RPI cancels 2020-21 hockey season

RPI announced Monday afternoon their hockey teams would not play in the 2020-21 season, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

They are the seventh of 12 ECAC teams to sit out the season, after the Ivy League schools said they would not play on Nov. 12 . Following their decision, the ECAC said in a tweeted statement they were “committed to conducting a season.”

This leaves five schools in the conference - Clarkson, Quinnipiac, Colgate, St. Lawrence, and Union. Clarkson and Quinnipiac are the only two schools to have announced games. The two will play a four games series over two weekends. On Nov. 9, after their Division III sports were cancelled, SLU said they intent to play hockey in the ECAC this season. Union, who plays in the same DIII conference as SLU, said no decision has been made on their schedule. Colgate has not updated on their plans.

RPI becomes the second individual Division I team to cancel their season, after RIT announced they would not play on Nov. 9.

Thus far, only two of the five conferences have announced plans to return to play. Hockey East is set to start on Nov. 20 with a conference-only season. However, this morning Vermont announced they were postponing their season until Dec. 18. The WCHA also announced the first month of their season, set to start on Nov. 20 too. However, St. Cloud State announced on Nov. 15 their first games were being postponed after eight people in the program tested positive in the last nine days.