Sept. 13, 2001
The Patriot League directors of athletics, after two conference calls, have agreed that the decision to contest athletic events through this weekend will be determined by each institution.
"The national tragedy has had a tremendous impact on all of our Patriot League institutions," said Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich. "We share a deep sense of grief for those who have lost loved ones, and we're concerned for all who have been affected by this week's attacks on New York City, Washington D.C. and western Pennsylvania.
"Understanding that there is not a right or wrong way to deal with such a tragedy, the League has decided that decisions regarding the playing of athletic events will be left to the discretion of our member institutions.
"We recognize that there are mixed feelings about the appropriate response to such events, and believe that our institutions are in the best position to determine the proper course of action for their campus community. The Patriot League respects and supports their institutional decisions," Femovich said.
American, Army, Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Navy have announced the cancellation of their full slate of events through Sunday. Other full-member institutions - Colgate and Lehigh - have indicated their current plans are to compete, although they continue to review their situations.
The large majority of events scheduled through Sunday are non-League contests. All eight of Saturday's Patriot League football games were against non-League opponents, and will likely not be rescheduled.
As of 3 p.m. Friday, all eight football games have been postponed.
The schedules for the weekend are available on the team and sport pages of the Patriot League web site.
The Patriot League, an NCAA Division I athletics conference founded on the principle of admitting athletes who are academically representative of their class, is in its second decade of academic and athletic excellence. Participation in intercollegiate athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of the undergraduate experience. A successful Division I-AA football conference since 1986 and an all-sport conference since 1990, membership includes American, Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy, while seven additional institutions hold associate membership. Patriot League member institutions are among the oldest and most prestigious in the nation, graduating alumni who are well prepared for life with the ability to make meaningful contributions to their community and society in general. In the most recent NCAA Graduation Rate Report of student-athletes, the Patriot League ranked FIRST among NCAA Division I conferences.