Amidst the COVID-19-induced fall 2020 sports drought, Tulane University fans finally have another sport besides football to look forward to. Women’s swimming and diving will begin their 2020-21 season this Saturday, Oct. 17, at Delta State University.

The team has been able to resume play faster than many other sports due to the environment in which competition occurs. Currently, there is no data supporting the transmission of COVID-19 through water, and chlorinated water has actually been shown to kill the virus.

Any transmission would, therefore, occur outside of the pool, so provided that the teams wear masks when they are out of the water and practice social distancing, the risk of transmission through competition is low.

The schedule of swimming and diving mimics the schedule of NCAA basketball, with the season running from late fall and concluding in March.

After taking on Delta State this Saturday, Tulane women’s swimming and diving will participate in two early-season invitationals in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 19-21. These competitions will be followed by several competitions against Louisiana State University, Southern Methodist University and the University of West Florida throughout the winter months to wrap up regular season competition.

The American Athletic Conference Championship is scheduled for Feb. 18-20 in Dallas, Texas. This will potentially be followed by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Invitational, date undetermined, and the NCAA Championships from March 17-20.

Like all other professional and amatuer sporting events, the date and times of competition are subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Delays such as those seen in college football due to positive tests or cancellations are always possible with athlete safety as a priority.

However, the relative safety of underwater competition will hopefully prevent any spreading of the disease between competitors. If the athletes are able to successfully isolate and avoid positive tests, the season should be able to proceed successfully.

A successful season without outbreaks would certainly be encouraging for spring sports. For fans of Tulane Athletics, having women’s swimming and diving back in the water is a sign of positive developments to come.