Spring Sports at Trinity
March 9, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
I am pleased to announce that Trinity’s varsity athletic teams will resume intercollegiate competition this spring. This decision comes after in-depth consultation with our peers in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and after much consideration of Trinity’s specific circumstances. Our announcement today follows one a short time ago by NESCAC to allow for a modified season of spring sports.
The NESCAC decision provides the opportunity for a limited schedule of conference competition for spring sports based on local conditions and institutional policies. Trinity will participate in conference play for the limited schedule during April and May in baseball, softball, golf, lacrosse, rowing, tennis, and outdoor track and field, as long as conditions permit. In addition, Trinity’s fall and winter teams, which were unable to compete this year during their regular seasons, will be permitted to schedule a limited number of local contests. Schedules for all teams will be finalized in the coming days, and NESCAC schedules for spring sports will be shared after all conference members have decided whether to participate. Post-season plans have not yet been determined.
The college has developed a thorough set of return-to-play protocols and rules, following strict guidelines for competition and travel. It’s important to note that these guidelines are consistent with those for other co-curricular and extracurricular experiences, which have been updated for the spring semester. More details about our return to play are available at BantamSports.com. As with all such activities, our ability to participate will depend on our campus alert level and the ongoing conditions with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please know we did not come to this decision easily. We know that athletics and recreational pursuits continue to be carefully regulated and monitored and that we saw no evidence of virus transmission through supervised athletic practices in the fall. We also know that our varsity athletes, like their peers across campus, are eager to pursue their passions and that this phased return to competition will provide much-needed activities benefitting student physical and mental well-being.
The ongoing dedication of our entire community to care for one another in these challenging times has made possible this decision to return to play. This is a significant step forward that gives us hope that—together with improving conditions in our region and beyond—we are ever-closer to getting beyond the pandemic.
Sincerely,
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience
