The University of Massachusetts announced Tuesday the cancellation of its 2020 football season. “After consulting with university, state and public health officials, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 UMass football season,” said Athletic Director Ryan Bamford said.Bamford said the school made the decision to cancel the season after consulting with university, state and public health officials. "We have been in constant communication with university leadership and our football staff since March, with the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff remaining our top priority. The continuing challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic posed too great of a risk, and we reached the conclusion that attempting to play a season would not have placed the members of our program in the safest situation possible," Bamford said. Football student-athletes will remain enrolled in coursework full-time, either virtually or in-person, in line with the University of Massachusetts’ update to its fall reopening plan, which was announced last week.Football team members began returning to campus for team activities in late June with extensive health and safety protocols in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. During the past seven weeks, the program had one positive test with more than 600 COVID-19 tests administered, the school said. "I am absolutely heartbroken for our players, our former players, our alumni and our UMass football community,” Head Coach Walt Bell said. “Our job as coaches and mentors is to provide opportunities for our players and do everything in our power to not take them away. Today’s news was devastating, but we will be resilient and prepared to be our best when our best is required." UMass football did not complete its spring practice regiment or host its spring game due to the NCAA’s cancellation of athletic activities in March.