UConn readies for national tournament as Texas eases its COVID-19 restrictions
In less than three weeks, 64 women’s college basketball teams will kick off the NCAA Tournament in Texas.
There will be 63 games on six courts at five venues played between between March 21 and April 4, culminating with the national championship in San Antonio. UConn, the No. 1 team in the country, will journey to Texas in search of its 12th NCAA title.
But as the Huskies and the dozens of other teams enter the tournament bubble, questions about safety amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are heightened. On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he was rolling back all COVID restrictions — most notably, lifting the state’s mask mandate.
The decision to “open the state” while the pandemic lingers has drawn criticism from all corners of the country. And it has led to questions to about the wisdom of staging the NCAA Tournament in a state with no COVID restrictions.
Abbott’s announcement was followed by a statement issued from the NCAA, saying the organization “has monitored ongoing COVID-19 developments in all states since the onset of the pandemic. We will continue to
work closely with local medical authorities, the NCAA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, and CDC guidelines to determine the appropriate health and safety protocols for our events.”
On Twitter, ESPN analyst and UConn graduate Rebecca Lobo reacted to the news: “Just in time for the best women’s college basketball players to travel there for the NCAA tournament. Single geographic region just became a lot less appealing.”
How does the decision in Texas impact Connecticut’s state university as its basketball team plans for the tournament? Gov. Ned Lamont hinted this week that COVID restrictions — including travel guidelines — may be eased. The state does not have specific travel restrictions for those traveling from Texas, a Lamont spokesman said Wednesday.
UConn athletic director David Benedict told Hearst Connecticut Media columnist Jeff Jacobs that his concern level is “fairly low.”
“The NCAA has put together a set of protocols and procedures that in essence eliminates the potential interactions of student-athletes, staff and people part of the official travel party with the general public,” Benedict said. “I don’t see that it’s going to impact the potential safety and welfare of our travel party.”
UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a text, “I guess the bubble just got a little tighter.”
With games spread among three sites (San Antonio, Austin, and San Marcos, Texas) for the first round, it won’t be a true “bubble” event. All subsequent games will be played in San Antonio — three venues for the second round and the Alamodome for the remaining games.
A limited number of fans will be allowed at the games. Each student-athlete will be allowed to have up to six family or friends at games. The NCAA also announced a capacity of up to 17% for the Sweet Sixteen to the Final Four, including those connected to players, coaches and staff.
Amy Fuller, mother of UConn’s freshman standout Paige Bueckers, said she will attend. Fuller said she has been vaccinated.
“However, (Texas’ lifting of restrictions) does concern me for the team,” she said. “I hope that for everyone’s sake anyone involved in the tournament will choose to continue to wear them. I still do regardless of where I go.”
Darko Muhl, father of UConn freshman Nika Muhl, will be watching the games from his home in Croatia. He called the Texas decision a “stupid political move without any science behind it.”
“I hope the NCAA will take extra steps to ensure the environment is safe, and I know UConn will do their part like the whole season they’ve been doing,” he said.
Besides players, coaches, support staff, and the limited fans and media at games, the venues will host staff working for ESPN and the NCAA. The NCAA’s safety protocols include requiring members of the schools’ traveling parties to have seven days of negative COVID-19 tests before arriving in Texas. Teams must charter flights and buses will be provided for each team.
Players, coach and staff will also be required to remain within their group for the entirety of the tournament, eating meals in their hotel rooms or in team-designated rooms at hotels.