BREAKING: NCAA cancels March Madness tournament
By Dylan Manfre
Due to fears about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), NCAA President Mark Emmert announced in a release that the 2020 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball championships are canceled.
NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships: https://t.co/p4vCzvzmvo pic.twitter.com/yqAHak4HO5
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 12, 2020
The NCAA’s March Madness basketball tournament has been a staple to the sports world and for students to watch their schools compete.
This means that the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) women’s quarterfinal game between Siena and Fairfield on March 12 was the last Division I basketball competition to be held this season.
The announcement was made at 4:16 p.m.
All remaining NCAA winter and spring championships have been canceled as well.
Over the last few days, each of the major collegiate athletic conferences had postponed their postseason tournaments. Some of the tournaments had already begun, including the MAAC.
MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor held a press conference at 2:30 p.m. and walked off the podium at Jim Wehelin Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, sounding choked up as he relayed the inevitable news.
Ensor also announced that the MAAC’s spring sports have been canceled as well.
Rider women’s basketball would have represented the MAAC at the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history had the competition been held.
