During the fall term, Union College has done everything possible to limit the transmission of COVID-19 on campus and in the Schenectady community. Our students, faculty and staff have done an incredible job following our health and safety protocols, including regular testing, the wearing of masks, social distancing and avoidance of large gatherings, among many other precautionary measures.

In order to keep our positive momentum going into the winter term, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel all winter sports competition this year, including our Division I men's and women's ice hockey seasons. We made this decision alongside our Liberty League peers last week and today we join seven of our ECAC Hockey partner institutions in making this call. This decision was driven by our recognition of our student-athletes' academic priorities and our shared commitment to the public health and safety of our region.

This is especially heartbreaking for our student-athletes, who have been working diligently in the weight room and with their teams to improve and prepare for the possibility of competition this year. We recognize the sacrifices that our student-athletes make on a daily basis and commend them for their dedication, diligence and commitment.

However, we are fighting a battle that is larger than intercollegiate athletics. As we see the number of COVID cases rise in our region and across the country, it would be irresponsible for us to engage in activities that could contribute to the spread of the virus and endanger our campus and the surrounding Schenectady community.

We appreciate the tremendous support our teams and student-athletes receive from the greater Schenectady community and the pride you have in our programs. It was our hope that we would be able to provide that experience to you again this season and welcome you back to campus. For now, we will focus on the virus as a common opponent. We look forward to the time we can safely be back together to cheer on our Union teams and we continue to evaluate the prospect of spring sports competition.

Be well and be safe,

Jim McLaughlin '93
Director of Athletics
Union College