DATE: September 13, 2001 - 11:55 p.m.

NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware announced late Thursday evening that, in light of the tragedies in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania this past week, it will cancel all athletic events scheduled for this weekend, Director of Athletics Edgar N. Johnson said.

The University had announced earlier Thursday that its men's soccer game vs. Lehigh Friday, its field hockey game vs. Ohio University Saturday, its women's soccer team's tournament at Weber State this weekend, and its women's volleyball tournament at Liberty University this weekend were all cancelled or postponed.

With Thursday's later announcement, the Delaware vs. West Chester football game scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled. Events tentatively postponed are the UD men's soccer game vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Sunday at 2 p.m., the women's soccer team's home game vs. Virginia Commonwealth Sunday at 11 a.m., and the men's and women's Delaware Invitational cross country meet Saturday morning at White Clay Creek State Park.

Any rescheduled contests will be announced later. Next week's athletic events are expected to resume as normal.

"It has become more and more evident that numerous intercollegiate athletics programs and professional sports organizations across the country are rethinking whether to compete this weekend in light of the national tragedies that took place earlier this week," said Johnson. "We did not want our student-athletes and coaches to be seen as uncaring, unsympathetic, or unpatriotic towards the families of those who were affected by these tragedies. Perhaps it is best for us to reflect at this time."

All football games involving Atlantic 10 Conference teams were cancelled for this weekend although the New Hampshire and Hofstra game has been tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 27.

The Delaware football team is scheduled to host the University of Massachusetts next Saturday, Sept. 22, at Delaware Stadium at 7 p.m. Massachusetts' game vs. Richmond scheduled for this Saturday was cancelled on Wednesday.