Ivy League Cancels Spring Sports Amid Coronavirus Concerns

One day after canceling its conference basketball tournaments, the Ivy League has cancelled all spring sports amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Ivy League presidents announced Wednesday that all spring sports practices and competitions would be canceled through the end of the academic year, a decision reached by unanimous vote. The league's statement cited "further developments in the outbreak of COVID-19" as the reason behind the decision.

For winter teams still in competition, individual schools would make determinations on whether or not to participate in postseason play. This would include Yale men's basketball and Princeton women's basketball, which are set to play in their respective NCAA tournament. Yale coach James Jones says the team is currently planning on participating in the tournament, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. It would be the program's fourth NCAA tournament appearance in six seasons.

The Ivy League is the first conference to outright cancel spring sports in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The league will likely request a blanket waiver for an extra year of eligibility for spring sports athletes, according to Dana O'Neil of The Athletic.

The announcement comes a day after the Ivy League canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments, which was just one of many similar cancellations and adjustments made throughout the sports world. Several events will be held without spectators in attendance, while others have been canceled altogether.

Among the spring sports, the Ivy League's absence might be felt most profoundly in men's lacrosse. The league has three teams ranked in the top five of the latest NCAA rankings: Cornell (No. 2), Princeton (No. 3) and Yale (No. 5).