NCAA Indoor champs to be contested without fans; Doris Heritage Track Classic cancelled...

West Seattle Stadium was supposed to host next week's
Doris Heritage Track Classic (City of Seattle photo)

As reported by all major news outlets, all three of the NCAA's indoor track & field championships--Division I in Albuquerque; Division II in Birmingham, AL; and Division III in Winston-Salem, NC., will be conducted without the benefit of fans who wish to attend.

"The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel," said NCAA president Mark Emmert in a statement. "While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States."

"This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes. We recognize the opportunity to compete in an NCAA national championship is an experience of a lifetime for the students and their families."

The Coronavirus crisis, which the World Health Organization has called pandemic, also affects all public gatherings in the state of Washington with greater than 250 people.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee ordered that all gatherings of greater than 250 people be halted in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

“Today I am ordering, pursuant to my emergency powers, that certain events in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties with more than 250 people are prohibited by order of the governor,” Inslee said at a King County government building in downtown Seattle. The three counties are “experiencing significant community transmission, significant outbreaks and they are large population centers.”

The order is in effect through the end of March, Inslee said, but it is “highly likely” it will be extended beyond that time.

The order affects events like the Seattle Mariners' opening homestead on March 26-April 1st against the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins, and the Seattle Dragons' home game against the Los Angeles Wildcats on Sunday, which will be played without fans at CenturyLink Field.

From a track & field perspective, Seattle Pacific University cancelled its lone home meet on March 21st, the Doris Heritage Track Festival at West Seattle Stadium.

The PLU Open, hosted by Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma this coming Saturday, has not been announced as postponed or cancelled.  paulmerca.blogspot.com attempted to reach a PLU sports information spokesperson late Wednesday without success.

Several schools, including Seattle Pacific and Western Washington, were expected to send athletes to the PLU Open.

NOTE: The NCAA and the sports information office at Seattle Pacific University contributed to this report. Information gathered from national news services were used in this report.