All varsity action on hold due to tragedy
All Utah State University athletic events for the rest of the week have been canceled or postponed it was announced on Thursday.
In a mutual decision with Fresno State, the football game between the two universities scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15 will be moved to Saturday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. Mountain Time at Fresno, Calif.
Meanwhile, USU’s soccer team will not travel to Weber State University for a Saturday game that was added to the schedule on Wednesday after its games against Delaware and Wisconsin-Green Bay were canceled. In addition, the Aggies’ men’s and women’s cross country teams will not compete at the Montana State Invitational this Saturday. Those events will not be made up.
“In light of information we have received this morning, we believe it is in the best interest of our student-athletes and fans that we postponed all events planned for this weekend,” said Scott Johnson, Fresno State Interim athletics director in a statement released by Fresno State.
“We made a decision yesterday to play based on President Bush’ s wishes for a return to normalcy, however, after discussions with our fellow WAC members, we will halt all activities planned for this weekend. We will stand with our WAC brethren, plus the NFL and Major League Baseball, which have suspended all weekend activities. We expect to return to a full schedule of activities beginning Monday.”
“In deference to the national tragedy, it is inappropriate for Utah State University to compete in any athletic contest until the national period of mourning has ended,” said USU President Kermit L. Hall. “We walk a fine line between mourning and moving on with our lives, but it has become clear in the past several hours that it is more important for us, as an institution, to adopt this more appropriate course of action. We are delighted that our University and Fresno State University could agree both to postpone the game and at the same time reschedule it for Dec. 1. By postponing, we are recognizing and paying homage to not only the people killed, but also to the people performing rescue efforts. That this game was merely postponed, not canceled, is intended to show that we will not be intimidated by those who seek through terrorism to make us bend to their will.”
USU head football coach Mick Dennehy canceled Thursday’s practice and said, a decision on practice for the rest of the week would be made on a daily basis.
“I don’t think any of us really felt very good about playing with everything that has gone on this week,” Dennehy said. “It is probably for the best and gives us all a little bit more time to continue the healing process associated with the tragedy.”
“You worry about the kids in terms of them not being completely focused on the game of football and you worry about them in terms of, do they really want to travel. So, it is probably for the best right now,” Dennehy said.
USU’s next football game will be at home against Wyoming on Sept. 22 at 7:05 p.m.