Coronavirus Concerns Send College Athletes To Sidelines

EASTON, MA — Thousands of college athletes across New England will not be returning to the field for competitions this fall after two more conferences announced that they are suspending athletic competitions due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Division III Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference announced that fall season competitions have been canceled, while the Division II Northeast-10 Conference said intercollegiate competition will not be allowed through the end of 2020.

"As with so much during this uncertain period in our lives, and the life of our college, this was a most difficult decision," said Stonehill President Rev. John Denning in a letter to the school community. "It was made for the long-term health of our students on the fields and courts of play, the fans and the communities in which our competing colleges live. Please know that the Northeast-10 Conference diligently researched all options before making the decision to suspend the season, as we consulted with medical experts and followed their guidance in making this decision.”

On July 8, the Ivy League announced it was canceling all athletic competitions until at least Jan. 1, 2021. On Tuesday, Brandeis University in Waltham announced that it was forgoing its plans to play a local schedule of events after the University Athletic Association announced earlier this month that it was canceling the conference season for fall sports.

The Northeast-10 — which includes Assumption, Bentley, Franklin Pierce, Saint Anselm, Southern New Hampshire and Stonehill — left open the possibility that some or all fall sports may be shifted to the spring if coronavirus conditions allow.

"We are committed to exploring alternate playing seasons for our fall sports during the 2020-21 academic year, if it is deemed safe," The NE-10 Council of Presidents said in a statement. "We do not take this decision lightly and understand its impact. Our campus communities will do everything we can to support the well-being of our student-athletes this fall as we navigate these uncertain times together."

Stonehill also canceled club sports competitions along with those of 22 varsity sports that play in the fall, including winter sports that start in November. The school said it will work to allow team activities, such as practices, in the fall to help support athletes.

"Stonehill athletics is a key component of the college's core mission of educating the whole person and recognizes the impact this decision has on our student-athletes, coaches, alumni and community," the Stonehill athletic department said in a statement. "However, the health and safety of our campus must be our highest priority and Stonehill remains committed to supporting the critical efforts of our community to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"Stonehill is deeply sympathetic to the disappointment and impact this news brings."

The MASCAC — which includes Bridgewater State, Framingham State, Salem State and Worcester State — said its decision came after a series of meetings with school presidents, athletic directors, athletic trainers and other essential staff.

"The MASCAC Presidents know the value of intercollegiate athletics to our campus community and how important sports are to our student-athletes," Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President James Birge. "The news that we need to suspend the fall season is understandably disappointing, but the health and safety of our students and staff is of the utmost importance.

"These are unprecedented times and making the difficult decision to suspend fall athletics is equally unprecedented. We will continue to monitor the facts and reevaluate the status of athletics as information and data evolves."