NEW LONDON, Conn. — Per a statement from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Presidents, all NESCAC schools will not compete during the Fall 2020 intercollegiate season. Due to this, Connecticut College will not compete during the Fall 2020 men’s varsity water polo season.
The release from the NESCAC follows:
Over the last several months, NESCAC institutions have been focused on the safe reopening of their campuses this fall. Member institutions have recently announced plans for the upcoming year, with the health and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and the broader community the foremost concern.
In keeping with public health guidance, each of our institutions has put in place physical distancing protocols, limits on travel on and off campus, and limits on the size of on-campus gatherings. Consistent with these policies, the NESCAC Presidents have decided unanimously, though with great reluctance, that NESCAC conference competition for fall sports must be canceled for fall 2020.
Athletics remains an important part of the experience for our students. Conference members will continue to work together to seek creative ways to provide meaningful athletic opportunities for our students during the upcoming academic year. To that end, the Presidents have agreed to modify some NESCAC rules to enable coaches and students to engage in practice and training opportunities outside the traditional season, in accordance with the rules of each member institution and local health directives.
As the pandemic evolves, we will continue to monitor changing federal, state, and local guidance, and we will consult with each other as well as public health authorities and the NCAA about the possibility of further changes to NESCAC rules.
We will provide updates as information becomes available.
Biddy Martin, Amherst College
Clayton Spencer, Bates College
Clayton Rose, Bowdoin College
David Greene, Colby College
Katherine Bergeron, Connecticut College
David Wippman, Hamilton College
Laurie Patton, Middlebury College
Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Trinity College
Tony Monaco, Tufts University
Michael Roth, Wesleyan University
Maud Mandel, Williams College
