Athletic Department postpones annual golf outing, adapts to life online

Philip+Nijoka%2C+business+junior%2C+and+Mark+Nijoka%2C+finance+junior%2C+finished+participate+in+the+Desert+Intercollegiate+on+March+27%2C+2018.+The+Athletic+Department+had+to+cancel+the+annual+Golf+Outing+for+2020+due+to+COVID-19.+Courtesy+of+Wolf+Pack+Athletics.

Philip Nijoka, business junior, and Mark Nijoka, finance junior, finished participate in the Desert Intercollegiate on March 27, 2018. The Athletic Department had to cancel the annual Golf Outing for 2020 due to COVID-19. Courtesy of Wolf Pack Athletics.

Brendan Heffernan

Wolf Pack Athletics Director Brett Simpson announced that the Athletic Department’s annual golf outing has been postponed.

The tournament is now scheduled to take place on September 18, 2020, joining the long list of Loyola events to be postponed or cancelled in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Simpson, the golf outing is one of Wolf Pack Athletics’ most important fundraising opportunities.

“With respect to revenue, our biggest losses were associated with postponing Loyola Loyal Day and our annual golf tournament,” Simpson said. “We are excited to use [the tournament] as a kickoff event to the new athletic year.”

Simpson also announced that the Athletic Department would be holding a virtual Scholar Athlete Week from April 27 to May 1 on the department’s social media accounts. The promotion is meant to take the place of the cancelled Scholar Athlete Award Ceremony, an annual event meant to honor academic achievements by student athletes in the spring semester.

Simpson told The Maroon that he was proud of the way the Wolf Pack’s staff and student athletes have handled Loyola’s transition to online classes.

“The trend seems to be that our students are adapting well to online classes, missing their teammates, and want to return to campus as soon as possible,” Simpson said. “I’m so grateful for our staff’s commitment to our students and the work they continue to do. I’m proud of our students who have taken this in stride and have risen to the challenge.”