The student athletes at NCC are going through a difficult time with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring semester of 2020, the NCAA Division III canceled the remaining winter and spring championships, then Division III canceled its 2020 fall championship and there is uncertainty for winter and spring sports in 2021.
“It was just a shame,” said NCC baseball Head Coach Ed Mathey. “There’s nothing more you can say. I felt extremely bad for our seniors because there are no guarantees that they will come back, even with the fifth year. We had some nice things rolling at that time and felt good about our club. We felt like we were going to have a special season.”
Even though all student athletes are affected by cancellations and postponements, the class of 2021 is taking the worst of the NCAA decisions. Those class of 2021 athletes aren’t able to participate in a normal season. The Division III Administrative Committee has allowed these athletes to extend their participation in their sports.
“Well, I expected the postponement of football,” said safety Dakota Cremeens, ’21, of NCC football. “Our coaches are optimistic about the season and filling us with positive thoughts. Then the NCAA started to come out and push football into the spring. Just have to take it for what it is and look at the positives — we were able to practice and be with my teammates.”
In March 2020, the NCAA gave all spring athletes the extra year of eligibility in response to the COVID-19 situation, but it didn’t grant the extra flexibility to those in winter sports due to them finishing over 50% of their season. Also, the NCAA approved a “blank waiver” for those participating in any sport for the 2020-21 season.
“Division III student athletes will not be charged with participation for the 2020-21 season if their team can complete only 50% or less of the sport’s maximum contests/dates of competition due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the NCAA.
Senior student athletes at NCC have a tough decision when it comes to making their decision regarding the NCAA participation rules. These student athletes all have different reasonings for their decisions, but some could have a job lined up after graduation, some could be enrolling into a graduate program or some do not know what they will be doing.
“I plan on using that extra year of eligibility, so I won’t graduate until the fall of 2021,” said triathlon and swimming athlete Annika Cotner, ’22. “I’m going to have a semester off where I plan on working and shadowing physician assistants. Hopefully, for the following fall semester, I will go to a physician assistant school.”
Cotner transferred to NCC last year from East Tennessee State University and is majoring in Health Science. The goal for Cotner is to become a physician assistant but it is unclear what field she would want to get into. Attending NCC has been a pleasant experience for her as she has no complaints. She loves the coaches, her teammates and how everyone is always there for each other and cheering everyone on.
“Well, for me, I have not made a decision yet,” said baseball catcher Joe Rizzo, ’21. “I’ve had a couple of meetings and I’m basing my decision off this season in 2021. If the season goes well and I feel satisfied with my athletic experience, then I am going to go. If I feel there is a little bit left on the table, I’m going to take the opportunity to use that extra year. I want to make sure I left everything out on that field.”
Rizzo received a marketing internship opportunity, but it was cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, Rizzo has been working at Player’s Choice Academy (PCA) in Algonquin, Ill., where he has been a catching coach and running the social media platforms for PCA and a travel baseball organization, the Crystal Lake Bombers. Rizzo is still looking into internship opportunities and entry-level positions in marketing and advertising.
“A lot of the seniors are committing to coming back for fall 2021,” said Cremeens. “I decided to enter the graduate program at NCC to get my MBA degree. I will be starting this spring, continuing in the summer, then finishing in the fall with my athletic career.”
A downfall of dealing with the pandemic is the challenge of getting to know some of your new teammates. Cremeens has been a team player for the football program as he made the switch from wide receiver to defensive back in his junior season, where it helped NCC win the 2019 championship, but he was looking forward to getting to know the new faces of the program.
“I have not been able to get to know the freshman as much as I wanted to,” said Cremeens. “Because of the pods, we have been distancing ourselves and have been in different groups. I still don’t know people as much as I would like.”
Over the past few weeks, COVID-19 cases have risen all around Illinois, DuPage County and on NCC campus. On Oct. 28, 2020, the NCC athletic department suspended all practices, conditioning sessions, meetings and other team activities. Then, on Nov. 4, 2020, President Troy Hammond extended the suspension of all organized activities until Nov. 14. Finally, on Nov. 11, 2020, NCC had decided to extend the suspension to the end of the 2020 fall semester.
“We’re in our non-traditional season in the fall,” said Mathey. “We weren’t going to lose any contests. We had to get through testing, then we were restricted on the number of players we can have on the field for the first couple of weeks, but before the suspension, we completed our normal fall. With the facilities being shut down, we were done meeting with players, but what the guys were able to do is work out on their own.”
As of right now, there have not been any discussions or statements in the NCAA or the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) about sports in the spring semester. In Division III, four conferences have decided to opt out of winter sports — MASCAC, GNAC, NESCAC and NEWMAC. In Division I, the Ivy League has opted out of winter sports. The Ivy League was the first conference in all NCAA divisions to cancel their tournaments and to postpone fall sports.
In the summer, the CCIW waited as long as they could to decide on the fall competition, but it wasn’t until July 27, 2020, that they decided to postpone fall sports into the spring. It was not until Aug. 5, 2020, when all of Division III was not able to play in the fall. Then, the NCAA canceled all Division III championships.
Division III was not the only NCAA division to have its championship canceled. Division II opted to postpone their season to the spring, then the NCAA decided to cancel the championship. Then, Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) postponed to the spring, but some teams were able to play a couple of games. The NCAA ended up canceling the FCS championship.
College athletics going on in the fall is at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level, but they are battling COVID-19 complications. Outside the NCAA, the NAIA and NJCAA canceled their championships and moved the season to the spring.
According to the NCAA and the Division III Administrative Committee, if a student athlete or sport doesn’t reach 50% of their season, they will be provided an option of extending their athletic career. With the issue of COVID-19, “the committee notes that schools may shorten athletics seasons due to health and safety concerns, as well as administrative concerns.”
As of now, some of NCC the athletic programs will be playing that shortened season with only conference opponents. According to Cremeens, “We are hoping for five games, but I can’t tell you who or where. I’m assuming they are going to be conference games. We are aiming for five games, so our players can obtain their fifth year that the NCAA grants us.”
Even though times are tough for athletics and student athletes during this COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA handled the athlete’s eligibility correctly, according to some students.
“It was the right thing to do,” said Mathey. “The NCAA needed to do that. The practicality and how athletes take advantage of the extra year is a difficult thing for the Division III level. Most student athletes come to NCC to graduate in four years. If students decide to stay for that extra year, some would have to put off jobs and opportunities. This could create financial hurdles that need to be met if they stay for more schooling.”
