Student-athletes react to UMass Dartmouth canceling fall 2020 season

Riley Thomas never expected the last time she saw her college volleyball teammates to come via Zoom.

But when UMass Dartmouth announced on Tuesday that it will not be holding a fall 2020 athletic season, which followed a similar announcement from the Little East Conference, that became a reality.

"It's heartbreaking to know I won't be able to have one more season with my girls," said Thomas, a senior on the Corsairs' women's volleyball team who graduated from GNB Voc-Tech. "We've grown so close over the past few years, it's tough to think we just have to say it's over and goodbye over a Zoom call."

Thomas said despite most other Division III conferences already having shuttered their fall seasons, she had been holding out hope of playing one last time with her teammates.

"The rest of the seniors and I have been playing years for this moment, to feel the adrenaline of that last game with your team," she said. "It's heartbreaking we won't be able to have that."

"It's tough to know I won't get to play my senior year with all the guys," added men's soccer player Tyler Medeiros, who also graduated from GNB Voc-Tech. "We've worked so hard these last few years, it's pretty disappointing."

On Tuesday morning, the Little East announced that it would not be holding regular or postseason competitions during the fall 2020 semester. While the Little East is allowing schools to play non-conference games this fall, UMass Dartmouth announced it will not explore that option in a press release.

This affects six Corsairs programs: Men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, women's field hockey and men's and women's cross country. The fall football season had already been called off when the MASCAC suspended fall 2020 competition on July 16. The MASCAC is working on a plan to play football in spring 2021.

"The decision to not compete this fall is painful, but it is the right one," Director of Athletics & Recreation Amanda Van Voorhis said in a press release. "Our primary responsibility is to protect the best interests of health and safety for all of our student-athletes. We want to provide the best possible experience, and that must be done in a responsible manner."

Sophomore men's soccer player Cody Santo, a Dartmouth High graduate, said he and his teammates had discussed the possibility of their season being shuttered.

"We had talked about it in recent team meetings and all of our teammates kind of knew it was coming," he said. "It's just sad that it's now become a reality and we won't have a season."

Santo said he feels worst for his senior teammates.

"I'm definitely really bummed about it all, especially for the seniors," he said. "I've already spoken to some teammates and everyone is upset, but at the end of the day there is nothing we can do."

With no control over the situation, Santo said all he can do is turn his attention to 2021.

"This time off is definitely going to make the anticipation for the 2021 season that much greater," he said. "I'm already looking forward to being back on the pitch next fall."

In addition to canceling the fall season, UMD announced that its winter athletic program won't begin earlier than Jan. 1, 2021, which affects the start of the season for men's and women's basketball, men's ice hockey and men's and women's indoor track and field.

“This was certainly a difficult decision that the Little East President’s Council had to make, but the safety and well-being of our students continues to be our primary focus,” UMass Dartmouth Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance David Gingerella said in a press release. “I share the disappointment of our athletic community that this health crisis has once again denied competitive opportunities, and though this decision is painful, it is unquestionably the right one for the well-being of all involved.”

To make up for the lost season, the NCAA has granted a "blanket waiver" that allows student-athletes to maintain a year of eligibility. UMass Dartmouth is planning to provide student-athletes with on-campus conditioning, strength training and skill development opportunities and the Corsair athletic training staff is working with Health Services department to finalize protocols. Additional details will be available in the coming weeks, the school said.

"The last four months have been an incredibly difficult time for all of us," Van Voorhis wrote in a statement on the school's website. "I know that you will experience a wide range of emotions associated with this decision. I share your disappointment and sadness, especially for those members of our senior class. The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, and campus community continue to be our top priority."

The fall season cancellation fell on the heels of the 2020 spring season being canceled. The entire COVID-19 pandemic has left many student-athletes searching for silver linings.

"It's just a rough year," Thomas said. "We all hope to play some games in the spring, but we're all grateful for the time we've spent on and off the court as a family and I know I could never forget any of them. We'll always be a UMass family in the end."