Badgers cancel weekend athletics

All University of Wisconsin athletic events scheduled through Sunday have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of Tuesday’s national tragedy.

Director of Athletics Pat Richter and Chancellor John Wiley jointly made the announcement Thursday.

“Out of respect for the people who lost their lives in the tragedies this week, the university has decided to suspend all athletic competitions for the remainder of the weekend,” Wiley said. “Our entire university family extends it sympathies to the victims and their families and friends who were affected by these tragic events.”

Efforts will be made to reschedule as many of the events as possible. Football fans with tickets to the Wisconsin vs. Western Kentucky Football game, originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15, should hold onto those tickets. Athletics is attempting to reschedule the game and tickets for the Sept. 15 matchup will be honored should a new date be agreed upon by the schools.

The decisions were made after several days of consultation involving campus and Big Ten Conference officials and Gov. McCallum, and took into account factors including the safety of student-athletes and fans at the games and the desire to provide a respectful period of mourning for the deceased.

“In keeping with President Bush’s desire to return to normalcy soon, we expect to resume our athletic competitions beginning Monday,” Richter said.

The events that have been cancelled or postponed are listed below:

–Friday, September 14

Men’s Soccer: Wisconsin vs. Iona

–Saturday, September 15

Football: Wisconsin vs. Western Kentucky
Volleyball: Wisconsin vs. Cincinnati or UW-Milwaukee
Women’s Soccer: Wisconsin vs. Evansville
Women’s Cross Country: Wisconsin at Illinois State Invitational (Bloomington, Ill.)
Men’s Golf: at Northern Intercollegiate (Iowa City, Iowa)
Women’s Golf: at Mary Fossum Invitational (East Lansing, Mich.)

–Sunday, September 16
Men’s Golf: at Northern Intercollegiate (Iowa City, Iowa)
Women’s Golf: at Mary Fossum Invitational (East Lansing, Mich.)

Related pre- and post-game events, such as warmups and the Wisconsin Ag and Life Sciences Alumni Association Football Fire-Up at the Stock Pavilion, also have been cancelled.