NCAA logo for parallax

NCAA Relocates Women’s College Cup

·
CollegeNews
··3 min read

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) announced on Monday that it will relocate all championship events for the year awarded to North Carolina in light of the state passing House Bill 2 (HB2), which prevents transgender individuals from using bathrooms or locker rooms that correspond to their gender identify. The law was passed in March.

As a result, the Women’s College Cup, schedule to be played in Cary, North Carolina will be relocated.

“Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships,” said Mark Emmert, NCAA president. “We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships.”

The events that will continue to be located in North Carolina are those in which schools earn home-field advantage.

In addition to the Women’s College Cup, the following events will also be relocated:

  • 2016 Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships: Dec. 2 and 3
  • 2017 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, first/second rounds: March 17 and 19
  • 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Championships, regional: May 8-10
  • 2017 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships: May 22-27
  • 2017 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship: May 26 and 28.
  • 2017 Division II Baseball Championship: May 27-June 3

The NCAA has reopened the bidding process to determine the seven events that will be relocated.

Reaction

Heather O”Reilly, a former North Carolina Tarheel, has long opposed HB2. After the bill was passed, O’Reilly shared her feelings on Instagram:

Following the NCAA’s announcement, O’Reilly posted her support for the move, also on Instagram:

North Carolina is a special place for me. It’s where I went to school, played college soccer, where I met my husband, and where I call home. It’s sad to see this place that I love pass a law that openly discriminates against people. The NCAA has announced that it was removing all of its championships from the state because the elected leaders in North Carolina have failed to protect people’s civil rights. Division I, II, and III championships in sports including women’s soccer, men’s basketball, and women’s lacrosse will now take place in other states. Although I am disappointed that student-athletes and their fans will not have the opportunity to compete for championships in the state that means so much to me, I support the NCAA’s commitment to fairness and inclusion when deciding where to hold these events. We all need to do our part to stand-up for fairness and speak out against discrimination. I’ll continue to do mine by supporting two candidates for public office in North Carolina that are fighting to repeal this discriminatory law – they are Josh Stein (Attorney General) and Roy Cooper (Governor). North Carolina is better than this and with new leadership, I know the state I love will once again be a place I am proud to call home.

A photo posted by heatheroreilly (@heatheroreilly) on