With rising COVID-19 cases adding extra wrinkles to NCAA competition, the Ivy League announced Thursday night it would cancel winter sports and postpone spring sports through February 2021. Last spring, the Ivy League was the first major Division I conference to cancel sports once the threat of the pandemic became a reality.

Joint Statement from the Ivy League Council of Presidents.

» https://t.co/AHOsAEznUt pic.twitter.com/XJJS3JT1pW

— The Ivy League (@IvyLeague) November 12, 2020

"The unanimous decisions by the Ivy League Council of Presidents follow extended consideration of options and strategies to mitigate the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, an analysis of current increasing rates of COVID-19 — locally, regionally and nationally — and the resulting need to continue the campus policies related to travel, group size and visitors to campus that safeguard the campus and community," a press release from the Ivy League said.
 
"Athletics training opportunities and practices for enrolled student-athletes will be permitted, provided they are structured in accordance with each institution’s procedures and applicable state and local regulations. This approach is consistent with the phased approach implemented by the Ivy League for all sports in the fall 2020 term."

The Ivy League landscape was already set to be quite different than where it was left last spring. Several notable players — Michael Sowers chief among them — transferred to other institutions because of Ivy League traditions regarding graduate students in athletics. 

US Lacrosse Magazine reported in September that 19 Princeton women's lacrosse players would sit out the spring season and re-enroll the following year because of ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

It remains to be seen if other conferences will follow suit in delaying the spring season.

Stay tuned to USLaxMagazine.com for more information as it becomes available.