FOR THE COMMON GOOD

Women’s soccer has taken advantage of their virtual season this fall to raise over $40,000 for different organizations around New England. Beginning with a virtual 5K for Maine Inside Out, an organization that reaches out to those who have been incarcerated and experienced structural racism, the team raised almost $3,000 in partnership with the volleyball team. Then, recent alum Lizze Sands ’20 ran the virtual Boston Marathon this fall in support of Boston Children’s Hospital. She raised just over $7,000 for the Miles for Miracles program there. Finally, sisters Morgen ’20 and Shannon ’22 Gallagher participated in the Pan-Mass Challenge with their family and friends and raised over $30,000 for the Dana-Farber Medical Institute.

PUNTING IT

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) had to postpone four college football games this week due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks that decreased the number of eligible players on four teams. The games canceled were matchups between the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University (LSU), Auburn University and Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University and the University of Tennessee and the University of Georgia and the University Missouri. Despite being shaken by these postponements, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is optimistic that the SEC will be able to finish out the season and play a championship game. Amid growing COVID-19 outbreaks, the SEC, and college football in general, remains committed not to forming bubbles for playoffs.

HOLIDAY BASKETBALL

This past week, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Board of Governors unanimously approved an agreement to have a shortened, 72-game 2020-21 season, which cleared the way for further discussions about finances and rule changes. This agreement, brought to the Board of Governors by the National Basketball Players Association, means that the 2020-21 season will begin December 22, with training camps opening December 1. The agreement also planned to open free agency November 20, just two days after the 2020 NBA Draft. Unlike in previous years, the free agency window is very small, and the shortened off-season is expected to be jammed with activity and movement over Thanksgiving week.