As of 12 p.m. Thursday, March 12, test results show that one Mainer has tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus. Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support this mission by purchasing a digital subscription.
Editor’s note: Late Thursday afternoon, America East announced that it has canceled not only its basketball tournament championship games, but also all spring sports for the remainder of the semester.
The America East Conference announced Thursday that its women’s and men’s championship games, scheduled to take place March 13 and 14, at Stony Brook University and the University of Vermont respectively, will not be played.
The decision was made in consultation with the conference’s leadership in light of the recent developments regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is a proactive decision to protect the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and everyone on our campuses.
The University of Maine had already made the trip on Wednesday night to Long Island, New York, to take on Stony Brook for the women’s title in a game originally scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.
The development likely brings to a premature end the season for coach Amy Vachon’s team. The Black Bears would have advanced either to the NCAA Tournament with a victory at Stony Brook or would have earned the league’s automatic berth into the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
It is expected that both of those events will be canceled, although no announcements have yet been made.
Vermont was to have hosted the University of Hartford in the America East men’s basketball title game on Saturday.
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