Monday, November 23, 2020 I Vol. 117 Iss.15 INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER • SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904 WWW.GWHATCHET.COM ‘CONTROLLING THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL’ COURTESY OF THE GW ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT OLIVIA COLUMBUS | DESIGN EDITOR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STEEL FOR SEASON PLAGUED BY COVID-19 EMILY MAISE SPORTS EDITOR The basketball season is on, but athletes to stay home in the summer ers wear masks while lifting and the that doesn’t mean the COVID-19 pan- months. While away from Foggy teams live together in District House. Practice brings sense of nor- demic won’t get in the way. Bottom, student-athletes said they “You’ll see scorers’ tables that have malcy in Foggy Bottom bubble Days after the men’s and wom- worked out at local gyms and kept in people separated in a safe distance. The two coaches said when their en’s teams were bumped in the first touch virtually. You’ll see that our benches are actu- teams step on to the Smith Center rounds of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, Sophomore forward Jamison Bat- ally going to be on opposite sides from court, they want to provide a space for the health crisis began to rip through- tle, who hails from Robbinsdale, Min- our scorers’ table. Things like that that athletes to return to “normal” and just out the United States, sending coaches nesota, said the gyms in his area were have just made it a safe environment focus on basketball. and student-athletes home. Now, the initially closed, sending him to a local for out teams to be able to compete,” Christian said his team’s prepara- teams are back on campus following park to get shots up with his sister. Vogel said in an interview on Real Fun tion for the upcoming season was un- strict safety protocols, and players Senior guard Maceo Jack, who Sports Wednesday. changed. His program slowly builds said they’re trying to take the season calls Buffalo, New York, home, said he Players from states the Centers up to faster five-on-five practices, and in stride as the virus may cause game used a basketball hoop in his drive- for Disease Control and Prevention student-athletes always start out in cancellations or delays. way and a makeshift weight room in considered COVID-19 hotspots, like small weight lifting groups, he said. “Controlling the things that you his basement to keep his skills intact. Minnesota, said they were required to Redshirt junior forward Neila can control are the biggest things “It has helped me get back in touch complete a 14-day quarantine before Luma said the women’s team has em- we’re looking at,” head coach Jamion with my roots, because I used to work they could take part in team activities. phasized strong relationships and a Christian said. “There are going to be out before, so it was kind of a hum- A-10 Commissioner Bernadette positive culture, which players foster some things that are unfair, but life bling experience,” he said. McGlade said in a preseason press by spending time with one another. isn’t fair, and we just need to be in Graduate student guard Sydney conference that all A-10 schools will “We’ve been talking a lot each that mindset to unpack it and perform Zambrotta said the women’s squad follow the NCAA resocialization plan week about building a culture and when that ball goes up.” kept a group chat, often sending Tik- and will not implement any additional making sure that we’re effectively The men’s squad, which finished Toks or chatting informally. She said protocols at the conference level. If an communicating with each other and in the lower third of the A-10 rank- players were assigned a partner to athlete tests positive, the NCAA rec- strengthening our chemistry,” Luma ings, is set to return four members of hold them accountable in training, ommends that the athlete and any one said. “We just focus a lot its starting lineup, add seven new- and the squad met about once a week who has been in contact with that in- on each other and how comers and slowly work to se- over a video chat to check in over the dividual quarantine for 14 days. we can be better on and cure the program’s first win- summer. Fans will not be able to see the ac- off the court together.” ning season in four years. Redshirt sophomore forward tion in the Smith Center this season, The men’s The women’s team is trying Mayowa Taiwo, who is from Hanover, according to a release. Phase One, Two squad will hit to rebuild from a lackluster Maryland, added that the squad and Three of D.C.’s reopening plan of the road to face 2019-20 season, which would also send workout challenges, the city mandates that fans cannot at- Navy at the Veter- hovered around .500 and like ball handling videos or wall sits, tend games in the District. an’s Classic. Tipoff lost its top three scorers. and share conditioning times with Christian and Rizzotti said they is slated for noon each other to keep players engaged are hoping to play as many nonconfer- on CBS Sports. The Athletes impro- while at home. ence games within driving distance women’s program vise training in to limit their programs’ exposure out- will take on Divi- quarantine Teams acclimate to NCAA side of the on-campus bubble. sion II Lincoln The COV- safety protocols Both conference slates will begin for the first ID-19 pandemic The teams came back to campus in early to mid-December, a shift from contest at the threw a wrench following strict protocols – coaches the normal January start date, but the Smith Cen- in the programs’ donned masks and face shields, pro- men’s and women’s squads open the ter this year. normal preseason grams are tested for the virus three A-10 season Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, respec- Tipoff is set preparations, forcing times per week at GW facilities, play- tively. for 5 p.m. Layoffs could continue during second phase of Students debate traveling cuts, officials say home for Thanksgiving ZACH SCHONFELD consist of using GW’s unrestricted to say how much money layoffs have as COVID-19 cases rise CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR assets and reducing non-recurring saved. expenses. The layoffs have been met with LAUREN SFORZA Infectious disease experts In June, University President But officials continued terminat- widespread criticism from many fac- STAFF WRITER said students should stay Thomas LeBlanc said layoffs needed ing staff positions through October ulty and staff, leading hundreds to in D.C. or only travel one to offset GW’s annual revenue gap and now say layoffs “may” continue call on LeBlanc to resign. TIFFANY GARCIA way while following strict would be completed in “the coming as part of the second mitigation phase. Many of the layoffs were imple- ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR social distancing guidelines weeks.” When reached for comment, Univer- mented as part of a broader central- to decrease their risk of ex- As the semester approached, sity spokesperson Crystal Nosal de- ization of GW’s administrative units, As COVID-19 cases rise posure. Chief People Officer Dana Bradley clined to answer all of The Hatchet’s including the University’s informa- nationwide, students are Officials sent an email to told employees that layoffs would be questions about layoffs, adding that tion technology, events and commu- weighing traveling home students Tuesday outlining fully implemented by the end of Au- the second phase of cuts are ongoing. nications offices. Nosal said the con- for Thanksgiving or staying D.C.’s COVID-19 guidelines gust. “Further measures include iden- solidations are part of the first phase in D.C. to curb the spread of for those who will return In mid-September, LeBlanc said tifying reductions in expenses at of budget cuts, which total $100 mil- the virus. at the end of their break. layoffs would be completed within the discretion of the deans and unit lion. Students living in D.C. Students living in D.C. will two weeks as officials finalized the leadership,” Nosal said in an email. “Those mitigation efforts included said the risk of traveling need to be tested within five first phase of budget cuts. “Those reductions may include a lim- a salary freeze, a non-essential hiring during the pandemic has days of returning and re- In late September, LeBlanc told ited number of school- or unit-specific freeze, leadership salary reductions, made the choice of return- ceive a negative result while employees the first phase would be layoffs, furloughs and/or salary re- significant reductions in non-com- ing home more “difficult,” self-quarantining for an ad- fully implemented “in the coming ductions.” pensation budgets and administra- and they are self-quaran- ditional 14 days after they weeks,” and a second phase of fi- Nosal declined to say how many tive unit restructurings, including tining beforehand or choos- come back, according to the nancial mitigation – expected to save employees have been laid off during staff layoffs,” Nosal said. ing to not travel to prevent email. $60 million, closing the remainder of the pandemic or when layoffs will getting sick or carrying the University’s budget gap – would be fully implemented. She declined See PANDEMIC Page 9 the virus to other people. See STUDENTS Page 9 November 23, 2020 • Page 2 2020 BASKETBALL GUIDE THE GW HATCHET women’s squad looks to patch up offensive holes WILL MARGERUM Rizzotti said.