Kansas has suspended preseason voluntary workouts, effective immediately, after its latest round in testing showed 16 student-athletes have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those 16 positive results, 12 are on the football team. Kansas has issued a 14-day self-quarantine requirement for all football players and staff members.
The university welcomed back athletes for voluntary workouts around two weeks ago. Kansas previously announced on June 20 that one football player tested positive for COVID-19 while another tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.
"When we welcomed our young men back to campus a couple of weeks ago for voluntary workouts, even with the policies and procedures in place to try and protect them from becoming infected with the virus, events outside of our control has made the decision to pause these workouts necessary," coach Les Miles said in a statement.
However, the uptick in positive tests has forced the university to halt its preseason schedule. At the end of the 14-day self-quarantine, all athletes and staff will be retested to determine whether activities can resume.
"Our priority remains to keep our student-athletes safe and healthy, especially during this pandemic, and we will follow the recommendations of our medical professionals," athletic director Jeff Long said in the release. "We will only resume our preparations after the 14-day quarantine is complete and our student-athletes and staff have bene tested for the virus prior to participating in football activities."
Kansas is not the only program to halt offseason workouts. Kansas State previously suspended workouts in late June after 14 athletes tested positive for the coronavirus. Houston also suspended workouts in June as the city became a new hotbed for COVID-19.
Kansas is scheduled to play its first game on Sept. 5 against New Hampshire.