FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Conference Season to Begin on March 17.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Women's lacrosse in the Northeast-10 Conference produces national contenders every year, but the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 prevented any championship contests. Beginning on March 17, however, the championship pursuit begins once again.
The NE10 has released its 2021 women's lacrosse schedule, which features a divisional set-up – Northeast and Southwest – with all programs slated to compete in 12 conference games. Each team will play their divisional opponents twice. Click here for the full schedule.
All scheduled games are subject to change based on COVID-19 health and safety protocol.
The dates for the NE10 Women's Lacrosse 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."
Entering the season, a remarkable seven teams in the NE10 are ranked in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) national preseason rankings – including reigning NCAA champion Adelphi coming in at No. 1. Le Moyne is ranked No. 3, giving the NE10 a pair of top five teams. New Haven (No. 15), Assumption (No. 16), Bentley (No. 17), Saint Anselm (No. 18) and Pace (No. 25) are also in the poll.
Opening day is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17. The entire schedule consists of 14 playing dates, two of which remain open for each team, and concludes on Saturday, May 1. Adelphi and Le Moyne, winners of nine of the last 10 league titles, play each other in Syracuse on March 27 and on Long Island on April 17. In the Northeast Division, Assumption and Bentley meet on March 17 and April 14.
Attendance policies will be determined by NE10 institutions, but schools will be streaming home women's lacrosse games on NE10 NOW – the digital home of the Northeast-10 Conference. Visit NE10NOW.tv for the full list of games as they become available.
The NCAA selection date for women's lacrosse is Sunday, May 9. First and second round games are scheduled from May 14-16 at four different sites and the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Semifinals and Final will take place from May 21-23 at Kerr Stadium in Salem, Va.
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.
