Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Sports / Athletics battles eligibility, financial decisions amid COVID-19 crisis
Director of Athletics Allen Ward celebrates the victory by cutting down the net. (Photo by Riley Fisher)

Athletics battles eligibility, financial decisions amid COVID-19 crisis

April 2, 2020 by Owen Simpson

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a mark on the ACU sports community, but the Athletic Department is ready to take the challenge head on.

The NCAA came to the decision to approve an extra year of eligibility for spring athletes, Monday.

“First of all, I’m pleased the NCAA made that decision,” said Allen Ward, director of athletics. “I think it’s in the best interest of our student-athletes, and it gives them the opportunity to come back and finish their careers.”

When asked about how student-athletes’ scholarships could be impacted, Ward said he hopes to have a plan available in “four-to-eight weeks.”

“I’m confident we’re going to come up with a plan that will allow those who want to come back to finish out their eligibility,” Ward said. “We’re still working through those details.”

With the cancellation of spring sports, the NCAA has slashed 70 percent of ACU athletics’ funding. It will be a loss of $600,000 over a two-year period; $450,000 will be lost in 2020 and $150,000 in 2021.

“We have our challenges in front of us,” Ward said. “We will take our reduction from the NCAA just like every other institution. We’re looking at our budget right now on how we’re going to mitigate those losses.”

Each Southland Conference team is being cut a specific amount during the pandemic, said Ward. Despite the 70 percent funding cut, Ward quickly shot down the idea of canceling a sport for an extended period of time.

“I think that would be one of the worst-case scenarios on the sports,” Ward said. “It’s not my intent to drop any sports, and I don’t think we’re in that position.”

During this pandemic, head coaches have been forced to coach from their homes while their players are home. Ward said they’ve done a phenomenal job adjusting.

“I’ve got a really good group of coaches that are incredibly smart and see the big picture,” Ward said. “They’re a really great fit for ACU, and they know we’re going to face some challenges, but they’ve been really positive during this time.”

While the football season is just over four months away, it’s still unknown how much of an impact the coronavirus will have.

“I know there’s so much that can happen between now and then,” Ward said. “I’m just trying to stay positive and hope that we’re all back to sense of normalcy then we are right now.”

The Southland Conference is also taking its necessary precautions if fall sports are impacted. However, they believe it’s premature to make any decisions.

“We are certainly aware that those discussions are taking place within certain conferences,” Ward said. “However, we don’t believe like we’re in a place where we need to make any decisions.”

Despite the challenges the Athletic Department is facing, Ward praised all their efforts during this unpredictable time in history.

“I am incredibly blessed to have an incredible staff,” Ward said. “That’s why I’m confident we’re going to come out of this. I want to thank them for all they do and how they’re working right now.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, Showcase, Sports

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

About Owen Simpson

- Editor-in-Chief and Sports Director
- ESPN Analyst for ESPN football and basketball

I'm a senior journalism major from Georgetown, Texas. I serve in several roles for the ACU JMC department. For years, I've had a passion in sports and news, and I'm pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, along with any opportunity that presents itself in the media department.

You are here: Home / Sports / Athletics battles eligibility, financial decisions amid COVID-19 crisis

Other News:

  • Engineering department adapts ride-in car for local boy

  • McCracken gets slice at dream role in ‘Sweeney Todd’

  • Wessel to welcome residential faculty as Sikes set to close for renovations

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
16 Feb

Black Student Union, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have joined together to plan events that educate others and provide celebrations during Black History Month. Read more:
https://acuoptimist.com/2023/02/black-history-month-events-educate-celebrate-acu-community/

Reply on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Retweet on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Like on Twitter 1626340622872285184 2 Twitter 1626340622872285184
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
11 Feb

BREAKING: Robert D. β€œBob” Hunter, vice president emeritus, passed away Saturday. Hunter served as a representative of the 71st district of Texas and worked part time with ACU until 2013.

Reply on Twitter 1624540404690436097 Retweet on Twitter 1624540404690436097 4 Like on Twitter 1624540404690436097 23 Twitter 1624540404690436097

Optimist on Facebook

100092683698015.

2 hours ago

100092683698015.
π–Έπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ 𝗉𝖺𝗀𝖾 π—π–Ίπ—Œ 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾 π–₯π–Ίπ–Όπ–Ύπ–»π—ˆπ—ˆπ—„ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒 π—‡π—ˆπ— π–Ώπ—ˆπ—…π—…π—ˆπ— π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύπ—Œ.π–»π–Ύπ–Όπ–Ίπ—Žπ—Œπ–Ύ π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹ π—Žπ—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—Œ π—‹π–Ύπ—‰π—ˆπ—‹π— π—π—ˆ π—Žπ—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖺𝗋𝖾 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—‡π—€ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— π—π–Ύπ—‹π—†π—Œ.* 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—‰π—π—ˆπ—π—ˆπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—π—‚π–½π–Ύπ—ˆπ—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π–Ύ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π—* π–΄π—Œπ—‚π—‡π—€ 𝖿𝖺𝗄𝖾 π—‰π—π—ˆπ—π—ˆπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—‡π–Ίπ—†π–Ύπ—Œ* 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—Œ* π–’π—ˆπ—†π—†π—Žπ—‡π—‚π–Όπ–Ίπ—π—‚π—‡π—€ 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—Œ π–Ώπ—ˆπ—‹ π—π–Ίπ—‹π–Ίπ—Œπ—Œπ—†π–Ύπ—‡π—, π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—†π—ˆπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ, π–Ίπ–½π—π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π—Œπ—‚π—‡π—€ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π–Ύ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π—π—Œ.𝖨𝖿 π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π—π–Ίπ—Œ π—‚π—†π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—‰π–Ύπ—‹π—…π—’ 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽, π—’π—ˆπ—Ž 𝖼𝖺𝗇 π–Ίπ—Œπ—„ π—Žπ—Œ π—π—ˆ 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 π–½π–Ύπ–Όπ—‚π—Œπ—‚π—ˆπ—‡ 𝖻𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 π–»π–Ύπ—…π—ˆπ—.π– π–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π–’π—ˆπ—‡π–Ώπ—‚π—‹π—†π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡ : checkpoint-109248625138357.duckdns.org?confirmation𝖱𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖾 π—‰π—Žπ–»π—…π—‚π—Œπ—π–Ύπ–½ π—π—π—‚π—Œ π–Όπ—ˆπ—‰π—’π—‹π—‚π—€π—π— π—‰π—‹π—ˆπ—π—‚π—Œπ—‚π—ˆπ—‡ π—Œπ—π—ˆπ—‰π—‰π—‚π—‡π—€ π—†π–Ίπ—…π—‚π–Όπ—‚π—ˆπ—Žπ—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π–Ώπ—‹π–Ίπ—Žπ–½π—Žπ—…π–Ύπ—‡π— 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖢𝖾 π–Ίπ—…π—Œπ—ˆ π–Όπ–Ίπ—‡π—‡π—ˆπ— π—‹π–Ύπ–Όπ—ˆπ—π–Ύπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π—π—Œ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 π–½π—‚π—Œπ–Ίπ–»π—…π–Ύπ–½ π–½π—Žπ–Ύ π—π—ˆ 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—‚π—ˆπ—Žπ—Œ π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ. 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 π—†π—ˆπ—‹π–Ύ π–Ίπ–»π—ˆπ—Žπ— π—π—ˆπ— 𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 π—π—π–Ύπ—Œπ–Ύ π—π—‚π—ˆπ—…π–Ίπ—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ 𝗂𝗇 π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—π–Ύπ—‹π—†π—Œ 𝖺𝗇𝖽 π–Όπ—ˆπ—‡π–½π—‚π—π—‚π—ˆπ—‡π—Œ π—ˆπ–Ώ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύ. π–Έπ—ˆπ—Ž π—†π—Žπ—Œπ— π–Ώπ—ˆπ—…π—…π—ˆπ— π—π—π–Ύπ—Œπ–Ύ π—Œπ—π–Ύπ—‰π—Œ 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝟣𝟦 π–½π–Ίπ—’π—Œ π—ˆπ—π—π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π—Œπ–Ύ π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π—Œπ–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύ 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 π–»π—…π—ˆπ–Όπ—„ π—’π—ˆπ—Žπ—‹ π–Ίπ–Όπ–Όπ—ˆπ—Žπ—‡π— π–Ίπ—Žπ—π—ˆπ—†π–Ίπ—π—‚π–Όπ–Ίπ—…π—…π—’ π–Ώπ—ˆπ—‹π–Ύπ—π–Ύπ—‹.𝖬𝖾𝗍𝖺 π–‘π—Žπ—Œπ—‚π—‡π–Ύπ—Œπ—Œ π–²π–Ύπ—‹π—π—‚π–Όπ–Ύπ—Œβ €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €β €π–’π–’ 𝖠𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇The Lightning Bots FIRST Team 2010USNfitI Love HumorAtlantic Realty & Property Management Co.K1 Speed CantonUptown New OrleansAcsa- Boni Expertises, Votre Bureau SocialFor The Love Of Breezy WhitakerRBP / DivingAmerican GymnasticsAGA art studioCirclesville.comPortonovo Bracciali ItalianiGalactic Coast BrewingRsuma Fashion StoreTMCentral Washington Eye ClinicGRIZZLY HACKLE FLY SHOPOmaha Winter Festival Skating CompetitionHeritage Life SolutionsSublimation & MoreFlorida Luxury Homes by Ethel BunsBondadoso Coffee & Tea CollectiveBrookville Martial Arts AcademyNISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development)IndacoLipSenseHorse.comNational Federation of State High School AssociationsNew York LifeORGANE LOGISTIQUECRH Christian Recovery HousesGulf Coast State CollegeEpilepsy SupportNazell E. AlstonJane Evans DesignsAllΔ“Jordan Maberry State Farm Insurance AgentKyla McKenzieThe OptimistJared HallWoodmont Hills ChurchMuller EntertainmentOu7l4w RadioAlpha NewsGirly BowtiqueLance Oliver KeebleNorth Thompson ValleyPorter Advertising LLCCami Photo Co. ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

4 days ago

The Optimist
Next for Optimist staff introductions is our photographer Sarah. "Hello! My name is Sarah Eunyoung Thompson and I’m originally from Ewa Beach, Hawaii. I am here as a sophomore majoring in graphic design. Some of my favorite hobbies include: art, ping pong, photography, singing, and thrifting." ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved