Maryland Suspends Voluntary Workouts After Nine Positive COVID-19 Cases
Maryland announced that voluntary, individual training for the football program has been temporarily suspended. Maryland announced that out of 185 student-athletes and staff, nine student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19.
“These nine student-athletes and staff have been notified and are currently in self-isolation, monitored by university health officials. Contact tracing is ongoing through the Prince George’s County Health Department and all identified individuals will follow a mandated 14-day self-observation period, under the supervision of university health officials.”
Maryland had no confirmed cases during their June testing of 105 student-athletes as the program reinforced that they will “publicly release the aggregate number of positive tests at regular intervals.”
Maryland joins Louisville, NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State and Wisconsin to report new cases this week as schools followed with suspending their respective workouts. News broke on Saturday, just two days following the Big Ten's decision to scrap non-conference games as they move forward with a conference-only slate in 2020.
"While Big Ten member institutions continue to rely on the most up-to-date medical information to establish the best protocols for voluntary workouts on their campuses, in compliance with local and state regulations, the Conference is working with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee to finalize Conference-wide protocols," the Big Ten said in a statement.
"As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts, we are also prepared not to play in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate."
The Pac-12 followed the Big Ten's suit, while the ACC and Big 12 both announced on Friday that a decision to play this fall would come in late July. Meanwhile, Notre Dame's athletic director said on Wednesday that he believes it's "less likely" the season starts on time.
Stay tuned for more on this breaking story.
