After careful consideration regarding the circumstances brought on by the current state of the global pandemic, the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) has made the difficult decision to postpone competitive sports for the fall 2020 semester until the spring semester of 2021.
The mission of the UMA athletic department is to create positive leaders and citizens through a focus on personal growth opportunities, academic excellence, wellness initiatives, and community outreach. In the fall semester, UMA will continue to provide opportunities for engagement within health and safety guidelines, including practices and team activities. As always, coaches and staff are committed to providing the best possible experience to UMA student-athletes. The UMA fall athletic programs affected by this decision are the co-ed golf, men’s and women’s cross-country, as well as men’s and women’s basketball.
“This decision is not one that we have taken lightly,” stated Jennifer Laney, UMA Director of Student Life & Athletics. “Competitive athletic programs are an important part of many students’ college experience at UMA. However, the shared safety concerns within the conferences in which we participate guided this postponement.”
UMA Athletics is working in conjunction with the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) to coordinate plans for the return of athletics in spring 2021 and provide meaningful experiences for students to compete while meeting University of Maine System policies as well as federal, state, and local health directives.