College hockey fans will have to likely wait late into the Fall to see their favorite teams take the ice.
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) and Atlantic Hockey were among 11 Division I hockey conferences to push back the start of their 2020-21 season Thursday afternoon.
"The health and safety of all involved across the campus communities, particularly our student-athletes, is the top priority," said NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton. "We fully expect NCHC hockey to be back this season. As COVID-19 continues to have an impact on higher education, we have an obligation to host athletic competitions in a safe and responsible manner. We are committed to doing everything we conceivably can to provide competitive experiences that our student-athletes deserve. This delay affords us valuable time to continue formulating plans to start the season successfully."
Locally, the decision will force a delayed start for both the Colorado College and Air Force programs. Currently, there are several scheduling models and start dates being considered.
While each conference could have a different opening weekend, mid-to-late November seems to be a realistic time table for the majority of NCAA hockey.
