America East women: How New England’s teams could fare this spring

UMass Lowell midfielder Emily Nelson keeps possession vs. Stony Brook. (UMass Lowell Athletics)

The America East Conference announced this past October that it intended to compete during the Spring 2021 semester, and now those plans are close to becoming a reality.

The Division I group, which includes five women's teams from across New England, plans to begin conference play March 7. There's the potential for non-conference games, but they're focused on finishing America East ones so that an automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament can be determined.

The COVID-19 pandemic still frames everything, of course, but schools are committed to competing again after losing the Fall 2020 season. Coaches, especially after watching football and winter sports contend with the challenges, know changes are entirely possible.

Here’s what to expect as New England’s America East representatives hopefully get underway.