ANNIKA WALL, TRUMPET MANAGING EDITOR
The NCAA released via Twitter at 3:16 p.m., Thursday, March 12, that the NCAA has canceled all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships. This includes all Division III championships, which Wartburg was slated to take part in.
“I am heartbroken. We are all heartbroken,” Jackie Ganshirt, Wartburg national qualifier for the track and field team and third-year student, said. “We have a lot of questions with no answers. We’ve had a lot of people overcome a lot of obstacles, so it hurts to have everything just stripped away in an instant. A lot of tears and frustration but I am extremely proud to be surrounded by this family.”
The Wartburg wrestling, men’s and women’s track and field teams were supposed to compete March 13-14 in their respective national competitions in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Numerous announcements had been made on Thursday, March 12, prior to the outright cancellation of all championships. These included the Division I Indoor Track and Field Championship Committee stating that no spectators, including family members, would be allowed to attend the 2020 championships and that all ticket purchases from an official NCAA vendor would be refunded.
“This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities,” according to the statement.
The NCAA announced on March 11 that attendance at all championship events would be limited to student-athletes, essential athletic and event staff and limited family attendance.
