After suspending the state’s swimming & diving championships for the 2A Class a couple of weeks ago due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) has canceled all remaining sports and championships for the PIAA winter and spring seasons. View the full statement here.
The meet was initially scheduled for March 13-14 at Bucknell University, but was suspended the day before and remained as such for more than three weeks. Yesterday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that schools state-wide would remain closed for the rest of the academic year. The PIAA release states that their cancellation was made ‘in accordance’ with the governor’s orders.
“Today’s decision by the PIAA Board of Directors was difficult for everyone… we had maintained hope for a continuation of our Winter Championships and an abbreviated Spring season to help bring a sense of normalcy to our communities,” said PIAA Executive Director Dr. Robert A. Lombardi.
Pennsylvania is the latest state to halt its entire winter and spring slate of sports. California’s high school athletic federation, CIF, canceled any remaining sports seasons earlier this week.
As of now, Nevada and Colorado still have tentative plans to continue athletic seasons in the future; the NIAA last said that while they do not anticipate state championships this spring, some regional competitions may be arranged by schools after the first week of May, pending the situation, while the CHSAA still says their suspensions will lift April 30,