New Rivier baseball coach Louie Bernardini, whose team has been practicing, will be able to start playing games by month's end thanks to the GNAC approving a limited spring sports schedule. (Photo courtesy of Rivier University)

NASHUA – There will be a spring sports season at Rivier University.

That became apparent after Monday’s decision by the Great Northeast Athletic Conference allowing a limited spring season.

Rivier athletic director Joanne Merrill said the school will try to have its first athletic contests likely the weekend of March 27, although things are still in the planning stages.

The Raiders will compete in baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s lacrosse. Men’s volleyball, due to its indoor nature, will not have a season; that sport usually starts in late January anyway and goes to early to mid-April, and the GNAC was not allowing games during that period.

Merrill has been in meetings the last couple of days going over testing protocols, etc. and hopes to have a game schedule early next week or beyond.

“Some schools can’t travel, or some schools can only travel a certain distance, etc.,” she said, “so there’s a lot to sort out.”

But, while complicated with testing, etc., Merrill says the school is thrilled to be able to compete after last year’s spring season was cancelled after about three weeks in, and there were no games this past fall and winter.

No fans, however, will be allowed at any of the games, per GNAC rules/protocols. Athletes will most likely be required to wear masks.

“We’re totally happy,” she said. “It’s great for our athletes who didn’t play last spring, but also for our freshmen who likely had their high school senior seasons cancelled last spring. Not to play a second year in a row would have been terrible.”

The GNAC member school presidents met on Monday and voted for the limited spring season. The conference issued the following statement:

“With the health and well-being of student-athletes and campus communities remaining the top priority, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Presidents’ Council has voted to authorize limited conference play for spring sports,” the statement said.

The GNAC also empowered schools to schedule out of conference and will decide later whether there will be any conference tournaments.

“Due to varying state-by-state guidelines and because the GNAC’s 13 core members represent all six New England states, schools shall retain the autonomy to opt out altogether or schedule local non-conference competition as they see fit,” the GNAC statement said. “Finalized schedules are not yet public and opportunities for postseason play will be evaluated by league administrators throughout the season.”

Testing protocols, the conference said, will follow NCAA guidelines.

“All testing and safety procedures for conference play will meet or exceed NCAA recommendations as outlined by the NCAA Sport Science Institute,” the GNAC statement said. “Games will be conducted under an agreed-upon set of protocols including the stipulation that spectators will not be allowed.”

In any event, schools like Rivier will be happy to get back on the field.

“It’s going to be,” Merrill said, “a nice spring.”