Cal Poly football won’t be participating in the remainder of the spring football season.
The University on Monday said the decision to opt out is effective immediately due to the number of students available to play, which falls below the minimum requirements for Big Sky competition.
"We made this decision because of the high number of serious, season-ending injuries to our players," said Cal Poly Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman in a press release. "In addition, there are many seniors who informed us of their decision to defer spring quarter enrollment to the fall so that they can play a full fall season."
With only 49 of 110 student-athletes available to play this weekend, the decision to pull out of the season impacts the remaining three games.
"The health, safety and well-being of our football student-athletes is the only factor in our decision to end this season early — a decision reached after careful consideration with members of our coaching staff; President Armstrong and university senior leadership; and medical personnel,” Oberhelman said. “This will allow our young men to remain safe and prepare academically and athletically for the fall 2021 season."
Under the direction of a new head coach, the team began preparing for the spring season at the end of January, but quickly had to stop practices for more than two weeks due to COVID-19 concerns. "Despite the shutdown of all activities for that period and shorter preparation window, everyone in our program was committed to playing a Big Sky schedule this spring,” said coach Beau Baldwin. “Everyone in our program remains committed, but I support this decision in the interest of the health and wellness of our students."
The Mustangs had games set for this Saturday at Northern Arizona and home games April 10 against UC Davis and April 17 against Weber State.
Cal Poly says anyone who had tickets for the April 10 or 17 games, which KSBY planned to carry on the CW5, will be refunded.
The team’s fall season begins Sept. 4.
