Injuries end Albany’s season
- Updated: March 31, 2021
The Albany department of athletics has made the decision to opt-out of its remaining two football games of the 2021 spring season.
“After conversations with Coach (Greg) Gattuso, the football leadership group, our athletic trainers, and our president, we have concluded that it is in the best interests of the health of our football student-athletes to opt out of the remainder of our season,” Albany athleic director Mark Benson said. “Our student-athletes have done a tremendous job following all of our health and safety protocols this season, and this decision is not directly related to COVID-19. Rather, it was made based on the extraordinary amount of injuries that have occurred this season and the overall health of our football program.”
Albany was scheduled to play at eighth-ranked Delaware on Saturday and conclude the regular season at home against 16th-ranked Villanova on April 10. The decision to opt out was made with a focus on the health and safety of the team’s student-athletes due to the high number of injuries on the roster, the school said in a statement.
“We are all competitive people and have done everything in our power to play a full spring season,” Gattuso said. “While disappointed we won’t see that happen, we are fully supportive of this decision. It all comes down to the health and safety of our student-athletes. I am so proud of our team for their efforts complying with all safety protocols and university guidelines dating back to the fall semester and up to this point.”
The Great Danes lost three straight games after opening the season with a 24-20 victory over the University of New Hampshire.
Albany’s fall season begins Sept. 4 at North Dakota State.
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