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The following is a press release

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FRAMINGHAM – The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) announced yesterday, January 22, the eight MASCAC Presidents made the difficult decision to cancel the fall in spring semester athletic conference competition, including all indoor and outdoor athletic conference competition. 

The decision ends the possibility of resuming the fall conference competition during the spring of 2021 but will allow fall and winter student-athletes training opportunities. 

While there will not be a conference schedule for MASCAC fall sports, member institutions will be allowed to schedule fall sport non-conference games at their discretion. 

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The Framingham State University Athletic department will be releasing plans and information for modified non-traditional seasons for the fall sports including – football, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country and volleyball – in the coming weeks.

“The MASCAC office has been meeting regularly with the presidents, athletic directors, athletic trainers and other essential staff to consider ways we can bring our student-athletes back to the playing field safely while adhering to all state, federal and NCAA guidelines,” said MASCAC Commissioner Angela Baumann. “Regrettably, the highly contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus and the risk of community spread through conference competition proved too great a risk to our student-athletes to engage in conference play.  With the health and well-being of our student-athletes and our staff as our priority, the difficult decision was made to cancel the fall in spring MASCAC competition,” Baumann said. 

Although there will not be fall MASCAC competition during the spring semester, the state universities will continue to provide student-athletes with on-campus, in-person practices, conditioning and training opportunities during the spring semester to support their physical and mental well-being. Those practice and training opportunities will not use a year of NCAA eligibility and will be done in compliance with the campus, state, federal and NCAA COVID guidance and protocols.

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The MASCAC Presidents are hopeful that a spring sports season will occur during the upcoming semester and plan to announce their decision in February.

“We are disappointed conference competition couldn’t be provided for our fall student-athletes in the spring,” said MASCAC Commissioner Angela Baumann. “We are still creating plans to play the spring sports season and are hopeful we will be able to provide those student-athletes an athletic experience.”

As always, the members of the FSU coaching staffs and the FSU athletic department staff are here for all of our student-athletes to provide support and guidance as we all navigate this time.  

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Graphic by Walsh Middle School student Jamie Last

By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.