The Great American Conference Council of Presidents announced an indefinite suspension of the conference’s athletic competitions for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year effective immediately on Thursday, March 12.
This decision follows the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s cancelation of all championships for the remainder of the academic year.
“In one regard, this is a disheartening day,” said Abby Davis, interim director of athletics at Arkansas Tech University. “There are no words of comfort we can offer to our senior student-athletes upon learning that their collegiate athletic careers have come to such a sudden end. However, it has become obvious in recent days that this issue is much larger than athletics. As defined by the World Health Organization, this is a pandemic that must take top priority in our society at this time. The Wonder Boys and the Golden Suns will return to the fields and courts of play at the appropriate time, and we will anxiously await that day. In the meantime, our focus as a department will be on our student-athletes, their health and their personal and academic success.”
A statement from the GAC reads as follows:
“The top priority for the Great American Conference and its membership is the health of student-athletes, staff, and our campus communities. The conference office will work with the GAC Council of Presidents to monitor all information impacting athletic departments during the remainder of the spring semester.”
Additionally, the GAC stated that it will work with the NCAA to advocate for all affected conference student-athletes.
