Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Owls put a pause on practice
Stoppage announced Friday after a ‘small number of positive tests’ for COVID-19
The FAU football team has paused practices after a “small number of positive tests” for COVID-19, the program announced Friday afternoon. A university spokesperson told the South Florida Sun Sentinel there were three positive tests in the last round of testing.
The Owls hadn’t reported any COVID-19 cases on the team until Friday, after returning to campus in early June for voluntary oncampus athletic activities. FAU started fall practices on Aug. 5, and now the Owls won’t practice again until reviewing the next round of testing, which is scheduled for Monday.
The team tweeted a statement, saying: “Out of an abundance of caution, FAU Football has paused practices following a small number of positive tests for Covid-19. The team will not practice again until reviewing its next round of testing, currently scheduled for Monday.”
FAU coach Willie Taggart told reporters earlier in the month that players were being tested weekly as it geared up for the 2020 season.
The Owls are the third program in Conference USA known to have their practice schedule halted due to positive COVID-19 tests. Louisiana Tech put a hold on fall football practices Aug. 9 after five players tested positive for COVID-19, while UTEP postponed the start of its fall practices on Aug. 9 by a week due to four positive tests.
The Owls’ positive COVID-19 tests — and subsequent pause of practices — comes amid Yahoo Sports reporting that C-USA is leaning toward mandatory COVID-19 testing three times during competition weeks, with the Owls scheduled to kick off their 20th season against Georgia Southern on Sept. 19.
FAU had its first two nonconference games of the year dropped due to other conferences changing their members’ school schedules, and Old Dominion’s cancellation of its fall athletic season canceled its game against FAU on Nov. 21 at FAU Stadium, what wold have been the Owls’ last conference home game of the season.
Other teams in C-USA have had their seasons pushed back, with North Texas postponing the start to its sports season to Sept. 1, Rice pushing back the start of its football season until Sept. 26 and FIU postponing all athletic competitions through Sept. 16.
Shortly after FAU’s announcement, C-USA announced its postponing of fall team sports — with the exception of football — to the spring of 2021, which affect the men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball seasons.
The conference is reportedly expected to make a decision on the football seasons soon, with Neal Smatresk, president of the University of North Texas, telling the Denton RecordChronicle last week, “until we say we are not going to play, we are going to play.”
C-USA released a statement last Wednesday after its board of directors meeting, saying: “Conference USA membership continued evaluation, including robust discussion with medical experts, on Wednesday night. Myocarditis, mental health and enhanced testing protocols remain the focus.”