Marquette pauses basketball team activities; 2 positive for COVID-19
MILWAUKEE - Marquette University's men's and women's basketball teams have paused all team activities after one person within each program tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release.
The pause is effective immediately and will last for 14 days. Student-athletes and select staff will quarantine and may return Nov. 4. Forty-five people associated with both programs were tested for COVID-19.
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"We have talked as a team on multiple occasions about keeping our focus on what we are able to control when it comes to the impact COVID-19 has had on our lives," head men's basketball coach Steve Wojciechowski said. "While there are so many uncertainties with the virus, one action we are able to control is our response to the test results and our efforts as a program to keep everyone associated as healthy and safe as possible."
Since Aug. 28, Marquette Athletics said it has conducted 809 tests of student-athletes and staff, with a total of just eight positive cases. Contact tracing as a result of testing has led to the pause of team activities in a number of programs this fall.
"We appreciate our entire community's efforts to help keep Marquette Athletics and our student-athletes healthy," head women's basketball coach Megan Duffy said. "Despite the setback, we are extremely excited to start the season and look forward to being back on the court soon."
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Statement from Bill Scholl, vice president and director of Marquette athletics:
"Our student-athletes and staff members have been doing a tremendous job in relation to following university and NCAA COVID-19 protocols and that effort has been reflected in our department's low positivity rate.
"The actions we are taking surrounding the basketball programs are a proactive measure aimed at stopping the potential for increased infection, with the health and safety of everyone involved our highest priority."
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