Teams return to play after coronavirus pandemic-forced hiatus
Norwich University’s sports teams eagerly returned to action as coronavirus restrictions eased and vaccinations rolled out. Here’s a chronological 2021 recap.
Feb. 27: Women’s ice hockey and women’s basketball compete in first intercollegiate athletic contests in nearly 11 months after COVID-19 pandemic-forced hiatus.
Mar. 6: Men’s ice hockey’s NCAA all-levels shutout streak finally ends against Castleton University.
Castleton's Stone Stelzl scored in the game’s final four minutes, snapping a streak that spanned 730:26 of ice time and 11 shutouts and 407 calendar days. Until Stelzl scored, Norwich hadn’t ceded a goal since Jan. 24, 2020.
The previous record for consecutive shutout minutes by a NCAA Division III men's ice hockey team was the 2005-06 St. Norbert squad that held a streak of 337:22. The 2019-20 and 2020-21 Norwich men's hockey teams combined to more than double it.
Apr. 18: Baseball wins six straight games for first time since 1989.
May 8; Men’s lacrosse makes Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship.
May 10: Athletics Director Tony Mariano announces retirement for spring 2022.
Sept. 3: Fall sports return; Norwich hosts first-ever night football game.
Sept. 11: Kathryn Farnum becomes volleyball all-time kills leader.
Sept. 18/Oct 2: Norwich football retains The Mug and Sap Bucket in trophy game wins against U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Castleton University.
Oct. 30/Nov. 13: India Jones wins Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Championship, becomes Norwich’s first female all-region runner since 1983.
Nov. 2: Joseph Thongsythavong sets single-season men’s soccer goals scored record.
Nov. 10: Fourth annual Maroon & Gold Challenge raises $128,000 for Norwich Athletics
Dec. 12: Men’s rugby places third at NCR Division II National Championships
Norwich won its fifth straight conference 15s championship and punched its ticket to its sixth overall Division II national tournament appearance. The Cadets won the Northeast Regional in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with wins over Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University. Norwich fell to Adrian College in the semifinals, before rebounding to beat University of Northern Iowa in the third-place game to finish third for the third time in program history.
EXPLORE:
READ MORE:
- Presidential inauguration, symposiums for military writers and military academies lead year’s events calendar
- Norwich University named several key administrators to lead its charge
- Dr. Mark Anarumo takes over as Norwich’s 24th president, leading empathetically
