Athletic director Ed Pastilong has announced that all West Virginia University home athletic events are cancelled through this weekend, and no varsity teams will participate in away events through Sunday.

Home events were women’s soccer against Arizona on Friday and Purdue on Sunday, and the Martha Thorn women’s tennis invitational on Saturday and Sunday. Away events included football at Maryland, volleyball at Ohio State, cross country at Penn State, men’s soccer at North Carolina.

“Out of respect for those affected by these enormous tragedies and out of concern for the members of our teams, all BIG EAST schools have decided to suspend competition through the weekend, and we wholeheartedly support that,”Pastilong says.”The ACC is taking similar steps. This is a time to focus on our nation as Americans.”

The WVU -Maryland football game has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 29, at Byrd Stadium. That game will have a noon kickoff.

Maryland has announced that all tickets for the Sept. 15 game with WVU will be honored for the rescheduled Sept. 29 noon date. No new tickets will be printed. Fans who purchased tickets through the Mountaineer Ticket Office and are now unable to attend the game may request a refund through Thursday, Sept. 20, at 5 p.m. Questions: 293-3541 or 1-800-WVU-GAME.

The Martha Thorn Invitational has been rescheduled for October 20-21, and the women’s soccer game with Arizona has been cancelled. Rescheduling of the WVU -Purdue soccer match and the WVU -Marshall volleyball match have not yet been confirmed.

For more information, contact Shelly Poe at (304) 293-2821

Media Note: Coach Rich Rodriguez and select players will be available for comment immediately following this afternoon’s football practice (6 p.m) at the WVU practice field.