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Saturday’s football game against Michigan State has been canceled following positive COVID-19 tests for 15 Terp student-athletes and six staff members from Dec. 10-16, Maryland Athletics announced today.
The decision, including a pause for all team training activities, was made based on guidance and advice from university medical staff. The game will not be rescheduled.
Per Big Ten Conference protocols, all football student-athletes and football staff continue to undergo daily antigen testing. The positive student-athlete tests resulted in a Big Ten test positivity rate of 2.4%. Antigen tests conducted this morning resulted in three more presumptive positives. (Confirmatory PCR tests are pending.) The six positive cases among staff resulted in a population positivity rate of 12.4%. All positive individuals are now in designated isolation spaces, per health protocols.
“This has been a season of promise and of adversity,” said Head Coach Michael Locksley. “Our team has demonstrated a tremendous work ethic, resolve and displayed Maryland pride throughout this unique season. We have battled two opponents each week, the team we matched up with on the field and COVID. Together, we experienced tremendous highs and we are deeply disappointed that we will not be able to test ourselves on the field against Michigan State.”
As part of its gradual, phased approach to athletic training and competition, Maryland Athletics is partnering with the University Health Center to conduct regular COVID-19 testing. It worked with state, county and university health officials to develop appropriate protocols in the event of positive test results, including education, contact identification and tracing, and self-isolation.
Between Nov. 10 and Dec. 15, the University Health Center conducted 2,340 on-campus screening tests for student-athletes. A total of 36 student-athletes have tested positive. Cumulatively, Athletics has tallied 7,671 tests, with 154 positive results.
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