(05-31-2021, 11:10 PM)fishman Wrote: Ironically the sport likely most affected by the strict covid regime was women's basketball, so that reasoning may not wash.
No, we can safely say that WVB was more impacted.
COVID & the requisite protocols caused the loss of practice time, affected practice (on grass or tennis courts), matches (12 matches cancelled, only 10 played), and some players (9 players played in 3 matches; only 8 players for the other 7 matches, where 6 are on the court at once). The pre-season ranking for WVB was #3 nationally, but they only won 2 matches.
In contrast, WBB moved to different venues and was able to practice together and to play almost all their games. IIRC, the WBB team did have 2 players out for 2(?) of their 33 games, but they often played about 12 players where only 5 are on the court at once.
Furthermore, WVB is a fall sport, with practice starting normally about September 1. Remember the fires? While the team wasn't officially practicing, the fires did affect the players' individual development.
It is impossible to say how practice conditions may have affected injuries.
One article about Meghan McClure describes some of the issues, including being quarantined.