In a calendar year that’s included a record 9-1 football season and a baseball program’s march toward the top of the Peach Belt Conference, precipitation has severely affected both winter and spring sports at UNCP.

For the second consecutive year, the Braves’ spring football game was slowed down by rain. Despite a steady downpour throughout, players managed to stay injury-free according to coach Pete Shinnick.

“It always seems to be a little wet around here for our spring game,” Shinnick said.

Football is the one sport that will continue to play despite rain. Baseball and Women’s Tennis have been the two sports most affected by Mother Nature this season.

“Sometimes cancellations affects our athletes’ class schedule,” Braves’ baseball coach Paul O’Neil said. “We can’t have our players missing classes just because one of three games was rained out.”

Sports Information Director Todd Anderson said this year’s varying weather causes headaches and puts a strain on UNCP’s coaching staff.

“We have had at least eight or nine cancellations in the last few months due to inclement weather,” Anderson said. “Coaches then have to find open dates on the schedule to play the games and ask staff to help out in the process. It’s a tedious procedure.”

After coaches find an open date to reschedule, the final decision then comes from UNCP Director of Athletics, Dan Kenney.

“Games are lost when our opponent’s don’t have an open slot on their schedule. We can’t make those games up,” Anderson said. “If an open date is possible, coaches then go to the athletic director for the final O.K.”

Non-conference games for Braves’ sports teams are vital to overall success because those contests are taken into consideration for postseason berths.

When campus activities are altered due to inclement weather, announcements of emergency closing may take one of two forms. University officials can suspend classes but keep offices open as well as suspend all classes and University Offices.

Chancellor Allen C. Meadors has the ultimate decision to close campus in lieu of weather threats while Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Charles Harrington, gets the nod in his absence.

UNCP’s adverse weather hotline can be reached at 521-6888. If the hotline is busy, University Officials encourage using the website for up-to-minute information.