New York—CBS Channel 2 News has reported that the YU men’s tennis team, the Maccabees, in Division III, was almost eliminated from the NCAA Tennis Tournament, because all three of  the division matches were scheduled for Shabbos afternoon.  YU has earned a number of championships, but this is the first time in 128 years that one of the teams has advanced to this point. Early on, the school had informed NCAA officials that the boys would not suit up on Shabbos, under any circumstances.

“All indications so far are that they understand how firm and strict we are about the rule,” said coach Iran Miller. Jeremy Seftel, the team captain told CBS. “We know we stand for the Jewish people. We’re not allowed to play on Saturday.”

NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham said religion is taken seriously and is going to be accommodated. “The NCAA adjusts for schools that do not play on Sundays. Yeshiva is the first case, as far as we know, that we’ve adjusted for a Saturday,” she said in a statement. The Maccabees received their tournament schedule early Monday evening. They’ll play Skidmore College Thursday afternoon instead of Saturday, which is when it was originally scheduled.

If they advance, the Maccabees would play their second-round match on Friday afternoon.

The Maccabees beat Mount Saint Mary’s College 5-1 to earn a berth in the national tournament.