NCAA

The Ivy League Presidents voted in favor of canceling conference play for spring sports on Thursday, ending speculation that spring competition might resume. The conference previously delayed the start of spring sports until at least the end of February in a directive that canceled winter athletics.

They were leaders on and off the strip. Both had already faced an abbreviated or nonexistent season early in their collegiate career. With the pandemic continuing to raise questions about the upcoming season, all signs suggested it might be a good move to take time off. For juniors Teddy Lombardo and Natalie Minarik, however, taking a leave of absence would usually mean restricting contact with their fencing team.

A glance at the Olympic fencing roster would tell anyone that New York is a hub for the best fencers in the United States. But while one influential member of the fencing community has spent much of his journey in New York, his story begins in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The profitability of athletics can hinge on a small but important factor—the game schedule. While many Division I schools have begun to place more games on weekdays to ensure more viewership and thus greater revenue, the Ivy League has decided to extend its basketball season to primarily single-matchups on weekends to accommodate the academic needs of student-athletes. However, this move may mean a decline in the profitability of Columbia’s program, according to experts.

After earning an at-large bid to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, women’s cross country fared well on Saturday in Terre Haute, Indiana, taking home 27th place overall while producing two top-100 finishers.

After winning its third NCAA championship in five years last March, the Columbia fencing team met President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday morning. The Lions were invited to attend alongside over a dozen other national championship teams in recognition of their victories.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

It is a common misconception that only the top five finishers from each team matter in a cross country meet. Even though the sixth runner breaks a potential tie and the rest of the finishers add points onto rivals’ scores, some coaches tend to focus primarily on their top racers, believing that they have a bigger impact on meet results.