SYRACUSE, N.Y. – With the priority being the health and safety of students and staff at member institutions, the Northeast Women's Hockey League has made the difficult decision to cancel its 2020-21 conference schedule and league championship.

The conference announced the decision on Friday, Oct. 23.

"The priority must be to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes as well as the members of our campuses and communities," Tom DiCamillo, commissioner of the NEWHL, explained. "We are disappointed in having to make this decision and feel for our student-athletes; however, our intention is to stay safe and united as a league, and prepare for the 2021-22 season."

The NEWHL is an NCAA Division III women's ice hockey league featuring seven SUNY-based institutions:  Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh and Potsdam.

The conference transitioned from the ECAC West to the NEWHL in 2017-18 and competed for two seasons as a five-team league (Buffalo State, Cortland, Oswego, Plattsburgh and Potsdam). In 2019-20, Canton and Morrisville joined the NEWHL bringing the total number of schools to seven to secure a permanent NCAA Division III automatic qualifier in the national championship tournament.