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Duke, Kansas, suspends athletics while NCAA waits

With the fate of the NCAA Tournament in jeopardy, Duke announced Thursday that it is suspending all athletic competition indefinitely. In the days that followed, other schools and conferences joined in suspending all athletic activities.

News of the decision came after the ACC and all other major conferences canceled their championship tournaments early Thursday. The NCAA announced hours later that it was canceling its winter and spring championships.

Conference tournaments canceled

The NCAA announced Wednesday that it would hold its tournament without fans in stadiums. But the sports landscape has changed dramatically since that announcement, as the NBA decided to pause its season on Wednesday night after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was reportedly diagnosed with COVID-19.

If the NCAA Tournament were to continue, it would apparently do so without Duke and Kansas.  (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)If the NCAA Tournament were to continue, it would apparently do so without Duke and Kansas.  (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

If the NCAA Tournament were to continue, it would apparently do so without Duke and Kansas. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kansas suspends travel and sporting events

Shortly after Duke’s announcement, Kansas Athletics announced that it was indefinitely canceling all athletic travel and suspending home and away competition. The Jayhawks are the projected No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.

The NCAA has yet to make an announcement since the NBA’s decision and cancellation of conference tournaments.

ACC suspends all athletics indefinitely

The ACC announced later Thursday that it had suspended all athletics, including participation in NCAA championships, “until further notice.”

Commissioner John Swofford said in a statement:

“This is new territory and the health and safety of our student-athletes and institutions remains our top priority. This decision serves to protect against further spread of COVID-19.”

The ACC has a dozen teams expected to make the field in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments that begin next week. The decree also applies to practices and recruitment agencies.

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Big Ten suspends athletics until April 6

The Big Ten joined the ACC in suspending all athletic activities, including practices, and placing a moratorium on on- and off-campus recruiting.

Unlike other organizations, the Big Ten has set April 6 as its target for a restart. The conference said it would reassess the situation at that time.

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