Nova Scotia

University sport in Atlantic region to resume this fall

Atlantic University Sport plans to return in full starting in September. The regular season and championships were cancelled in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the conference intends to pursue a full season in 2021-22.

Pandemic cancelled 2020-21 season except for some exhibition play

The Acadia Axemen football team is seen in action in the 2017 Uteck Bowl game against the Western Mustangs. (Ted Pritchard/Canadian Press)

Atlantic University Sport plans to return in full starting in September.

The regular season and championships were cancelled in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the conference intends to pursue a full season in 2021-22.

"We couldn't be happier to announce our intention to return to sport this fall," AUS executive director Phil Currie said Wednesday in a media release.

"This will obviously be contingent upon the most up-to-date public health directives, but we are optimistic that things will continue to go in the right direction, and that our student-athletes will be back on the field of play this fall."

Football, soccer among fall sports

The conference's football schedule, which normally begins in August, will be modified. Other fall sports will run as they have in past seasons.

Winter sports are also expected to operate under their customary formats.

The conference intends to release the 2021-22 schedules and fall and winter championship dates and hosts next week.

"While we acknowledge this season likely won't look identical to pre-pandemic years, we all hope 2021-22 will look a lot more like the 2019-20 season than 2020-21," John Richard, UNB's athletic director who chaired the AUS return to play committee, said in the release.

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