FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Conference Season to Begin March 16.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Northeast-10 Conference men's tennis programs lost their 2020 spring season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and missed the chance to compete for a league title. Beginning on March 16, tennis is back – and it comes almost exactly one year since the shutdown.
The conference has released its 2021 men's tennis schedule, which features a nine-match slate that addresses interstate travel restrictions throughout the NE10 footprint. Click here for the full schedule.
All scheduled matches are subject to change based on COVID-19 health and safety protocol.
The dates for the NE10 Men's Tennis Championship will be announced in March, as will the procedure for tournament seeding and playoff structure.
"Announcing our NE10 competition schedules marks another step on our road to resumption of play next month," said NE10 Commissioner Julie Ruppert. "Our spring sport schedules have been reimagined from previous years and represent a Conference-wide philosophy to maximize competitive opportunities while responsibly managing and minimizing travel time and exposure off campus. Our teams will be focused more than ever on NE10 play as intra-Conference games will comprise the vast majority of teams' competitive schedules."
In accordance with the announcement made by the NE10 Council of Presidents on Monday, Feb. 15, league institutions will have the autonomy to determine if they cannot safely participate in intercollegiate athletics this spring and in which sports they will not permit competition.
All teams will be subject to follow NE10 COVID-19 testing protocols, in addition to health and safety guidelines from their institutions and local communities. The safety and well-being of student-athletes remains the primary focus of the league.
"The unique approach to scheduling in 2021 adheres to the guidelines set forth by our Council of Presidents last week in approving our return to competition and for now is our new normal," said Ruppert. "Many individuals across our membership have worked cooperatively to chart this safe and responsible pathway forward for the spring sports and we are so appreciative of their efforts."
Opening day is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16. The entire schedule consists of 11 playing dates, two of which remain open for each team, and concludes on Tuesday, April 20. Four-time reigning NE10 champion Southern New Hampshire plays its season-opener at home against Franklin Pierce.
The Penmen have had a dominant stretch in the NE10, winning 37-straight conference matches since the 2015-16 season and five of the past six league titles.
Attendance policies will be determined by NE10 institutions in the coming weeks.
The NCAA selection date for men's tennis is Tuesday, May 4. NCAA Regionals will be played on May 8-9 at 16 different sites. The NCAA Men's Tennis Finals will take place from May 18-21 at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.
ABOUT THE NE10
Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.