DANBURY, CONN. – Over the past several months, institutions throughout the Little East Conference and their respective athletics departments have closely monitored the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19 and the pandemic's impact on intercollegiate competition. Today, the Little East Conference President's Council announced that conference-sponsored competition, including conference championship events, would not take place for the duration of the Fall 2020 semester. After careful review and with guidance from university administration, Western Connecticut State University announces the cancellation of intercollegiate competition during the Fall 2020 semester.
"It is with a heavy heart and deep reluctance that we must cancel all contests for the Fall 2020 semester," said Director of Athletics and Recreation Lori R. Mazza. "The health and safety of our student-athletes and staff remains our top priority, and this is a sacrifice we must make to ensure their wellness, and that of the entire campus community. It is important to emphasize the important role that athletics plays in the lives of students and staff across campus and we look forward to returning to competition as soon as it is safe to do so."
Many student-athletes will be returning to campus to resume their studies and WestConn plans to provide a safe environment for those individuals to work with their coaches and practice in small groups. All proper protocols will be followed, including the phased resocialization plan provided by the NCAA. Social distancing, PPE, and limited capacity/group size are all part of the safety protocols that will be followed. Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for student-athletes to benefit from the athletic experience. The university recently released information about returning to campus which can be found at www.wcsu.edu/reopen. A Frequently Asked Questions page will be available for reference this week which can be found on our home page at www.westconnathletics.com.
"Though this is not the outcome we had hoped for and worked towards, we appreciate everyone's patience and support during this challenging time," said Mazza. "We will continue to work with colleagues throughout the Little East Conference to discuss plans for winter and spring competition."
official press release from the Little East Conference
by LEC Assistant Commissioner Darryl Konicki
Little East Conference Suspends Conference Competition and Championships for Fall 2020 Semester
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Following a unanimous vote of the Little East Conference (LEC) Presidents Council, it has been determined the LEC will not conduct conference regular season competition or championships during the Fall 2020 semester due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This difficult decision, one we know is heart-breaking for our student-athletes, was arrived at following months of weekly planning meetings by the LEC Athletic Directors Council, which sought to find a path that led to a full return of intercollegiate competition that was safe for each member of our campus communities. This was done in consultation with state and institution health officials and epidemiologists, the LEC athletic trainers, numerous campus task forces and working groups, and in consideration of recommended health and safety guidelines from the CDC and NCAA.
Work will begin immediately to create a new women's tennis LEC regular season schedule and reschedule the men's golf and women's tennis championships, as the NCAA Division III Championships will be contested during the Spring 2021 semester, and examine how to best adjust the conference men's and women's basketball schedules to begin after the New Year.
The Conference and its athletic directors will also explore what opportunities may be available to conduct Fall sports regular seasons and championships during the Spring 2021 semester as we continue to monitor the ever-changing local, regional and national landscape as it relates to the pandemic.
About the Little East Conference
The Little East Conference (LEC) was formed in 1986 when six public institutions gathered to create a single sport athletic conference, and has expanded into what is now New England's premier athletic conference for public institutions in NCAA Division III. The LEC features 19 championship sports and sponsors quality competition for our student-athletes, while following the Division III mission of "passion, responsibility, sportsmanship and citizenship." The Conference will grow to 21 championship sports for the 2020-21 academic year with the addition of men's golf and men's swimming & diving.
The Little East consists of nine primary institutions that encompass all six New England states – Castleton University (Vt.), Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State College (N.H.), UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, Plymouth State University (N.H.), Rhode Island College, University of Southern Maine, and Western Connecticut State University.
