USC spring sport Student-Athletes react to cancelled seasons

While the winter sport seasons had their postseason tournaments cancelled, spring sports never really got off the ground in 2020 thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 forced the cancellations of the entire spring sport seasons across the country.

Here at USC, we got our first sight of how the spring sport student-athletes reacted to the news when it broke that their seasons would be cancelled in a post on USC Athletics’ Twitter account.

Junior beach volleyball player Sammy Slater opens and closes the reactionary message about the cancellations after the women’s beach volleyball team had gotten off to a 6-5 start with a pair of split matches in the Pac-12 South Invitational.

Junior track & field athlete Teetee Terry mentions the devastation felt from the cancellations, not just for herself but mainly for the seniors. At this time, it is not known how the redshirt policy will work or if the NCAA will allow an extra year of eligibility for all spring sport seniors who were unable to play in what would have been their final season of collegiate athletics.

Speaking of seniors, senior men’s tennis player Riley Smith hit the nail on the head with his feelings, mentioning that coronavirus has affected the entire country but it really hit home when it’s impact directly caused his life to change.

“A lot of us weren’t ready for the news,” Smith said. “When it directly affects you, it becomes surreal.”

Smith and the Trojan men’s tennis team was ranked No. 1 when their season was shut down as they had won nine in a row and sat at 13-1 on the year.

Fellow senior Kelsey McIntosh chimed in with her thoughts on the matter, expressing how it is difficult to process when something you had worked so hard for was taken away. The women’s water polo team was 12-1 when their season was cut short.

Speaking of strong seasons, the women’s lacrosse team was dealt a particularly tough blow when their undefeated season was halted. Senior women’s lacrosse player Hope Anhut stated that her senior season now feels ‘unfinished’ among other feelings towards the coronavirus cancellations.

Even if the NCAA does allow for some seniors to retain a year of eligibility, as sophomore baseball player Tyler Lozano put it, this will be the last time these same units will likely be on the field, in the arena or essentially simply with one another.

“A lot of guys were hugging, crying, you know it’s tough knowing this is the last time that we’re going to be playing with some of these seniors because some of these guys are going to get drafted,” Lozano said.

However, as we all #FightOn, the Trojans closed their message with a note of continuing to stay safe. Continuing to listen to the government officials who are urging precautionary measures across the country. We will persevere and we will see another sports season.

Because as Anhunt said in her message, we’re all in this together.

Fight On Trojans!