By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

In what has become an epidemic in college sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic, another school has cancelled its 2020 fall athletic seasons, taking the men’s and women’s soccer programs with it.

Monroe Community College of Rochester has announced it has susepnded all fall semester sport activing, director of athletics Aaron Bouyea said on Saturday.

Both programs have enjoyed a high level of success over the years.

That included training and competition for soccer, volleyball, basketball, and swimming/diving as well as the suspension of all non-traditional practice and competition in the sports of baseball, lacrosse, and softball.

Tribune women’s coach Sal Galvano was saddened by the cancellation, but understood the health and safety of the student-athletics came first.

“I know this is hard for all the student-athletes, coaches and the college community,” he said. “But after going through all the return to play guidelines, there were more questions than answers on how to really keep our student athletes safe in competition and travel. Although heartbreaking for all, this is the right thing to do at the moment. Hopefully, we can look to a return to play in the spring in some way.”

“Over the past months, much of my time and energy has been spent discussing, planning, and educating myself and others on return to play guidelines,” Bouyea said in a letter on the school’s athletics website. “As I am sure you are well aware, these conversations are not just happening on our campus but on every campus across the country.

“At the heart of every one of these discussions has been the health, well-being, and safety of not just our student-athletes, coaches, and staff but the entire MCC community. After close review, even the most well planned return to play policies and protocols cannot stop the spread of the virus. I know this is heartbreaking. Even though the competitor in me says “let’s play,” I do stand with the decision of the college.”

At least four colleges have suspended their fall athletic programs, which include men’s and women’s soccer – The College of New Jersey, Williams College, Bowdoin College, and now MCC.

In this shaky financial and health-conscious environment, who’s next?

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.