Texas Schools Among College Campuses Reporting Coronavirus Cases Within Their Athletic Programs
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDW.COM/CNN) - The list of athletics programs at colleges and universities across the country reporting coronavirus cases is growing.
From Auburn University to the University of Central Florida, dozens of athletes have tested positive after returning to campus in recent weeks, prompting questions about the possibility of some college sports returning when the fall semester begins.
The NCAA began to allow voluntary athletics activities in all Division I sports in June, and the organization has said that all the formats, timelines and previously determined sites for fall championships remain unchanged.
"We continue to acknowledge the ongoing uncertainty about the spread of the virus and the different actions and approaches states are taking to address it may cause modifications to be made to the playing and practice seasons and the championships as matters progress," Lynda Tealer, Division I Competition Oversight Committee chair, said in a release.
"Further, we will remain nimble to react to a fluid and unpredictable environment in ways that protect the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and spectators," she said.
See the list of impacted schools below:
Texas Tech
The athletic department on Monday confirmed recent positive tests for COVID-19 within the men's basketball program. It did not provide a number of affected athletes.
University of Houston
Voluntary workouts for student-athletes at the University of Houston have been suspended, according to a news release. The university said the decision was made on Friday after six athletes tested positive for COVID-19. The growing number of cases in the city of Houston was also a consideration.
"The impacted students have been placed in isolation and contact tracing procedures have been initiated following protocol," the statement said. "As was contemplated prior to the return of student-athletes on June 1, UH Athletics is adapting its protocols to include repetitive COVID-19 testing as a component of any resumption of workouts on campus."
Arkansas State
Seven athletes from three of the school's sports programs tested positive in early June. All were asymptomatic and would remain in quarantine for 14 days, the university said.
Auburn University
Three football players from the university in Alabama tested positive, an Auburn athletics spokesperson confirmed to CNN. The three athletes were asymptomatic and placed in self-isolation in a dorm away from the rest of the team.
Florida State University
At least one football player tested positive for the virus, a spokesman for the program said Tuesday. The spokesman believed specific numbers could not be given out due to privacy protections.
Iowa State University
The university reported one new case of COVID-19.
Marshall University
The West Virginia school announced it had several athletes test positive for COVID-19.
Oklahoma State University
Kevin Klintworth, senior associate athletic director, said in early June that three student-athlete tests resulted in "asymptomatic positives." More than 150 student-athletes, staff and administration members were tested during the athletic department's reopening protocol.
Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, one of the three players, announced on Twitter he had tested positive after attending a protest in Tulsa -- but was not making the assumption that he was infected at the rally.
After announcing on social media about testing positive Amen tweeted - "My purpose of releasing that information was not to conclude that I contracted the virus at the protest, but to make people aware it's still out there. I was completely asymptomatic and unaware I had it but I felt it was necessary to increase the awareness that there may be many more people like myself out there. Thankfully, I have protected myself to possibly curb the spread. I wanted to continue to encourage people still protesting to do the same."
Ogbongbemiga was one of 30 players on the football team to return to campus.
University of Alabama
Several University of Alabama football players tested positive for coronavirus in early June, according to multiple reports, including Sports Illustrated and AL.com.
University of Central Florida
Of the 60 football players that returned to campus, three tested positive for coronavirus. The UCF Athletics Department said the student-athletes were in isolation but did not give details on their condition.
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa Athletics Department said it has had three positive COVID-19 tests since testing of student-athletes, coaches and staff began in late May.
The people who tested positive must go into isolation, according to protocol established by the department and medical staff.
This list will be updated.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The CNN Wire™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company contributed to this report.)
