While college athletics are attempting to operate in this pandemic-stricken environment, there have proven to be setbacks all over the country. Unfortunately, the University of Louisville is not immune to these setbacks. Four fall sports have been forced to halt workouts due to positive Covid-19 tests within each program.
Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, and Field Hockey are the four programs effected. A total of 29 members from the four programs tested positive and forced the pause. The source of the infections, according to the university, was an off-campus party.
Unfortunately, there are an unknown number of student-athletes that were potentially exposed to the virus and are in quarantine outside of the 29 that actually tested positive. However, they have not tested positive themselves as yet. They were identified through the university’s contact tracing protocol.
The suspension of activities for these four programs began on August 3rd. Team members of these programs that did not test positive and were not identified as having been potentially exposed during contact tracing efforts will be permitted to return to workouts on August 10th. This return is pending Covid-19 test results, of course.
While this is discouraging news to all of us who hope to be able to watch our favorite collegiate athletic program perform in different sports, it is encouraging that the safety protocols appear to be working as expected. It’s going to be a very interesting to see how college athletics continue to try and operate in this strange new world.
Read more about this pause in these programs for UofL in their press release below.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:
UofL Pauses Workouts For Four Fall Sports Programs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville has temporarily suspended all team-related activities for the fall sports of men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball. The decision was made after 29 members of the four teams tested positive for COVID-19 while multiple other teammates and student-athletes from other sports were potentially exposed to the virus and remain in quarantine due to contact tracing.
Following department policies and protocols, the primary source of the positive tests, and its exposure, was traced primarily to an off-campus party. Though all student-athletes have been well-educated about the dangers of social gatherings to themselves and to others, UofL leaders have again reinforced the necessity to adhere to state, local, and Center for Disease Control (CDC) medical guidelines and procedures for the health and safety of all.
Team members from the four sports programs who have not tested positive or been identified through contact tracing may be permitted to return to workouts on campus beginning Monday, Aug. 10, pending testing results. The suspension of activities began on Monday, Aug. 3.
