Bowdoin College Sitting Out Fall Sports

Bowdoin College isn’t waiting any longer.

The NCAA Division III private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, announced Monday that it won’t be playing football or any other sports during the upcoming fall semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is for “winter, spring, and possibly fall athletes to participate and compete in some form after January 1.”

“This is one of the very disappointing outcomes of our plan,” said the athletics section of a wider announcement dealing how Bowdoin will handle the 2020-21 school year. “Athletics is a central part of the Bowdoin experience for many of our students and for the College more generally.”

Bowdoin, a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, hasn’t made a decision on the spring semester and hopes athletes will still be able to gather for some activities this fall.

“Varsity athletes living on campus are likely to have in-person workout opportunities with coaches, but unfortunately, students living off campus will not be permitted to participate in on-campus workouts,” the release said.

According to CBS Sports, Bowdoin’s academic plan is for freshmen, transfers, senior honor students, and students who can’t take classes remotely to be allowed on campus during fall semester. Most sophomores, juniors and seniors will partake in remote learning.