TEMPE, Ariz. – The Collegiate Triathlon Coaches Association (CTCA) and USA Triathlon has announced the 2020 Triathlon Fall Championship season has been canceled. With the health and safety of the student-athletes being the highest priority, the CTCA Board of Directors voted on and approved the cancellation unanimously.
"It was certainly a tough decision," Sun Devil Head Coach Cliff English stated, "but it was the right decision for the health and safety of our student-athletes."
Arizona State was slated to host the National Championship for the fourth consecutive year at Tempe Town Lake on November 14. The Sun Devils will host the 2021 title race and potentially future championship events. Regionals were set to be held September 5 (Pleasant Prairie, WI), September 26 (Springfield, MO) and October 17 (Smith Mountain Lake, VA),
Understanding that the decision was the right one, the Sun Devil Triathlon coaching staff has now turned their attention to making the best of the situation. The Sun Devil experience won't be diminished for the student-athletes, as Coach English is already developing a plan that will allow them to thrive and improve during the time off.
"We are going to make this into a positive for us at ASU," Coach English added. "We will continue to develop the athletes physically and technically as well as work on community engagement and opportunities for student-athletes to explore internship possibilities and other academic options as we won't be traveling with competition."
Since becoming the 24th varsity sport at Arizona State back in October of 2015, Sun Devil Triathlon has maintained elite status regardless of the circumstances. Under the direction of Head Coach Cliff English, the program has excelled on a national level, garnering attention for both Arizona State and the sport of Triathlon itself.
When the championship season resumes in the fall of 2021, the Maroon & Gold will be the team to beat. The four-time defending National Champions have won each of the USA Triathlon Collegiate Team Championship events that they have participated in since 2016. Not only has the team success come in bunches, but so have individual honors. A Sun Devil has claimed the past three Individual Collegiate National Championships, the latest coming from Kyla Roy last November. Two-time Individual national champion Hannah Henry, USA Triathlon Division I Freshman of the Year Liberty Ricca, and 2019 national runner-up Audrey Ernst are part of the talented group that Coach English has assembled in Tempe.
Having trained some of the top triathletes in the world for the sport's biggest competition for decades, English brings plenty of experience to the table when dealing with adverse situations. His guidance along with the support from Arizona State University and the Sun Devil Athletic Department will make sure that Sun Devil Triathlon won't miss a beat.
"We look forward to getting through this pandemic and be stronger for it," Coach English exclaimed.
"It was certainly a tough decision," Sun Devil Head Coach Cliff English stated, "but it was the right decision for the health and safety of our student-athletes."
Arizona State was slated to host the National Championship for the fourth consecutive year at Tempe Town Lake on November 14. The Sun Devils will host the 2021 title race and potentially future championship events. Regionals were set to be held September 5 (Pleasant Prairie, WI), September 26 (Springfield, MO) and October 17 (Smith Mountain Lake, VA),
Understanding that the decision was the right one, the Sun Devil Triathlon coaching staff has now turned their attention to making the best of the situation. The Sun Devil experience won't be diminished for the student-athletes, as Coach English is already developing a plan that will allow them to thrive and improve during the time off.
"We are going to make this into a positive for us at ASU," Coach English added. "We will continue to develop the athletes physically and technically as well as work on community engagement and opportunities for student-athletes to explore internship possibilities and other academic options as we won't be traveling with competition."
Since becoming the 24th varsity sport at Arizona State back in October of 2015, Sun Devil Triathlon has maintained elite status regardless of the circumstances. Under the direction of Head Coach Cliff English, the program has excelled on a national level, garnering attention for both Arizona State and the sport of Triathlon itself.
When the championship season resumes in the fall of 2021, the Maroon & Gold will be the team to beat. The four-time defending National Champions have won each of the USA Triathlon Collegiate Team Championship events that they have participated in since 2016. Not only has the team success come in bunches, but so have individual honors. A Sun Devil has claimed the past three Individual Collegiate National Championships, the latest coming from Kyla Roy last November. Two-time Individual national champion Hannah Henry, USA Triathlon Division I Freshman of the Year Liberty Ricca, and 2019 national runner-up Audrey Ernst are part of the talented group that Coach English has assembled in Tempe.
Having trained some of the top triathletes in the world for the sport's biggest competition for decades, English brings plenty of experience to the table when dealing with adverse situations. His guidance along with the support from Arizona State University and the Sun Devil Athletic Department will make sure that Sun Devil Triathlon won't miss a beat.
"We look forward to getting through this pandemic and be stronger for it," Coach English exclaimed.