The University of Connecticut announced Wednesday that it’s canceling its 2020-21 football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic
In doing so, it has become the first Football Bowl Subdivision team to cancel the season due to the pandemic, said The New York Times.
“After receiving guidance from state and public health officials and consulting with football student-athletes, we’ve decided that we will not compete on the gridiron this season,” the university’s director of athletics David Benedict said in a statement. “The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk.”
Head football coach Randy Edsall said the team is united about the college’s approach.
“We engaged and listened to the concerns of our football student-athletes and feel this is the best decision for their health, safety, and well-being,” Edsall said. “Our team is united in this approach and we will use this time to further player development within the program and gear ourselves to the 2021 season.”
