Patriot League Release

HAMILTON – The Patriot League Council of Presidents announced Monday that Colgate and the other Patriot League members will not play fall sports during the fall semester.
 
Citing significant challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic to campuses and communities, the presidents halted all fall sports championship and non-championship competitions.
 
The Patriot League remains open to the possibility of conducting fall sports during the spring semester. Those decisions, along with questions about winter and spring sports competition, will be made at a later date.
 
The opportunity for conditioning, strength training and other practice opportunities in all sports is permitted, provided health and safety conditions support such activities.
 
The presidents also agreed that because the U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy are unique within higher education, those two programs could engage in competitions considered appropriate by their respective Superintendents.
 
Below is the statement from Colgate Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Nicki Moore:
 
"Since 1827, with the formation of a student club, sport has been an important part of campus life at Colgate. Colgate's first intercollegiate competition in baseball occurred in 1886, and Colgate went on to win the New York State championships in 1887, 88 and 89. Varsity football developed in 1890 and basketball in 1901, and this quote from a 1907 brochure stated, "Athletics at Colgate are so intimately associated with the entire college life that it is difficult to speak of them as a thing apart from the ordinary student life." In 1972, women's sports were added immediately upon Colgate becoming co-educational, and in 1973 when the NCAA's divisional system was established, Colgate opted into Division I, and has thrived as one of the nation's very few liberal arts universities also competing at the Division I level. Even during the world wars, sports were not canceled - only curtailed, with limited competition.
 
"Therefore, today's announcement by the Patriot League marks a historic moment for Colgate Athletics. For our scholar-athletes, varsity sport participation is a defining element of their educational experience. Our sport programs help attract talented prospective students to our school; generate energy, enthusiasm, and school spirit; and offer thousands of opportunities for students, alumni, and fans to connect and engage on and with our campus each year. Thus, it is prudent that athletics administrators across the league have worked diligently together to construct creative and thoughtful approaches if competition this fall were possible.
 
"However, it is now clear that suspending fall sports is necessary to protect the health and safety of our scholar-athletes, our campus, and community; and, to render a high-quality student-athlete experience. This decision is certainly disappointing for our scholar-athletes, coaches, and staff – and for me; yet, it is clearly the right thing to do. With that understanding, we will optimistically explore the possibilities for fall sport competition to occur later in the academic year, and we will support and help lead the many efforts underway to safely and successfully return to in-person learning, practice, and development at Colgate. Colgate Athletics remains committed to our vision to be an inclusive community of competitive excellence, and though disappointed in the moment, we will redouble our efforts to ensure that when we look back on this historic era, we are proud of the ways we invested our time, attention, and creativity to move ever closer to that ideal."