Message from President Gregerson regarding Fall 2020 Athletics

(Message posted July 22, 2020)

Dear Pitt-Greensburg Community:

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is committed to the health and safety of all members of our community.  We have been very busy planning for the 2020-21 academic year, including developing protocols to protect our members to the very best of our ability.

In response to the ongoing pandemic, we have made the difficult decision to postpone fall sports.  We simply do not have the resources necessary to create and maintain an environment for intercollegiate Division III athletic competition that meets our safety requirements.  The affected sports include men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's golf, women's tennis, and men's and women's cross country.  We are not alone in making this decision; many conferences and individual institutions across the United States, and Pennsylvania in particular have come to the same conclusion.

I share disappointment with many of you at this development, but it was a necessary step to help ensure that we maximize our educational mission for our students and provide the safest possible learning and working environment for all members of the Pitt-Greensburg community. 

Our NCAA Division III athletic programs are a point of pride for the University and our student athletes are tremendous examples of the hard work and determination that promotes success in the classroom and in athletic venues.  We will monitor conditions continuously with the hope of returning to intercollegiate athletic competition in the winter and spring, and we will work with the NCAA and others to determine the best approach that allows athletes to condition and train during the fall.  As a campus of the University of Pittsburgh, we are blessed with the knowledge of world-renowned scientists and medical experts, and we will be working closely with the University’s COVID-19 Medical Response Office to inform our decision making.

Promoting a safe and healthy environment depends upon all of us doing our part.  As we finalize preparations for the fall term, I thank you all for the part that you play in making our shared environments as safe as they can possibly be.  Please wear a face covering, maintain physical distance between yourself and others, and wash your hands frequently. I wish you all the best of health and comfort.

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert Gregerson
President, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg