This season’s hockey schedules for the University of Maine are likely to include only the other teams in Hockey East.
The schedules are expected to include both contests that count toward the conference standings and others that will be considered non-league games.
University of Maine athletics director Ken Ralph said that with the COVID-19 pandemic, it makes sense to play teams that are following the safety protocols. The move also will reduce travel and exposure to teams from other areas of the country.
Several years ago, UMaine and several other Hockey East teams played both conference and non-conference games against each other to fill out their schedules and save money.
Ralph said UMaine women’s and men’s teams in hockey and basketball will play staggered schedules so they aren’t competing at home on the same weekend. That is an effort to limit the number of teams on campus.
America East announced recently that beginning Dec. 19-20 teams would play back-to-back weekend conference basketball games at one site.
“You can’t lose sight of the fact that keeping the community safe is our top priority,” Ralph said. “We are an educational institution and we need to keep everybody as safe and COVID-free as possible.”
UMaine’s winter sports teams have been practicing while following guidelines established by the NCAA, America East and state agencies.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew last week clarified the state’s community sports guidance is intended for high school and youth sports but doesn’t apply to pro or college sports, which have their own organizational COVID-19 protocols.
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy and UMaine President Joan-Ferrini Mundy have yet to give UMaine’s athletic teams approval to play outside competition. Under NCAA guidelines, teams can begin playing games as early as Nov. 20.
“Every school is dealing with local conditions and there have been an uptick in cases recently,” Ralph said. “There is a lot of caution out there right now.”
For example, Massachusetts last week closed all of its ice rinks until Nov. 7, due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreaks. However, pro and college teams were not affected by the ruling.
New Hampshire closed its rinks for two weeks beginning Oct. 15.
“Those are changes you have to be prepared for,” Ralph said.
He said Hockey East and America East have schedules, but they have yet to be released.
“We are trying to build in as much flexibility as possible,” he said. “We’re going to have to manage the ambiguity if we’re going to be successful. There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make things as safe as they can be.”
Ralph conceded the situation is likely to get crazier because of the evolving nature of positive tests or outbreaks.
There haven’t been any COVID-19 cases on campus involving UMaine student-athletes and Ralph credited the coaches and student-athletes with doing an exceptional job adhering to the safety guidelines.
UMaine is preparing to ramp up testing of athletes, coaches, staff and administrators to ensure the safety of all involved. Players will be tested more frequently just prior to the start of the first contests.
The university is trying to procure all the necessary testing supplies.