Matt Johnson
As student-athletes across the country begin settling back onto campus and working out with their teammates, COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing. Now, the University of Florida has become the latest school to see a spike in the coronavirus.
11 Florida student-athletes test positive for coronavirus
Just a week after the LSU Tigers and Clemson reported more than 40 combined cases of the coronavirus, the Florida Gators revealed their own numbers on Tuesday.
Following a report from Sports Illustrated’s Zach Goodall that 11 student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19, the University of Florida confirmed it.
On June 9, over a week after the NCAA allowed student-athletes to return for voluntary workouts, the Gators said none of their football players tested positive. However, with players now training together, the coronavirus is quickly spreading in a state that is now reporting more than 100,000 total cases.
COVID-19 cases among student-athletes
The NCAA voted in May to lift its moratorium on voluntary athletic activities beginning on June 1. While it represented a significant step toward collegiate sports this fall, it led to a series of outbreaks at major programs.
- Texas Longhorns announce 13 football players test positive for COVID-19
- The University of Colorado announced two of its players tested positive this week
- Six student-athletes at the University of Houston contracted the virus
- Two Kansas State football players worked out with teammates while they had the coronavirus
There still seems to be plenty of hope for a college football season in 2020, but there is likely less optimism than a month ago. Even if teams are allowed in the stadiums, though, it’s far from a guarantee that fans will be allowed in.
