By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The COVID-19 virus pandemic has claimed the UNLV football season and the rest of the UNLV fall sports season as the Mountain West Conference said Monday all fall sports will be postponed.
“Through the hard work of many over the past several months, the Conference made every effort to create an opportunity for our student-athletes to compete, and we empathize with the disappointment this creates for everyone associated with our programs,” said Mary Papazian, president of San José State University and chairperson of the MW Board of Directors. “The best interests of our students and student-athletes remain our focus and we will persist in our efforts to forge a viable and responsible path forward.”
MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson issued this statement: “We were hopeful we could carefully and responsibly conduct competition as originally scheduled with essential protocols in place. However, numerous external factors and unknowns outside our control made this difficult decision necessary.
“I fully understand the impact of this outcome on our student- athletes, coaches, administrators and staff who work so hard daily to play the sports we all love, and I share in their disappointment. We will continue to navigate this pandemic together, overcome the obstacles and return to intercollegiate athletics at the earliest opportunity.”
It’s especially painful for UNLV football, which enlisted new coach Marcus Arroyo, hired by UNLV Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois in 2019.
The UNLV football team was also going to play at the Raiders’ new stadium. Now those games are wiped off the Allegiant Stadium event schedule.
While we understand and support this decision, it does not take away from the reality that our hearts hurt for our student-athletes and for their families, our coaches, staff and all who love the Rebels.
We look forward to working with our colleagues and exploring fall sport competitions occurring later in the academic year.
While today is a hard day, know that we will regroup, persevere and be even more determined to do what we love – teach, compete and represent this great community. In the meantime, we will focus our energy on our resilient and exceptional student-athletes and support them in every way possible.
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