More universities report coronavirus cases in athletics programs

Several universities this week joined a growing list of schools reporting coronavirus cases within their athletic programs.

Arkansas State reported that seven athletes from three sports programs tested positive last Wednesday. They were all asymptomatic and will remain in quarantine for 14 days, the university said.

Three football players from Auburn University in Alabama tested positive, an Auburn athletics spokesperson confirmed to CNN. The three athletes are asymptomatic and have been placed in self-isolation in a dorm away from the rest of the team.

The Texas Tech 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.

The University of Iowa athletics department said out of the 237 Covid-19 tests administered to staff and athletes since May 29, one person has tested positive.

Marshall University and Oklahoma State University announced they’ve each had several athletes test positive. And Iowa State University reported one new case.

At least one Florida State football player tested positive for the virus, a spokesman for the program told CNN Tuesday. The spokesman believed specific numbers could not be given out due to HIPAA protections.

Of the 60 football players that returned to the University of Central Florida’s campus last week, three have tested positive for coronavirus. The UCF Athletics Department said the student-athletes are now in isolation but did not give details on their current condition.

The new cases come after multiple reports surfaced last week that at least five players on the University of Alabama football team tested positive for the virus.

Kevin Klintworth, senior associate athletic director at Oklahoma State University, said Wednesday 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.

Oklahoma State linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, one of the three players, announced on Twitter he had tested positive after attending a protest in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“After attending a protest in Tulsa AND being well protective of myself, I have tested positive for COVID-19. Please, if you are going to protest, take care of yourself and stay safe,” he tweeted.

He was one of 30 players on the football team to return to campus last Monday.