Indianapolis’ Ivy Leaguers head back to campus without fall sports
WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — As sports fans wait to see if the 2020 NCAA football season actually kicks off, some schools aren’t willing to wait to make the decisions for fall sports during the coronavirus pandemic.
The complex decisions on every campus across the country were simple for one conference. The same conference that acted swiftly back in March once again moved with purpose this summer.
Leaving Indianapolis for the Ivy League is a feat few conquer. Add a sport to the coursework? The field shrinks again. But, for the remainder of 2020, Indianapolis’ Ivy student-athletes won’t compete on the field.
“We had a team meeting with all our coaches, all our trainers, everybody on staff, and all the players,” said former North Central High School football standout and current Brown University cornerback Harrison Ochs. “Then, they broke the news.”
“I actually found out on social media first, via an ESPN push alert,” said former Cathedral High School All-State tight end Haven Montefalco. “Then the email (from the school) came five seconds after.”
Montefalco, the Fighting Irish’s top pass-catching threat from the fall of 2018, was planning on making his first highlights for the Harvard offense this fall following spending the entirety of his freshman season on the sideline.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the country at his new home in Seattle, a former Zionsville High School star runner contemplates his academic and athletic future this summer.
“It wasn’t a surprise, but it was still more painful than I expected it to be,” said Dartmouth runner Isaac Weber. “I decided to take a gap year because of the circumstances.”
Back home, Brebeuf soccer’s impressive midfielder is ready to ship out to continue her career at Cornell. Instead, it appears her freshman season, at best, will consist of a few exhibition matches this spring.
“I was really sad, of course, I mean, the athlete in me wants to compete,” said Big Red freshman Sophia Weeter. “I was so excited, I had finally committed to Cornell, I had my dream school.”
On March 10, during the the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ivy League was the first NCAA Division I conference to cancel its men’s and women’s basketball postseason tournaments.
Now, we wait to see who will follow and cancel a portion or all athletic events ahead of 2021.
As of Monday, the list of leagues to do so is approaching double digits, leaving a group of student-athletes across the country suddenly bonded together by these decisions. With no games, what is allowed for these players on campus this fall?
“We are limited to conditioning and lifting in small groups,” Ochs said. “Film study is still going to be a major part of our prepping for next year.”
The season of patience and perspective are the only avenue in the eyes of the Ivy League.