MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, in consultation with its medical officials, has today postponed the start of men’s basketball team workouts for 14 days following the most recent COVID-19 test results.

The men’s basketball team was slated to begin workouts on Monday, July 6, but five men’s basketball student-athletes and one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19. With this 14-day postponement, workouts for those athletes who test negative for COVID-19 can start on Monday, July 20.

All positive individuals will enter a self-isolation period for the next 14 days. As part of the department’s health and safety protocol, contact tracing procedures have identified additional individuals who could have been exposed, and they will be mandated to self-quarantine per the department’s protocol.  

“The recent positive numbers tell me the safest thing to do is put a pause on the start of our men’s basketball workouts,” said Director of Athletics Shane Lyons. “The well-being of our student-athletes is the top priority, and we will continually monitor our men’s basketball situation in hopes of starting on July 20.”

Aside from men’s basketball, recent positive tests in the department include an additional four in football and one in women’s soccer. Contact tracing and self-isolation have already begun for those five individuals.