Athletic director discusses NCAA rules changes, ‘heartbreaking’ COVID-19 impact on Bisons sports

Athletic director discusses NCAA rules changes, ‘heartbreaking’ COVID-19 impact on Bisons sports

Telling Lipscomb athletes that sports for the semester had ended hurt Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson as much as it hurt the athletes. “It was totally heartbreaking knowing what that meant for all of our spring sport athletes,” Hutcheson said. “When I went and told the baseball team about it, I felt like I was talking to 35 guys who had all torn their ACLs at the same time and their careers were over.” From quarantines and stay-at-home orders to school closing and everything in between, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed daily life for people across the world. For collegiate athletes and administrators, the virus has flipped their seasons upside down. In an announcement made in early March, the NCAA canceled the seasons of all spring and winter sports. This included the popular March Madness national basketball tournament. “Obviously there are many worse things going on in the world right now than not being able to play a sport,” Hutcheson said. “But for all of these students it’s very important and something they’ve worked towards for a long time. They realize that it’s not just games they’re going to miss, it’s time with their teammates and coaches.” To make up for the inability to play, the NCAA made the decision to give athletes playing spring sports an extra year of eligibility. Some athletes, however, may not be able to take advantage of this. “We know already that about half of the seniors will not be coming back,” Hutcheson said. “The rest of them – some financial decisions have to be made. Most spring sport athletes, if not all of them,...

Bisons defeat Jacksonville on extra inning walk-off in A-Sun tourney

Freshman infielder Hunter Hanks hit a walk-off single to give Lipscomb a 2-1 win over Jacksonville in the Atlantic Sun tournament in Fort Myers, Fla. The Bisons won in the 10th inning. Junior infielder Grant Massey led off the 10th with a single to left field. Junior outfielder Jonathon Allison bunted Massey over to second, followed by a Hanks single through the left side to score Massey. Lipscomb scored one run in the third. Allison tripled to right field. Senior outfielder Drew Adams singled to score Allison to give the Bisons the 1-0 lead. Jacksonville scored their solo run in the ninth. Lipscomb will face top-ranked Florida Gulf Coast Thursday night at 6:15. Photo courtesy of Lipscomb...