New York Tech announced on Thursday that the school’s athletics programs will be suspended for at least two years.
The drastic move was “due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the costs associated with it,” according to a school release. The release also noted that the school will “re-evaluate the decision to suspend its participation in NCAA competition” at a future date.
University president Hank Foley said in a statement, “We have a rich legacy in competitive sports and are proud of everything our student-athletes have accomplished over the years. We thank everyone involved in our athletics program for their spirit, dedication, and professionalism. For the next two years, unfortunately, we will no longer be competing with our peers in the East Coast Conference (ECC) and NCAA Division II.”
The Bears’ softball program was just three games into their 2020 season, and owned a 2-1 record, when the COVID-19 pandemic prematurely ended the campaign. The squad posted a 19-24 overall record during their last full season of play in 2019.
Former Kutztown standout Katie Lynch Apostolopoulos recently began her third year as head softball coach for the Bears; her coaching staff for the 2020 season included Manhattanville College alum Aarin Hartenstein and former UMass great Jena Cozza.
