While much of the talk of the sports world – both professional and collegiate – has been about return-to-play plans across the country of late, not everyone is looking forward to a sooner-rather-than-later return to action from the coronavirus shutdown.
Division III Bowdoin College in Maine announced on Monday that the school will have limited students on campus this coming fall, and as such “will not be participating in fall and winter varsity sports during the fall semester.” The school did leave open to possibility of returning to athletic competition after January 1.
Bowdoin fall semester plans online now - due to limits on campus attendance, sports in fall semester have been canceled with "opportunity for the winter, spring, and possibly fall varsity athletes to participate and compete in some form after January 1" https://t.co/Cegu2cQhee pic.twitter.com/GPtUhkSUJQ
— Bowdoin Athletics (@GoUBears)
June 22, 2020 Bowdoin’s teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The NESCAC has not yet announced specific league-wide plans for athletics this fall, though Bowdoin included the conference’s most recent release on the topic with its own Monday announcement to cancel fall semester sports.
“NESCAC institutions continue to focus on plans for the 2020–2021 academic year with the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and their communities the primary concern. As institutions finalize their plans for the coming year, federal, state, and local health guidance, as well as institutional policies, will guide their independent decisions regarding reopening.
Athletics engagement is an important part of the experience for many of our students, and member institutions remain committed to this experience. However, this will not be a traditional fall on campus in any respect, including for athletics. The conference continues to develop plans for the return to athletics, including possible modifications to NESCAC rules to allow institutions flexibility to provide for meaningful experiences for students within school policies and federal, state, and local health directives. We expect to have more details in the weeks ahead and will share information as it becomes available.”
At the very least there will be no athletics and limited students of any kind on the Bowdoin campus this fall.
