Spread Respect Nights Highlight America East's Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
BOSTON – Continuing its dedication to fostering leadership on and off the field, the America East Conference and its member institutions will again sponsor #SpreadRespect nights at select games this fall.
#SpreadRespect games, formerly branded You Can Play Nights, were created with the purpose of furthering awareness and education to ensure equality, respect and safety for all athletes without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity. That respect also extends to race, ethnicity, gender, religion and more.
“We are proud to be a leader and trailblazer among collegiate conferences when it comes to creating conversation and promoting awareness around diversity and inclusion,” said America East Commissioner, Amy Huchthausen. “Our #SpreadRespect events highlight the dedication our member institutions’ student-athletes, coaches and staffs show towards respecting everyone, regardless of who they are or what they believe in.”
| America East Spread Respect Events - Fall 2017 |
| Date |
Time |
Sport |
Home |
Away |
| Sept. 30 |
7pm |
Men's Soccer |
UMBC |
New Hampshire |
| Oct. 5 |
7pm |
Women's Soccer |
Albany |
Hartford |
| Oct. 7 |
5pm |
Men's Soccer |
UMass Lowell |
Stony Brook |
| Oct. 8 |
1pm |
Women's Soccer |
UMBC |
Hartford |
| Oct. 20 |
3pm |
Field Hockey |
Maine |
UMass Lowell |
| Oct. 20 |
7pm |
Volleyball |
Binghamton |
Albany |
| Oct. 21 |
7pm |
Men's Soccer |
Vermont |
UMBC |
| Oct. 27 |
7pm |
Volleyball |
New Hampshire |
Binghamton |
| Nov. 3 |
6:30pm |
Volleyball |
Stony Brook |
UMass Lowell |
| Nov. 9 |
6pm |
Volleyball |
Hartford |
New Hampshire |
| Nov. 10 |
7pm |
Volleyball |
UMBC |
UMass Lowell |
This fall, America East unveiled a new 30-second institutional spot, featuring student-athletes asking friends, fans and teammates to #SpreadRespect.
America East has conducted You Can Play nights since 2014 after becoming the first Division I Conference to partner with the organization in 2012. Since then, the conference has helped further You Can Play’s mission by sponsoring a speaker series and locker-room campaigns on its members' campuses in addition to You Can Play nights and creating videos to educate the general public. In 2016, America East’s You Can Play nights were featured in USA Today.
The conference also partnered with LGBT SportSafe in 2016, becoming the first conference in the organization’s Founders’ Club, and sponsored educational programming on each of its campuses.
More #SpreadRespect events will take place during the winter and spring seasons, with the next ones taking place at basketball games between Jan. 27 and Feb. 11.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
- #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete -