Women’s volleyball players were seen not wearing masks or social distancing at their game against Indiana University Kokomo. 

An anonymous tip sent in by a concerned party revealed that some Point Park volleyball players were not masking up on the sidelines and after the match on Friday, Sept. 18, while the athletes from IUK did.

Kevin Taylor, Associate Athletic Director and Director of Athletic Communications, made a comment on the situation specifically stating that it is not in breach of any guidelines in the NAIA. 

“There is not a violation of  protocols,” Taylor said. “During matches, players who are in the game do not need to wear a mask, per the protocols. There are some teams that opt to wear masks as their choice. The Point Park team has not worn masks while playing in its matches.”

With coronavirus cases on the rise at Point Park, this left some students questioning the incident and the protocols that are put in place. 

Sophomore cross country runner John Ziegler thinks that while he thinks some measures are strict, student athletes should be held to a greater standard than regular students. 

“I do not feel like I have a clear and definitive place of saying what is right or wrong. Going off of what procedures I have experienced as a fellow athlete, I would say that some measures are strict,” Ziegler said. “As the school year goes on, we are being presented with additional mandates and guidelines that are put into place to protect each other as athletes and fellow students. I do think student athletes should be held to a higher standard on this and other matters on campus. When we travel to other locations we are putting ourselves at risk, but at the same point, we can travel the country with an abundance of caution and safety.”

Ziegler thinks that if we stick to the fundamentals of hygiene and virus protection, the university will be on the right track.

“If we do the little things such as washing our hands, wearing face coverings in public, and keeping a safe distance for as long as possible, we will set ourselves up well in taking that extra step to keep the university safe,” Ziegler said.

According to Health and Student Services at Point Park, as of September 28, there are 13 confirmed coronavirus cases with 16 of the quarantine/isolation spots filled on campus. 

Sophomore broadcast production major Dan Russo thinks that there is no excuse for student athletes to not wear masks barring actual contention. 

“It’s dumb. Wear it,” Russo said. “My sister is a freshman in high school who runs cross country, and even they have to wear masks at all times. It isn’t that hard,” Russo said. “The volleyball players, they’re still attending in-person classes here, and they’re walking around and mingling with the other schools, without taking the necessary safety precautions. I think it’s selfish.”

The NAIA has made no indication of changing any precautionary measures.

“Even though it should be led by student-athletes, every student plays a major role and if we all play our part, we can remain on campus and hopefully adapt to this new normal,” Ziegler said.

CORRECTION: a previous version of this story misidentified the Women’s Basketball team in the headline. It has since been changed.