News 2021: UMass Dartmouth Statement on MASCAC Fall Sports Cancellation Announcement

A message from the University on the Conference's fall sports decision

Earlier today, the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) announced that the league’s Council of Presidents made the difficult decision to cancel fall sports competition that had been planned for the Spring 2021 semester.  This decision directly impacts the Corsair football program, which competes as a MASCAC non-voting affiliate member.

In their announcement, the MASCAC Presidents stated that “member institutions will be allowed to schedule non-conference games at their discretion,” but the uncertainty created by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic has already seen many leagues and individual schools around the region opt-out of competitive play.  UMass Dartmouth shares in the disappointment this decision creates, though fully understands the action taken by the MASCAC to ensure the continued health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

The University will continue to provide on-campus practice, training, and conditioning opportunities in adherence to the NCAA Sport Science Institute’s Resocialization Guidelines to support our student athlete’s physical and mental well-being.  Those opportunities would take place under strict adherence to health protocols and guidelines established by the Town of Dartmouth, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the University is exploring all possibilities to ensure the best possible experience for our student-athletes, there is a high degree of uncertainty about whether games will be possible. Additionally, any plans are susceptible to change depending on future developments related to the pandemic. We will continue to keep our student-athletes informed.