Colgate, Drexel players take a knee during anthem before 1st-round games
Before their first-round game against Arkansas on Friday, eight Colgate players took a knee during the national anthem. It wasn't broadcast on TV, but the moment was captured in a photo by Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde.
Several Colgate players took a knee during national anthem here. pic.twitter.com/cdh8uV42uk
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) March 19, 2021
It's unclear if any Colgate players have taken a knee before other games this season.
Before their first-round game against No. 1 Illinois, No. 16 Drexel took a knee during the anthem as well.
Stirring photo from @AP_Sports of Drexel players kneeling before the national anthem today:#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ojAToudxyL
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@jtannenwald) March 19, 2021
Following Drexel's loss, coach Zach Spiker spoke about his players' decision to kneel and discussed how he and the school supports them.
“I’m proud of our guys and I support our guys in how they choose to express themselves”
- Zach Spiker said on players kneeling before the game.
He then went on to discuss how much student athletes have gone through with social injustice and how Drexel supports them. https://t.co/zMrcXe4uFl— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) March 19, 2021
Other teams have taken a knee
There have been a few incidents this season of players on other teams kneeling during the anthem. In early January, the entire Kentucky men's basketball team — players and coaches — kneeled before their game against Florida.
Together as one pic.twitter.com/4cWrZw8z74
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) January 9, 2021
That was the first time Kentucky had been on the court for the anthem during the season. A Florida player also knelt during the anthem.
#Gators guard Scottie Lewis, who is also an activist, kneels during the National Anthem. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/JOqvFMcKsk
— Cierra Clark (@CierraClark_) January 9, 2021
Bluefield College, which plays in the NAIA, forfeited a game in February after president David Olive suspended several players for kneeling during the anthem, which they'd been doing since January. The decision to suspend them was made after the players refused to stop kneeling. To avoid further penalties from the school, the team decided to stay in the locker room during the anthem for the rest of the season.
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