Duke’s women’s basketball team ended its season Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The student-athletes on Duke’s women’s basketball team have made the difficult decision to end their current season due to safety concerns,” said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president of public affairs and government relations and chief of Duke University Communications.
“We support his decision, as we have supported the decisions made by all Duke student-athletes during this unprecedented time. Duke will maintain our current competition schedule in other sports and will continue to adhere to our rigorous safety and health protocols, which include daily testing for all student-athletes and are based on the guidance of leading medical experts. ”
The men’s basketball team planned to continue playing.
The women’s basketball team has been on hiatus since Dec. 16 due to two positive tests of COVID-19 and the location of contacts within the program’s travel party. The Blue Devils (3-1) postponed games against Miami, NC State and UNC Wilmington. The next contest scheduled for the team was Thursday against Louisville.
The Blue Devils are the first Power Five team to drop out after starting this season. The Ivy League opted not to play winter sports in November before the basketball season began. Some other schools also decided not to play.
New coach Kara Lawson, who was hired in July, had said this month: “I don’t think we have to play right now. That’s my opinion on the matter. ”This came a day after Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski asked why college basketball was played in the midst of the pandemic.
“I would like the safety, mental and physical health of the players and staff to assess where we are,” the Duke’s Hall of Fame coach said after a loss to Illinois on Dec. 8.
Krzyzewski cited the increase in COVID-19 cases as the basis for his argument.
“People say the next six weeks will be the worst,” Krzyzewski said at the time. “It simply came to our notice then. On the other hand, there are these vaccines coming out. By the end of the month, 20 million vaccines will be given. In late January or February, another 100 million. Don’t we have to re-evaluate this? See what would be best? “
The virus has already caused the cancellation or postponement of many games during the first month of the season. Countless teams have been on hiatus due to positive testing of their programs. The NCAA said earlier this month that it planned to play its tournament in a single geographic area being San Antonio the best option.
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