By Mike O'Brien, Vice President and Athletic Director
March 25, 2020
 
Dear Rocket Nation,

I hope this message finds you and your family in good health and adjusting to the "new normal" of our daily lives. COVID-19 has affected us all in so many ways, and I would like to continue to share with you the latest information on its impact on our athletics program.

First, as you may know, our spring sports seasons have been canceled, while all other activities on our campus have been suspended at least through the spring semester. Decisions about when we can resume practice and other athletic activities, on campus or elsewhere, will be made at the appropriate time in collaboration with the NCAA, the Mid-American Conference and UToledo senior leadership. The short answer is we just don't know when we will resume normal operations.

As for our University, classes have resumed on a remote-instruction basis for all of students. This process has been a unique challenge for instructors, administrators and students alike. Our student-athletes are also working through this process. The Rocket Academic Center in Larimer is closed, but our Student Athlete Academic Services team is working diligently to help our student-athletes finish out the semester on a strong note. Our student-athletes have set very high academic standards in recent years, and we are confident that this will continue.

As to the financial impact of COVID-19 on our department, I'm afraid I must be candid; as for so many, it will be a challenge. With the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, we will likely see a significant negative impact on future revenue that we receive annually from the NCAA. In addition, the University itself will likely  be facing additional financial challenges, which ultimately could impact the Athletics budget. We acknowledge this reality knowing that we are not alone; there are very few institutions or individuals that will not be impacted by the virus.

In the meantime, we carry on. Our marketing and communications team will continue to provide information and interesting content on our website and social media platforms for all of Rocket Nation to enjoy. Behind the scenes, we are busy preparing for the 2020-21 sports seasons, beginning with football and other fall sports. I think it is helpful to think about the days ahead, when life returns to its normal pace and we can begin to start cheering on the Rockets again.

Finally, I want to end by saying thank you. Thank you, as always, for being steadfast Rocket fans and supporters. And thank you also, as fellow Americans, for doing all you can to help defeat our common enemy, the COVID-19 virus. Right now the best thing we can all do is stay home and wait this out, while at the same time staying in touch safely with those we love and with those who need our help. If we all pull together as a team, we can beat this.

Go Rockets! United as One!

Previous Rocket Blogs
Waking Up From a Perfect Dream to Face a New Reality (March 20, 2020)
Saranlak Tumfong Begins Fight Against Cancer (March 19, 2020)
Healthy Ways to Deal with Anxiety During a Health Crisis (March 18, 2020)
A Note From the Athletic Director: Stay Strong Rocket Nation! (March 17, 2020)
How Can We Live Without Sports? For Now, We Must (March 14, 2020)