By Desmond Bernal
After suspending fall sports last fall, the Northeast-10 devised a plan to reschedule its fall season to the spring, but that is no longer in effect after the Northeast-10 Council of Presidents announced on Jan. 13, 2021, that fall sports are canceled.
The decision comes a month after the NE-10 decided to cancel winter sports on Dec. 15, 2020.
The NE-10 issued a press statement:
"The Northeast-10 Council of Presidents has received and approved a unanimous recommendation from the NE10 Athletics Council to cancel plans for repositioned regular season and championship competition in the Conference's seven traditional fall sports."
The decision affects Stonehill's men's and women's soccer and cross country, volleyball, field hockey, and football.
"The decision by the conference was a difficult one. With fourteen different schools, the conference as a whole thought it would be best not to dictate a schedule because some schools would have been able to achieve it, and someone would have not," Stonehill's director of athletics Dean O'Keefe said.
Given the coronavirus's current state and other seasons getting canceled, some athletes anticipated their season to come to a close.
"We all expected it before the decision came out, but to hear it from our coach was the toughest part given that for seniors, it was our last year," Senior defensive end Adam Popielarcheck said.
Senior Michael McShane, a member of the men's soccer team, said that senior year is something all student-athletes look forward to, and not being able to have the opportunity to compete is frustrating.
O'Keefe said the conference gives schools the option to construct an independent schedule and compete when they feel comfortable doing so.
Stonehill plans to stay optimistic about giving its seniors a chance to compete in their uniforms one last time. Also, to have a senior day with a small number of family members if permitted safe.
"Every sport is different, so we will work with each sport to see what is possible," O'Keefe said.
Ellie Fried, a senior on the women's soccer team, expressed gratitude for Stonehill's effort to give them a season, even if it's not an official season.
"I applaud Stonehill because I think they have done a great job with their transparency with us, student-athletes. We all hoped that we were going to have a season in the spring; I think everyone knew nothing was promised," she said. "I love that Stonehill is pushing to have some games in the spring."
As of now, spring sports, who were the first to experience their season canceled last year, are scheduled to start their season around the middle of March.
"All the spring sports currently still have a conference schedule in the spring…weather and safety permitted, the sports will get going," O'Keefe said.
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