By Bob
Phillips
EDISON, NJ—The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
followed the lead of the Ivy League (Yale) and cancelled fall sports competition
compliments of the coronavirus pandemic. Other conferences calling off fall
athletic competition include America East (University of Hartford), the Atlantic
10, the Colonial Athletic Association, the Mid-East Athletic Conference (MEAC),
the Patriot League and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). If enough D1
conferences opt to throw in the towel for fall sports, the NCAA could call off its
fall championships at the Board of Governors’ meeting scheduled for next week
(Aug. 4).
Fairfield and Quinnipiac are the two
Connecticut schools that compete in the MAAC. Marist, Canisius, Siena, Iona,
Monmouth, Niagara, Manhattan, Saint Peter’s and Riders are the other MAAC
members.
“The decision
to cancel fall sports was made with student-athletes being top of mind,” said
MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor (@MAACCommish). “It is difficult to put into words
how I feel for all of the student athletes, coaches, and administrators who put
in so much work on a daily basis. Health and safety protocols have been of the
utmost priority the last several months, but unfortunately, there are too many factors
that prohibit the MAAC and its institutions from safely delivering a
competitive atmosphere that these individuals deserve.”
Football is
not a MAAC sport, but the conference’s decision shutters competition in men’s
and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country. For
the complete statement, click HERE.
The
conference left open the door that its fall sports competitions could be moved
to the spring if the pandemic eases its heinous grip around our collective
throats.
“The MAAC
Executive Committee will explore with the Committee on Athletic Administration(COAA)
the goal of providing the student athletes with a schedule of contests among
conference members in the spring of 2021 in accordance with each institution’s
procedures and applicable state regulatiosn,” said Ensor.
—with staff reports
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