The university, in consultation with the athletic department, decided to suspend all athletic-related activities starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. Sports are still suspended, as of Wednesday, Sept. 16. 

James Timmer, Calvin’s athletic director, said in an email to Chimes, “The suspension will allow Calvin University to evaluate this week’s athletic department surveillance testing results required by the NCAA’s Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Sport, before making the determination to restart athletics.”

According to several student athletes, the reason for the halt was due to a positive case among a member of one of the Calvin athletic teams (when asked for further explanation about the reason for athletic suspension, Timmer declined to comment out of concern for student privacy).

Coaches discouraged the student’s teammates from speaking to Chimes about the issue

The suspension includes scheduled games, in-season practices and all pod-practices, whether coach-led or voluntary, according to an email sent to all student athletes. 

The ongoing suspension will be brief, Timmer said, and the department plans to resume activities quickly. According to the email, if the positivity rate of NCAA-mandated surveillance testing is at an acceptable level, teams will be able to start up activity again.

The email to students concluded, “We knew that this year in Calvin athletics was going to be a challenge. We are again asking everyone involved in athletics to remain disciplined and to recommit to making the best decisions possible related to the health and safety of the whole Calvin community.”