CCSU will not play football this spring

There will be no football at Central Connecticut this spring, the university announced Thursday.

The decision to not play this spring was made after consultation with the university’s administration and football coaching staff, according to a release. Central Connecticut competes in the Northeast Conference along with Sacred Heart.

A Sacred Heart official said the university was currently planning to compete in spring football this year.

“We believe it is in the best interest of our University and football program to forego football competition this spring,” interim Director of Athletics Tom Pincince said in a release. “This decision was not an easy one, and we realize our student-athletes, coaches, and fans may be disappointed. To ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes and to best prepare for Fall 2021, our team will partake in their traditional spring practice, with the goal of entering the Fall 2021 season prepared to compete for another NEC title.”

The Blue Devils won a school-record 11 games in 2019, and advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the second time in school history. CCSU is 17-2 in NEC play the last three seasons, including a pair of unbeaten league seasons and two conference titles. The Blue Devils are 25-11 overall during that span.

“We are making this decision in the best interest of our student-athletes, the University and our football program as a whole,” head coach Ryan McCarthy said in a release. “Now we can focus solely on returning to spring practice and preparing for the Fall 2021 season and meeting our goal of winning another NEC title in the fall. We’re excited to get started and looking forward to getting to work.”

The Blue Devils will continue to abide by all health and safety protocols during the spring practice season, including COVID-19 testing and screening within all its athletics’ programs.