By Anton Krieger
Over the summer, the Department of Athletics at Cleveland State University voted to install the “Victory Lap” program for senior athletes who were unable to complete their senior spring season due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Victory Lap program will fund 14 seniors to compete for Cleveland State while continuing their education. The senior athletes who are receiving program money will be earning up to the same amount that they earned in 2019-2020. In an interview on June 18, 2020 Director of Athletics Scott Garrett, announced the opportunity to the CSU community.
“We are excited to provide an opportunity for these student-athletes, whose final seasons were abruptly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to continue their academic and athletic careers at Cleveland State,” said Garrett. “This approach is absolutely the right thing to do for our student-athletes and will require a significant commitment from each of them to maintain a rigorous academic schedule, while giving their final seasons another try.”
After the announcement of the Victory Lap program, Amy Kyler, head coach of CSU softball, announced June 26 , 2020 that senior Emery Sipe will be returning to Cleveland State to finish her academic career.
“Being a first-generation college student, my education has always been very important to me and with the Victory Lap Program being in place, it gives me that opportunity to finish my academic career as a Viking,”Sipe said.
Men’s lacrosse Head Coach, Andy German, also announced eight students would be returning to the team this year due to the Victory Lap program.
Donations to assist in funding Cleveland State’s Victory Lap program are encouraged and can be made at www.csuvictorylap.com.
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