UPDATE: Sun Belt suspends all spring sport competition indefinitely
UL's Athletic Director, Bryan Maggard put all rumors to rest by confirming all spring sports in the Sun Belt Conference are suspended indefinitely. The announcement was made Thursday afternoon during a brief conference.
Maggard emphasized that the decision has only impacted conference play.
"Both practice and recruiting have not been suspended for all sports. At this time, we're full steam ahead with spring football and the spring game. Again, this is a very fluid situation so it's very possible we'll have different news come next week," said Athletic Director Bryan Maggard.
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UPDATE: The Sun Belt Conference has canceled remaining games of the 2020 Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships
Read their statement below:
"After further discussion with the Presidents and Chancellors and Directors of Athletics and mounting concerns surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Sun Belt Conference has decided to cancel the remaining games of the 2020 Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships scheduled for March 14-15 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans."
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The Sun Belt Conference says that due to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) the semifinal and championship games of the 2020 Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will not be open to spectators.
On Thursday, the Sun Belt Conference released a statement saying that it will conduct the semifinal and championship games set for March 14-15 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans with only student-athletes, coaches, essential staff, officials, broadcast network staffs, credentialed media and limited immediate family members of the participating teams present.
UL Lafayette's women's basketball teams will be affected by the change with there game this weekend.
⬇️ Update from the @SunBelt on this weekend’s games in New Orleans. https://t.co/7d0yhTLC7a
— Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns® Women's Basketball (@RaginCajunsWBB) March 12, 2020
A release states that the Sun Belt and the Smoothie King Center will continue to take precautionary measures and follow the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for those in attendance, including, discouraging high-risk individuals from attending tournament games, even if they meet the attendance exception.
In addition, the Conference and the Smoothie King Center will continue to be proactive during tournament games by taking the following measures:
• Conducting frequent cleaning and sanitizing of common areas, team locker rooms, and media areas.
• Providing information from the CDC on ways to stop the spread of the virus will be posted throughout the Arena.
• Announcing reminders through our video board and public address announcer to maintain social distance, wash hands regularly, and utilize the hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility.
• Keeping locker rooms closed to credential media covering the games.
• Ensuring emergency medical services will continue to be on site for any medical concerns.
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The SEC has announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 Men's Basketball Tournament in Nashville.
Officials say that the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and latest development have prompted the cancellation. The SEC basketball tournament started on Wednesday, March 12, 2020.
ALERT: Based on the latest developments and the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Southeastern Conference today announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 Men's Basketball Tournament in Nashville.
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 12, 2020