Teresa Dulac
Sports Editor
The fall 2020 semester is almost over, people. We did it, mask mandates and all. We were deprived of sports competitions this fall, smelling the sweat-stained athletes as they walked through the J.C. Williams Center, and going crazy in the student section at basketball games. But listen, don’t fall asleep yet. It’s time to get hype.
This spring we’re getting them all back. All 18 sports at Franciscan University are coming back into play next semester, complete with masks and social distancing. The NCAA has given us back our competitions, and while nothing is set in stone, we can come back to campus with the confidence that sports are back in town.
The sports teams that had their seasons taken away this fall are getting them back next semester, doubling the amount of sports being played in the spring. We had our sports taken away but are getting them back tenfold.
There are many people to thank for bringing our sports back. The arrival of a new turf field has given us more space for multiple sports teams to practice and play games, so none of them had to be cut.
The biology department here at Franciscan University has helped to cut costs and allowed for teams to stay on campus and get tested for COVID-19 much more easily. Following NCAA guidelines, teams must get tested frequently, depending on their contact level.
With the help of the biology department partnering up with Trinity Medical Center, student athletes can practice and play games without the pressure of going away to get tested.
The Franciscan University Athletic Department has worked hard to prepare for double the amount of sports as usual. Getting 18 different sports teams scheduled to practice and play in one semester is not an easy task, but one the athletic department has taken on with determination. The athletic department, coaches and players are working together to prepare for an intense semester ahead.
Having sports back on campus will provide students with a welcome distraction from the stress of school and the COVID-19 pandemic. Attending college sports games is one of the perks of school and gets you the full college experience. Dressing in school colors and cheering on your team can easily be one of the most entertaining events at school.
Not only can you attend Franciscan’s sporting events with friends, but you can meet more people too. Finding people who are just as passionate and interested about a sport you love is easy at sporting events, and fellow students make it way more fun.
Sports games bring team spirit and bring a community together, which is something we all need with a worldwide pandemic running rampant. Cheering on and alongside friends is fun, exciting and creates great memories. And hey, it’s free. Might as well use our college tuition towards something other than a piece of paper.
The students of Franciscan should prepare themselves for an action-packed semester this spring. Come and support your student athletes and pack the student sections. Get hype.