2020 FINIS College Club Swimming National Championship Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Concerns
U.S. Masters Swimming, College Club Swimming, and University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Club Swimming have decided to cancel the 2020 FINIS College Club Swimming National Championship, the organizations announced March 12.
The University of North Carolina has mandated that university-affiliated events with more than 50 people both on- and off-campus be canceled or postponed until further notice. Many other colleges and universities have imposed similar restrictions on students and gatherings because of COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus).
“The safety of CCS athletes, fans, and volunteers is paramount,” USMS CEO Dawson Hughes says. “We’ve worked closely with our meet hosts over the past several weeks and have determined that cancelling the meet is the best course of action.”
This would’ve been the third national championship for College Club Swimming, which is a joint partnership between club swimming programs across the country and USMS, which provides organizational support. There are about 170 clubs and more than 6,400 swimmers registered in CCS for the 2019-20 season.
The first CCS Nationals in Atlanta in April 2018 drew more than 2,000 swimmers, and more than 1,800 swimmers attended last year’s CCS Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.
“We’re extremely disappointed about having to cancel the meet,” says Rachel Redmond, the meet director and a member of UNC Club Swimming, “but it’s in the best interest of the swimmers, coaches, and their families in attendance in regards to safety.”