When the Northeast Conference postponed soccer during the Fall 2020 semester, it planned to evaluate all options for those teams to instead compete during the Spring 2021 semester.
The wheels are now in motion, with NEC teams planning to compete as soon as mid-February in non-conference games. Otherwise, the NEC portion will decide the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament by mid-April.
That provides a rough framework for four programs from New England – Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Merrimack and Sacred Heart – as they prepare for matches to return. The COVID-19 pandemic still frames everything, of course, yet Division I teams seem committed to forging ahead.
Here’s what to expect from New England’s NEC teams. We’ve also included locals to watch for at NEC programs beyond the region.