The Northeast-10 Conference voted unanimously on Thursday, July 16, to suspend all NE10-sponsored competition and championships through Dec. 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference will work to provide a regular-season schedule and/or conference championships for its winter sport student-athletes during the spring 2021 semester, “with the intention of aligning with appropriate NCAA selection criteria and dates, as long as a return to competition can be safely executed,” according to a news release.
“The Northeast-10 Conference Council of Presidents is united in its commitment to supporting local and state efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19,” said the presidents in a combined statement. “Campus resocialization guidelines – including restrictions on student and staff travel, social distancing requirements and limits on group gatherings, are being undertaken so that campuses can support in-person engagement and education. Aiding our member campuses in their reopening efforts is critical and while athletics is an integral part of campus life, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our NE10 community, including our student-athletes, staff and our towns and cities. As such, we have made the difficult decision that intercollegiate athletics competition has been suspended through December 31. We will strive to create meaningful competitive opportunities for our fall sports during the 2020-21 academic year, if it is deemed safe.
“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.”
