Coronavirus Sports

Six UH student-athletes test positive for coronavirus; All voluntary workouts suspended

UH football student-athletes were among the group who were allowed to return to campus June 1 for voluntary workouts. | File photo

UH football student-athletes were among the group who were allowed to return to campus June 1 for voluntary workouts. | File photo

All UH athletics voluntary workouts have been immediately put on pause, the department announced Friday afternoon, after six student-athletes tested positive for the coronavirus after returning to campus June 1.

The University did not test athletes for the virus as they returned to campus, deviating from many major athletic departments that have. Instead, the plan was to test only symptomatic student-athletes.

Football and men’s and women’s basketball players returned to the University nearly two weeks ago for the voluntary activities as part of the first phase of UH athletics’ campus comeback.

UH has not been the only program in the U.S. to have student-athletes test positive as they return to campus. Two Texas football players tested positive for the virus, the school announced Wednesday, while another Longhorn tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

The department also cited the rising cases of COVID-19 in the Houston area for the suspension in activities.

Cases in the Houston region are up to nearly 22,000. In Texas, coronavirus cases have risen to nearly 83,000. Wednesday saw a record single-day jump after more than 2,500 cases were added.

All six student-athletes who tested positive have been put in isolation and have entered contact tracing procedures.

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