pro days are cancelled. It reiterated its suspension of team and individual practices, meetings, etc., through April 15. The SEC is following the standard from most other Division I conferences set over the previous 24 hours.
“This is a difficult day for all of us, and I am especially disappointed for our student-athletes,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in the statement. “The health and well-being of our entire conference community is an ongoing priority for the SEC as we continue to monitor developments and information about the COVID-19 virus.”
Reiterating the suspension of other athletics activities opens the possibility for practices or meetings later in the spring semester, be it for football teams trying to recoup some spring practice or spring sports getting some practices in before adjourning for summer.
On the University of Alabama front, it means UA will not get to host the SEC Softball Tournament or the SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament. UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne said in a recent interview with Tidesports.com he is hopeful UA will be able to host those events without having to wait a full rotation of sites.
The SEC release said all fans who purchased tickets to the SEC Softball Tournament or SEC Baseball Tournament through the SEC or a member institution will receive their refunds by March 31.
As it stands now, no UA athletics will be played before the beginning of the women’s soccer and volleyball seasons in August and the beginning of football season in September.
