No Coronavirus Cases Detected During UW Athletic Facilities Reopening

The school's athletic training staff tested the first phase of returning athletes on Monday and the results were encouraging.

With covid coronavirus cases popping up in college football programs across the country, the University of Washington reports no positive findings so far as it brings its athletes back on campus.

The school screened 80 athletes on Monday, not specifying how many were football players, and none were shown to have the virus, an athletic department spokesperson said on Thursday.

In all, Washington has more than 650 athletes in its different sports and there have been no coronavirus cases reported while they have been away from school, said head trainer Rob Scheidegger, the UW head trainer who's heading up the school's virus response. 

He expressed the importance of keeping everywhere healthy, both the athletes and others such as coaches, administrators and fans. 

"We're going to have to make the best decisions we have," Scheidegger said in a recent interview. "It's super important for our society. From a generate wellness and healthful standpoint, this is a balance between meaningful."

The University of Texas disclosed this week that 13 football players have tested positive. Oklahoma State has told its freshmen not to report for football workouts because of virus findings with upperclassmen. Alabama has indicated it has a half-dozen players who are positive. 

In the accompanying video, Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger takes a look at the national developments in reopening university athletic facilities. 

Washington is bringing its athletes back in phases, up to a 100 in the first round. The training staff will make them use one entry to the facilities, sign in and be tested. The system is heavy on monitoring each person and his or her health.

The staff has set up a half-dozen weight-training stations in the concourses of Husky Stadium to promote social distancing and enable more athletes to train at one time in wide-open spaces.

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