WASHINGTON — The Georgetown baseball team was told on Friday they are cleared to start their 2021 baseball season a spokesperson tells WUSA9's Darren Haynes. There are 297 Division-1 baseball teams in the NCAA, and Georgetown University was the only school that didn't cancel their season but had yet to take the field.
A full schedule will be released later this week despite the college baseball season starting on February 19th. Georgetown was waiting to take the field amid uncertainty within the athletic department if the program will even play this season due to COVID-19.
Edwin Thompson was hired as Georgetown’s head baseball coach in September will finally be able to see his team in person for the first time this season. All meetings have been done virtually, according to the athletic department source.
"I'm going to be the Zoom Coach of the Year," said Thompson.
Before the Hoyas were cleared to play, players from the baseball team were voicing frustrations on social media.
Player tweets:
Patrick DeSalvo: This team works really hard in the classroom and on the field. We all had other opportunities but decided to attend Georgetown. We are the only baseball team in the Big East that isn’t playing right now.
Anthony Redfern: This week, Georgetown will make a decision on our season. I’m confused why we are the only D1 team not to know. Rooms on campus? Yes. COVID test? Yes. Money? 10+ million. GTown positive cases down? Yes, big time. There is no reason/excuse why we shouldn’t play. Figure it out.
Yareb Martinez: We as a baseball team have had enough of waiting. Seeing everyone open up last weekend was truly an eye-opening experience on how much Georgetown really hasn’t had our back. Fix this and make the right decision. Please. We are ready whenever we get the green light. Let us play!
Eddie McCabe: We are ready. Let us play.
It has been almost a year since my teammates, and I have shared the baseball Diamond together. Today on February 22, almost a full year since we got sent home, our team sits watching our peers and competitors start their seasons. As a Georgetown student-athlete I am disappointed and embarrassed that our university has failed to allow us to do the same. 297 other Division-1 programs across the country have already begun. This week a decision will be made on whether we will be allowed to join them. Make the right decision and let us play. We are ready and willing to do whatever it takes.
Maryland Eastern Shore and Bethune Cookman have canceled their baseball teams' seasons for 2021. And, The Ivy League canceled all of its spring sports.
The Hoyas were practicing five days a week at a facility in Virginia while the team waited to see if it would have a season, according to a source within the university's athletic department.