Kasper Kotkansalo compiled eight assists in 34 games for BU during the 2019-20 season (photo: Rich Gagnon).
Citing uncertainties with the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston University defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo will not return to the Terriers for his senior season in 2020-21, choosing instead to stay in his native Finland.
Kotkansalo made the announcement on Instagram, but did not say which team he will play for next season.
Karlis Zirnis led the NAHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs to the 2018 Robertson Cup title (photo: NAHL).
Alabama Huntsville has announced the addition of Karlis Zirnis as associate head coach.
“We are very fortunate and excited to be bringing Karlis back to the UAH hockey program,” UAH head coach Lance West said in a statement. “He is an outstanding coach who has succeeded everywhere he has been. He has coached at many different levels including world championships, and has worked and learned under some of the top coaches.
“Karlis’ work ethic and drive to continually improve as a coach is what makes him stand out to me, and his excellent teaching abilities will be a huge asset to the development of our student-athletes.”
Zirnis comes to UAH after two seasons as an assistant coach at Alaska.
“I am excited for the opportunity to be back with the UAH hockey program and grateful to be able to continue at this level,” Zirnis said. “I am even more excited about UAH because it is my alma mater and I have a deep passion for the university and Huntsville community. I am incredibly thankful to all the donors that have made this even possible.
“I can’t wait to get to work with Coach West on the challenges and potential of UAH hockey, while instilling our culture to shore up the program’s foundations. Being back here at UAH with an opportunity to help take our program to the next level means a great deal to me. I want to thank Coach Largen and Alaska Fairbanks for my first NCAA coaching experience, and I will forever be appreciative to them for all I have gained during my time in Alaska.”
Prior to his time at Alaska, Zirnis was the first head coach for the Shreveport Mudbugs and he went on to lead his squad to the 2018 Robertson Cup as NAHL champions.
Before he began his coaching career, Zirnis played as a forward with the Chargers from 1999 to 2003, appearing in 133 games with 119 points on 46 goals and 73 assists. He is currently second in the program’s modern Division I era with his 119 career points.
Alabama Huntsville goaltender Mark Sinclair will play the 2020-21 season as a graduate transfer with Michigan Tech.
Sinclair ranked second in the WCHA with 971 saves for the Chargers in 2019-20. He made 40 saves in seven games last season with a career-high 54 save performance against Bowling Green on Feb. 28, 2020.
“We are very fortunate to add a goaltender of Mark’s caliber to our roster at a late point in the recruiting process,” MTU coach Joe Shawhan said in a statement. “Several factors made this opportunity available to us and I appreciate UAH for their cooperation in allowing this transfer to occur.”
Vermont director of athletics Jeff Schulman has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee, effective Sept. 1.
He will begin a four-year term representing Hockey East, replacing Steve Metcalf, the league’s current commissioner, whose term is set to expire.
“As a former NCAA ice hockey player, I am extremely excited for this opportunity to join the Division I men’s committee,” Schulman said in a statement. “It is truly an honor and I look forward to the working with the other five committee members to help advance collegiate ice hockey and make the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey championship the best it can be.”
A 1989 Vermont graduate, Schulman was a four-year letter-winner as a defenseman for the Catamounts before being selected by the Boston Bruins in the 1989 NHL supplemental draft. He was also a member of the first NCAA tournament team in school history in 1988.
The current members of the committee, in addition to Metcalf, are former Alabama Huntsville coach Mike Corbett, Penn State athletics director Michael Cross, Omaha senior associate athletics director Mike Kemp, Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley and Cornell coach Mike Schafer.
“We are very excited to add Arlen to our coaching staff,” said Army head coach Brian Riley in a statement. “He brings a great knowledge of the game as well as a passion for recruiting. Most importantly, I know he will be a great mentor and role model for our cadet-athletes.”
While with the Valiants, Marshall served as the head coach for eight seasons. Starting as an assistant in 2006, Marshall was elevated to the head coaching position in 2012.
Marshall was just the second coach in Manhattanville’s history to amass over 100 victories. He leaves the program second all-time with 101 wins.
“I’m ecstatic to be joining the Army hockey family,” said Marshall. “It’s an honor to work for West Point and I’m thankful to Coach Riley and Coach McKelvie for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to getting to work and back on the ice.”
Prior to his coaching career, Marshall was a four-year player for Manhattanville from 2006 to 2010. He served as a two-year co-captain and also wore the “A” as a sophomore.
Individually, Marshall completed his playing career as one of just three players at the time to have reached the 100-point plateau, recording 38 goals and 64 assists for 102 points over 105 games.
Marshall graduated from Manhattanville in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science. He also received his master’s degree in sports business management from the school in 2012.
Drury, a second-round pick (42nd overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2018 NHL Draft, recorded 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points in 28 games in 2019-20.
During his freshman season of 2018-19, Drury collected nine goals and 24 points over 32 games.
Morgan Barron led Cornell in scoring during the 2019-20 season with 32 points on 14 goals and 18 assists (photo: Omar Phillips).
The New York Rangers announced Friday that the team has agreed to terms with Cornell junior forward Morgan Barron on an entry-level contract.
Barron, who forgoes his senior season at Cornell, skated in 29 games with the Big Red during the 2019-20 season, registering 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points, along with a plus-17 rating and 24 penalty minutes.
He was named a First Team All-American, was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, and was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year this season.
Over 98 games over three seasons with Cornell, Barron collected 34 goals and 50 assists for 84 points with a plus-36 rating.
The Halifax, N.S., native was selected by the Rangers in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Arlen Marshall has been Manhattanville’s head coach since 2012 (photo: Manhattanville Athletics).
After 14 years as a member of the Manhattanville hockey team, including the last eight as head coach, Arlen Marshall “is moving on from the program and on to a new and exciting opportunity,” according to a news release.
“For the past 14 years, it has been a privilege to see Arlen develop from an outstanding player for the Valiants into their respected head coach,” said Manhattanville director of athletics and recreation Julene Caulfield in a statement. “His stats speak for themselves and his legacy will forever be imprinted in our history.”
Marshall has spent the previous eight seasons at the helm of the Valiants’ program and last season became just the second coach in Manhattanville men’s hockey history to amass over 100 victories. He leaves the program second on the all-time wins’ list with 101.
During those eight seasons on the bench, Marshall, also a two-time conference coach of the year, guided the Valiants to seven conference tournament berths, including his most successful campaign during the 2018-19 season when Manhattanville won the UCHC tournament championship and earned an invitation to the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 2007-08. Marshall helped lead the squad to the NCAA quarterfinal round, which tied for the second-best finish in program history.
Prior to becoming head coach in 2012-13, Marshall also spent two years on the bench as an assistant coach for the Valiants.
Prior to his coaching career, Marshall’s Valiant tenure began as a four-year player for Manhattanville from 2006 to 2010. He served as a two-year co-captain and also wore the “A” as a sophomore.
Marshall graduated having played on three ECAC West tournament champion squads, including two trips to the NCAA tournament. The Valiants ended the season with a top-10 national ranking in each of his four seasons, including the No. 2 overall ranking after finishing 2006-07 as the national semifinalists.
Individually, Marshall completed his playing career as one of just three players at the time to have reached the 100-point plateau, thanks to 38 goals and 64 assists over 105 games. Additionally, at the time of his graduation, he was third in program history in points, fourth in assists and sixth in goals, as well as second in games played and sixth in power-play goals.
“We are thrilled for [Arlen’s] new opportunity, but we are also obviously looking forward to seeing him remain involved as an important alumnus of our men’s hockey program, as well as return to coach and play at our alumni games,” said Caulfield.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved rules to allow student-athletes in all sports to wear patches on their uniforms for commemorative and memorial purposes, as well as to support social justice issues.
Current rules in some sports do not allow patches, while the rule books for several other sports do not address the topic.
Panel members, who met by videoconference last week, reaffirmed and expanded existing rules, which will now allow student-athletes two places on the uniform, one on the front and one on the back, to express support and voice their opinions.
The patch on the front, which most sports already allowed, as authorized by the school or conference, may be a commemorative/memorial patch (names, mascots, nicknames, logos and marks) intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes.
The patch must not exceed 2¼ square inches and must be placed on the front or sleeve of the uniform. While not all team members are required to wear the patch, they must be identical for those who choose to wear them.
The second location is on the back of the uniform where the player name is traditionally located and, as authorized by the school or conference, will allow names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes. The names or words may vary by team member.
St. Thomas has a long tradition of on-ice success and will be the CCHA’s eight member in 2020-21 (photo: St. Thomas Athletics).
The CCHA has voted unanimously to welcome St. Thomas as the league’s eighth program beginning with the 2021-22 season.
“On behalf of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, I am pleased to welcome the University of St. Thomas as a new member of our conference,” said Dr. Faith Hensrud, CCHA board of directors chair and Bemidji State president, in a statement. “The University of St. Thomas has an outstanding tradition and a proven commitment to the future. As we set our sights on the CCHA’s first season in 2021-22, we are excited to be adding one of NCAA Division I’s newest members and proud to be part of the growth of college hockey.”
Located in St. Paul, Minn., and founded in 1885, the university will join current Big Ten member Minnesota as the second Division I athletic department in the state of Minnesota. In addition to its membership in the CCHA, the school’s women’s hockey program will join the WCHA.
“The entire membership of the CCHA is excited to welcome the University of St. Thomas as a member for the 2021-2022 inaugural season,” said CCHA commissioner Don Lucia. “St. Thomas has an outstanding academic and athletic tradition with experienced and proven leadership as they transition to Division I. St. Thomas fits nicely within the CCHA footprint and impressed us all with the level of commitment they have for their hockey program. The CCHA welcomes St. Thomas, the Twin Cities media, and hockey fans to our league.”
St. Thomas was a founding member of the MIAC in 1920 and will compete in the league through the 2020-21 academic year.
With 6,173 undergraduate students, St. Thomas will be the first private school to compete in the CCHA since Notre Dame in 2013.
“St. Thomas not only has an opportunity to extend our visibility across the region but also to be a part of the CCHA’s re-emergence in college hockey,” said St. Thomas president Dr. Julie Sullivan. “Under Don Lucia’s leadership, this conference has a bright future and we are thrilled to be a part of it.”
The sixth-oldest men’s hockey program in Division III, the Tommies bring rich history to the CCHA.
St. Thomas holds a 1,167-671-105 (.627) all-time record, the most wins of any program in Division III. Following the 2019-20 season, the Tommies have now compiled 38 consecutive winning seasons. Of those 38 winning seasons, 33 have resulted in a top-two finish in the MIAC standings. More recently, the Tommies have captured six regular-season conference championships in the last nine years.
“We’re thrilled to receive an invitation from the CCHA, as it’s poised to create one of the most competitive hockey conferences nationally,” said St. Thomas VP and director of athletics Dr. Phil Esten. “This gives us an opportunity to create strong regional intra-conference rivalries, face off against some of the most storied programs in college hockey, and develop a program that can skate with anyone in the country. Since the first conversation I had with Don Lucia, I believed this a great fit and am grateful we’ll be included in the inaugural year of the new CCHA.”
Todd Woodcroft comes to Vermont with a solid background in the NHL and in international competition (photo: thecoachessite.com).
Vermont has announced its 2020-21 coaching staff under first-year head coach Todd Woodcroft.
Jeff Hill will remain as an assistant coach, while former NHL and Colorado College defenseman Mark Stuart will begin his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach and Mike Babcock will join the Catamounts as a volunteer advisor to the coaching staff.
Hill returns for his sixth season on the men’s hockey staff.
“I have only known Jeff for a few months but I feel like I have worked alongside him for years,” said Woodcroft in a statement. “His passion for UVM Athletic success is tangible and his desire to make the men’s ice hockey team nationally relevant is admirable. He is diligent, demanding and harmonious. Our players are fortunate to have a person like Jeff who cares with every fiber of his being about their successes, both on and off the ice.”
Stuart is a veteran of 673 NHL games with Winnipeg, Boston and Atlanta and was a 2003 first-round draft pick (21st overall) of the Bruins.
“Often as a coach, you learn more from the players than they learn from you,” said Woodcroft. “Working with Mark in Winnipeg and watching him approach his career as if every day were his last was something that always stood out to me. When the process to hire a coaching staff began, the question started with a ‘what’ versus a ‘who.’ Mark hit every aspect of the ‘what’ and I know that his approach to this job will be reflective of everything I ever saw from Mark as a professional. He will earn the right to represent this team every single day. Players can expect to learn daily from Mark what it takes to be a professional, on and off the ice.”
Babcock is a veteran of over 1,300 NHL games behind the bench with Anaheim, Detroit and Toronto, winning a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008. He coached Team Canada on several occasions, winning a gold medal five times, two Olympics (2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi), one World Junior Championship (1997), one World Championship (2004) and one World Cup (2016).
Babcock’s role will be to serve as a resource for the coaching staff, lending his experience and perspective as “one of the top hockey minds in the world,” according to a press release.
“Mike and I have been connected for over 15 years (winning a gold medal together in 2004) and our network goes back even further to our McGill University experience,” said Woodcroft. “He is a premier coach across any athletic platform and as a coaching staff we are very fortunate to be able to draw from his experiences. Mike’s knowledge, his network and above all else, the modern lens he uses to look at the game of hockey will help accelerate the progression of our entire program.”
The final assistant coaching position has yet to be filled.
Boston College’s Alex Newhook celebrates a goal against UMass Lowell during a game between the Eagles and River Hawks on Feb. 7, 2020 (photo: Rich Gagnon).
Hockey East announced Wednesday its intent to play the 2020-21 men’s and women’s college hockey season while focusing on games between league members and the completion of a regular-season schedule.
Details regarding the new schedules, including a new start date and specifics of regular-season competition, will be released at a later date.
“Hockey East and its member institutions have been facing uncertain and unprecedented times and anticipate further challenges as the 2020-21 season approaches,” reads a statement. “Ensuring the health, safety, and physical and mental well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, on-ice officials, league staff, and school administrators has been and will continue to be the league’s top priority. Ultimately, Hockey East is committed to providing the best experience possible for its student-athletes.
“By emphasizing competition between Hockey East member institutions, the league allows itself to make significant and often difficult decisions in real time that will protect the health and safety of all parties involved in the administration of the conference schedule. Further, Hockey East’s geography allows the league to conduct conference competition, including the men’s and women’s championships, while mitigating non-essential travel and allowing maximum flexibility to adjust its schedule based on ever-changing developments and best medical practices surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Specifically, the league plans to construct multiple balanced schedule models for both the men’s and women’s leagues for the 2020-21 season. These models will include added safety measures and allow for maximum scheduling flexibility.”
In addition, Hockey East schools will continue to rely upon the most up-to-date medical information available to establish best protocols for a return to on-campus workouts and resocialization of athletes. These protocols will remain in full compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines while the conference office formalizes a league-wide return to play plan.
This plan will also account for all guidelines set forth in the NCAA Resocialization of College Sport publication.
“I am very excited to welcome Derek to our coaching staff,” Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to our program with his background and experience, both as a former Division I athlete as well as a professional player. I believe that Derek will make an immediate impact on our student-athletes with his knowledge, experience, hard work and passion.”
After a 10-year professional career, Whitmore spent last season as an assistant coach for the Bowdoin women’s hockey team.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Laker staff and the Mercyhurst community,” said Whitmore. “Coaching at the Division I level has always been something I wanted to do once my playing career came to an end, and I am truly grateful for this opportunity at Mercyhurst.
“First, I want to thank Marissa O’Neil for giving me an opportunity to coach with her. I learned a tremendous amount from her and what coaching at the collegiate level is all about. Thank you to all the student-athletes I had the luxury of coaching these last two seasons at Bowdoin as well as athletic director Tim Ryan and associate athletic director Alice Wiercinski and the rest of the athletic department. I also need to thank my wife Sarah for supporting me in this journey. When I retired in 2018, I knew I wanted to get into coaching and was fortunate to land at Bowdoin with the women’s team.”
Whitmore played four seasons at Bowling Green from 2004 to 2008 and finished with 102 career points on 70 goals and 32 assists.
His 10-year professional career spanned eight leagues including the NHL, where he played two games for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2011-12 season.
“There is such a rich tradition at Mercyhurst and within the men’s hockey program, and I am excited to help foster and develop the next wave of Lakers who come through Erie,” said Whitmore. “Rick and Greg [Gardner] have the program primed for some tremendous success in the near future, and I am looking forward to being a part of it and getting the opportunity to work with some great young men.”
New England College sophomore Connor Inger tallied 14 goals and 29 points in 26 games during the 2019-20 season (photo: New England College Athletics).
The NEHC has voted to postpone the 2020 portion of this season’s men’s and women’s conference schedule.
“The league is supportive of institutional autonomy regarding potential nonconference scheduling for the fall semester,” reads a statement. “NEHC members may also schedule contests against each other this fall, however, those games would not count for league standing purposes. The goal of this resolution is to provide each member institution with flexibility as it pertains to the fall semester portion of their schedule. Each member institution will provide its own update on the status of athletics, and specifically ice hockey, at their institution.”
In addition, the NEHC is “actively working through conference schedule models with member administrators and coaches that will maximize participation opportunities for all of the league’s student-athletes for contests occurring after January 1.”
Zoe Hickel has vast experience in the playing and coaching ranks, including stints skating with the U.S. National Women’s Team (photo: USA Hockey).
Ohio State announced Monday addition of Zoe Hickel as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team.
Hickel brings five years of professional playing and coaching experience, as well as two World Championships with Team USA to OSU.
“I am honored to be joining the women’s hockey program at Ohio State,” Hickel said in a statement. “The standard of excellence Coach (Nadine) Muzerall has established, along with the commitment from her staff and the student-athletes, has proven that the Buckeyes will continue to be leaders in the women’s game. I am at a perfect place in my life to use the experience and cultures I’ve absorbed over the years of elite play, coaching and world travel to give that back to our team and to embrace the opportunity to help make a difference in this next generation.”
Hickel is no stranger to the WCHA, serving as a two-year captain during her college career (2011-15) at Minnesota Duluth. She led the Bulldogs in scoring and was also named a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2014-15.
Hickel graduated from Minnesota Duluth with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a minor in Coaching.
“When hiring a coach you need to look at the complete package,” Muzerall said. “Yes, the X’s and O’s matter, but they only consume a small fraction of the everyday coaching of these young women. We are developing them to be strong-minded women for life after hockey. There was no one better for this then Zoe Hickel. Her resume speaks for itself in terms of experience playing in the top league in women’s college hockey, numerous years professionally after and representing her country’s colors on the U.S. National Team. She possesses the technical and tactical coaching but what you can’t read are the qualifications she owns that match our culture and what we are as Buckeyes.”
Following her time in Duluth, Hickel headed to Massachusetts to compete professionally for the NWHL’s Boston Pride. She earned a spot in the all-star game in both seasons and hoisted the NWHL Isobel Cup trophy in 2016.
The start of Hickel’s professional endeavors ran simultaneously alongside also playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team and assisting Merrimack integrate and thrive during its inaugural D-I season. While playing for Team USA, she seized the pair of World Championships and added four Nations Cup titles.
Hickel also spent two seasons in the CWHL, splitting time between the Kunlin Red Star, based in China (2017-18), and the Calgary Inferno (2018-19). In her final CWHL season, Hickel was a league All-Star, First Star in the Clarkson Cup championship game, and finished third in the league for plus-minus in a league that included 17 Olympians.
She also played a stint in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League with Linköping HC where she paced the squad in points, served as strength coach, and ran on-ice skill sessions for senior- and junior-level teams.
“Not only was she a great player, but she is kind-hearted, family-centered, determined to win and committed to developing and growing the women’s game while educating and serving as a role model for the next generation,” said Muzerall. “We are proud to welcome her into our family and call her a Buckeye.”
Mike Kemp, former Omaha hockey coach and current senior associate athletic director, signs an autograph for Michael Burns (left) during the team’s Frozen Four send-off ceremony April 6, 2015, in Omaha (photo: Michelle Bishop).
The NCAA announced today that Omaha senior associate athletic director Mike Kemp has been named chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee for the 2020-21 season.
Kemp will take over the role from Steve Metcalf, the new commissioner of Hockey East, whose committee term expires Sept. 1, 2020.
“It is truly an honor to be selected chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee,” Kemp said in a statement. “With the uncertainty of the pandemic, it will likely be a challenging year, but our entire committee has the best interest of the student-athletes at the forefront of all our decisions. We understand our role, and do not take it lightly as we will need to continue to ensure the Division I men’s hockey championship is one of the premier NCAA championships.”
Kemp’s time as chair will be his final year of a four-year term on the committee, serving as the representative from the NCHC. The Gustavus Adolphus alum has been also been active in the NCAA structure as a member of the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee.
He has been at Omaha since 1996 when he was named the head coach of the inaugural Mavericks hockey team. After 12 years at the helm of the hockey team, he transitioned into administration in 2009 where he currently oversees the hockey program as well as all facilities and event management.
Prior to coming to Omaha, Kemp spent a combined 20 years as an assistant coach at Gustavus Adolphus (1976-81), Illinois-Chicago (’82-83) and Wisconsin (’81-82, ’83-96), winning a national championship with the Badgers in 1990.
Wisconsin goalie Daniel Lebedeff looks for the puck as North Dakota’s Nick Jones tries to gain position in a Nov. 3, 2018 game at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. (photo: Bradley K. Olson).
Wisconsin goaltender Daniel Lebedeff is leaving the Badgers after two seasons to sign a two-year pro contract with HPK Hämeenlinna in his native Finland.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Lebedeff said not knowing if there will be a 2020-21 college hockey season due to the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in making his decision.
“Coach (Tony Granato) gave me a chance to come back to fight for the position but coming back just didn’t feel right for me,” Lebedeff said in the article.
“For Daniel’s position, yeah, he could have found a way to be a No. 1 again,” Granato added. “But he wasn’t going to have the net like we gave it to him the last two years. It was going to be a competition.”
Last season, Lebedeff went 12-14-0 with a 3.56 GAA, a .892 save percentage and one shutout. In 2018-19, he fashioned an 11-12-2 mark with a 3.42 GAA, .893 save percentage and a shutout.
The UCHC announced Friday that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the president’s council voted unanimously to postpone conference competition until Jan. 1, 2021, provided it is safe to resume at that time.
The conference has both a men’s and women’s hockey league.
“Institutions will have the ability to enrich the student-athlete experience by conducting athletic-related activities based on campus protocols and guidance from local health authorities at their discretion,” reads a statement. “Members may participate in non-conference competition should they deem it safe to do so. Should there be significant positive developments which may permit safe competition prior to January 1st, the UCHC council will reconvene to discuss resumption of conference play.
“The UCHC is in the process of modifying schedules to accommodate this decision and provide a meaningful conference experience for our student-athletes in the Winter of 2021.”
The 2020-21 season would be the fourth for the UCHC.
No Northeastern athletics events of any kind will take place on Election Day, Nov. 3, the school announced Friday.
In conjunction with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and newly-formed Northeastern University Black Athletic Caucus, Northeastern will suspend all athletics activities on that day in just one initiative of a larger list of social justice action items for the organization.
“Social justice is an issue that transcends the sports world,” said Northeastern director of athletics and recreation Jeff Konya in a news release. “This initiative is a way for Northeastern athletics to elevate awareness and action and to amplify the voices of our constituents by ensuring the time to vote.”
All previously scheduled games, practices, workouts and team-related events will no longer take place on Nov. 3.
“Northeastern is dedicated to giving its over 400 student-athletes the opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” reads the release.
“On November 3rd, we all have the opportunity to enact change, and SAAC’s goal is to help educate ourselves as student-athletes on this exact opportunity,” said SAAC president Sammy Shupe. “Voting is one of the best outlets to use our voice to create a difference. Thus this is why student-athletes can use time away from mandatory athletic activity on Election Day in order to have the opportunity to vote in an educated manner. We truly appreciate the support of the administration in this initiative to encourage student-athlete voting.”
“As black athletes at Northeastern, we appreciate our administration taking action by suspending athletics on Election Day,” said Mide Oriyomi and Mayowa Osunami, co-presidents of the NUBAC. “Voting will create the change that is necessary in our community. Collective action is key to social solidarity amongst our society. For that reason, we encourage every student-athlete to vote.”
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel has approved rules to allow student-athletes in all sports to wear patches on their uniforms for commemorative and memorial purposes, as well as to support social justice issues.
