Cal Poly football abruptly ends its spring season due to a shortage of players
The Cal Poly football team ended its season early due to multiple injuries and several players who deferred enrollment to the fall, the university announced Monday.
The team would have only had 49 players to compete on Saturday out of its roster of 110, according to the university. That falls below the Big Sky minimum requirements for competition.
“We made this decision because of the high number of serious, season-ending injuries to our players,” Cal Poly Director of Athletics Don Oberhelman said in a news 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.”
The spring football season included the second half of Cal Poly’s winter quarter and the first three weeks of spring quarter, which began Monday.
Early on in its season, the team had to cancel games and shut down team activities for 17 days due to “COVID-19 protocols,” according to the university.
Cal Poly’s first two games against Weber State and University of California Davis were delayed.
“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 Head 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 played three games this season — against Southern Utah, UC Davis and Eastern Washington — and lost all three, putting the team at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference rankings.
It had an away game scheduled against Northern Arizona University on April 3, and two home games against UC Davis on April 10 and Weber State on April 17. All those games were canceled.
“In the end, the health and safety of our student-athletes must always be our top priority,” Baldwin said in the news release. “We look forward to getting healthy in the coming months and are excited for what should be a memorable fall 2021 campaign.”
Cal Poly is not the only team ending its season early.
A total of 29 teams from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, including five from the Big Sky — Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Northern Colorado and Sacramento State — opted out of spring football prior to the start of play in mid-February. Several other teams across the country have halted their seasons after playing a few games.
Fans who purchased tickets for the April 10 or 17 games will receive automatic refunds. For those with questions, contact the Mustang Ticket Office at (805) 756-4849, email at tickets@calpoly.edu or online at https://gopoly.com/sports/2020/6/4/tickets.aspx.
Cal Poly’s 2021 fall season begins Sept. 4 at the University of San Diego. The Mustangs’ home opener is set for Sept. 18 against South Dakota.
This story was originally published March 29, 2021 at 11:14 AM.
