SALISBURY — Director of Athletics Larry Leckonby has announced that Catawba College will cancel the remainder of its spring football games due to injuries and COVID-19 related quarantines within its football program.

“Our focus has been utilizing the spring season to develop our young players in anticipation of a full fall season. While, this is a very disappointing decision for the players and everyone who works so hard to be able to practice and play games this spring, the health and safety of our student-athletes and football personal are first and foremost in our decision making process.”

Catawba Head Football Coach Curtis Walker added, “We are extremely disappointed in having to make a decision to shorten the spring outside competition season. The health and safety of our student-athletes will always stand as the highest priority in our football program. I sympathize with the disappointment that everyone associated with our program is experiencing but I am encouraged that we will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes in a way that will allow them to do so in the safest and most productive way.”

The two remaining games were scheduled for Saturday vs. Barton in Salisbury and April 10 at Lenoir-Rhyne.

South Atlantic Conference (SAC) protocols dictate programs have a minimum of 53 players available to compete on the football field. With the injuries and COVID-19 quarantines, Catawba is unable to field the minimum number to compete.

These two cancellations are the fourth and fifth SAC football games cancelled to date during the 2021 spring football season. Catawba football will kick off the 2021 fall football season on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at home in Shuford Stadium versus Erskine College.