LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- For the next two weeks, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will recognize and honor all of its senior spring sport student-athletes who had their final seasons cut short by the COVID-19 outbreak.
After the NCAA made the unprecedented decision on Thursday, March 12 to cancel all winter and spring championships due to the coronavirus pandemic, the SCAC Presidents Council decided to indefinitely suspend all regular season conference and non-conference competition.
"This was a heartbreaking decision we had to make," said SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "No one wanted it to come to this, but at the end of the day we are tasked with prioritizing the health and well-being of thousands of students and student-athletes on each of our campuses. That has to to be the focus above all else."
Although the league held out hope that by only suspending play a window of opportunity may present itself for an abbreviated spring season with some form of tournament play the following month, with the virus continuing to spread throughout the country which has caused campuses who had originally hoped to remain open to close for the semester, the 2020 athletics season has effectively ended for over a thousand of the league's spring sport student-athletes along with the careers of 100+ seniors.
And even though some of the league's student-athletes may take advantage of a blanket waiver that would grant an additional season of participation, the SCAC office would like to honor and recognize all of its spring sport senior student athletes.
Today, the league turns the spotlight on its senior men's golf student-athletes. Represented among these 17 student-athletes is:
- 18 SCAC All-Academic selections
- 3 SCAC All-Sportsmanship selections
- 3 All-SCAC First Team selections
- 6 All-SCAC Second Team selections
- 1 SCAC Player-of-the-Year
- 8 SCAC Championship titles
- 6 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 2 GCAA All-American selections
Favorite memory as a SCAC student-athlete:
Reed Balcerowicz | "Winning the final event of my senior season"
Gabe Rodriguez | "My favorite memory as an SCAC student athlete is not just one memory but countless memories by being able to play alongside some of the hardest and most dedicated workers. I'm thankful for have been given the opportunity to connect with not only my best friends and teammates but also other SCAC student athletes."
#GoCentenary #CTheOpportunity
