UMass Dartmouth administration announces intention to sponsor intercollegiate competition in most sports during the Spring 2021 semester
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With the start of the New Year a few weeks away, the UMass Dartmouth administration announced earlier today that the University intends to sponsor intercollegiate competition in most of its sports during the Spring 2021 semester.
The University continues to work with local boards of health, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in following all established guidelines and protocols while adhering to all current restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Athletics & Recreation also continues to work with fellow member institutions within the Little East Conference and the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference to establish practice, conditioning, training and competitive opportunities in adherence to the NCAA Sports Science Institute's Resocialization Guidelines.
"Throughout the pandemic, the physical and mental well-being of our students has been the top priority for everyone at the University," UMass Dartmouth Acting Chancellor Mark Preble said. "As we chart a course for return to normal on-campus activities, we will continue to work tirelessly to provide opportunities that focus on a positive and safe student experience."
At the present time, the University intends to compete in the sports of men's and women's basketball under the Little East umbrella, as schedules are being discussed and finalized by the conference. Decisions that were previously made and announced by the MASCAC and other leagues across the region will not afford UMass Dartmouth with the opportunity for conference competition in the sports of men's ice hockey and men's & women's indoor track and field during the remaining 2021 winter months. The option for non-league events in those particular programs is being explored.
As guidelines and protocols warrant, the University intends to compete in all spring sport competition sponsored by the Little East in baseball, softball, women's lacrosse and men's & women's outdoor track and field.
On July 28th, UMass Dartmouth announced the suspension of all Fall 2020 sport competition until December 31st, and since then the Department of Athletics & Recreation has been working on options to sponsor fall sport play during the Spring 2021 semester. The University intends to compete in the fall sports of football, men's and women's soccer, field hockey and volleyball this spring, as the logistics of a condensed schedule continue to be discussed and formulated. With a large amount of crossover between student-athletes, there will be no sponsorship of men's and women's cross country in the spring.
"This is an extremely fluid situation that changes rapidly by the day, and our staff continues to work diligently to provide the chance for our student-athletes to compete in the months ahead," Corsair Director of Athletics & Recreation Amanda Van Voorhis said. "Our intent is for all of these events that we have all missed so much over the last nine months to return, and we will continue to engage in discussion and planning while adhering to all established safety guidelines and protocols."
More information on the status of Spring 2021 semester competition will follow over the next few weeks. For additional updates, please visit corsairathletics.com.