By Matthew Gonzalez — Content Editor
The 2020-21 San Jose State women’s basketball season was chaotic to say the least.
Santa Clara County’s strict COVID-19 guidelines made it hard for all athletics at SJSU, and have now played a role in ending women’s basketball’s season.
There were high hopes this season for the Spartans after a 2019-20 campaign in which they boasted an overall winning record of 19-12, and 12-6 record in the Mountain West.
This season’s unorthodox nature first manifested by way of scheduling changes. Rather than having single games against various Mountain West teams, the Spartans would play in a two-game series against each foe.
The season tipped off with a 56-48 victory against UC Berkeley.
Unfortunately the Spartans would play only three more games the rest of the season.
It felt as though each week since the season always had some form of cancellation or rescheduling which never allowed the season to get into a real rhythm.
Shortly after their first game of the season, the San Jose State women’s basketball program suspended their activities after a member of the program tested positive for COVID-19.
With this, two games for the Spartans were canceled, totaling four game cancellations in a matter of 14 days.
Just nine days after the temporary pause of action, director of San Jose State athletics Marie Tuite announced that both the men’s and women’s programs would move their day-to-day operations to the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.
With a new home, the Spartans continued their winning ways against Utah State in a 78-73 come from behind victory. Game two of the series against the Aggies however, was postponed.
The Spartans then dropped what would be their last two games of the season to reigning MW champs Boise State, and would face two consecutive postponements of their series’ against Fresno State and Colorado State.
The theme of SJSU’s 2020-21 women’s basketball season was the recurrent postponements of games and series that followed the Spartans, whether they were in San Jose or Arizona.
Athletics director Marie Tuite felt the decision to cancel the season was “in the best interest of the health and safety for our program’s student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”
Amid these troubling times, the safety and health both mentally and physically of SJSU’s student athletes must come first.
While it was a tough decision, ultimately a dysfunctional season would hurt the Spartans more than it would help, and allows for more time to look toward the 2021-22 season.
Follow Matthew on Twitter @MattG2001
