IOWA;
The Iowa football program has been taking unprecedented measures to try and limit the spread of the coronavirus since players returned to campus June 8, and there’s been good news and bad news — depending on your perspective.
Let’s start with the bad. Within the athletics department, positive tests are on the rise. According to figures released each Monday by the university, there were 22 positive tests out of 97 conducted (a 22.7% positivity rate) between June 15 and July 12. Up until June 14, there were only three positive tests and 343 negatives (a 0.9% positive rate). The university doesn’t specify which sports have been affected or whether the positive tests are for athletes or staff.
There are silver linings, as mentioned. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said that although there have been some positive cases, none have been serious.
“If there are any positives at this point, the symptoms have been relatively minor. Nobody has really been affected greatly. No hospitalizations, those types of things,” Ferentz said in a news conference just outside the north end zone of Kinnick Stadium. “That’s been good. We’re getting good medical support.”
Nebraska; 6/29, Multiple Nebraska student athletes have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The University of Nebraska athletic department confirmed to KETV NewsWatch 7 that five Nebraska football players have tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the athletic department, a staff member of the football team tested positive for the coronavirus. Two other student athletes also tested positive.
About 250 members of the Nebraska athletic department, athletes and staff, have been tested multiple times in the past three months.
The school has not issued a statement or provided any further information.
Minnesota; 7/1, The Gophers athletic department announced Tuesday night that seven student-athletes from multiple sports have tested positive for COVID-19, putting Minnesota in line with the testing numbers recently reported by other Big Ten schools.
With Gophers student-athletes returning to their facilities for voluntary workouts this month, the department administered 170 tests, per a release.
Most of the football team is back on campus, anticipating beginning official activities July 13.
Men’s and women’s basketball, soccer and volleyball are also all in various states of returning.