Navy has paused all football activities and postponed its home game Saturday against Tulsa because of positive COVID-19 cases at the academy, the school’s athletic department announced Thursday.
The team has been quarantined.
Navy athletic spokesman Scott Strasemeier clarified in an email that the positive cases were within the football program and not among the school’s population at large.
“Most are due to contract tracing,’’ Strasemeier said.
Although the schools do not share a common open date during the rest of the 2020 season, the game will attempt to be rescheduled, a release from Navy said.
“We are disappointed not to face Tulsa this weekend. However, protocols and guidelines are very comprehensive, both at the Naval Academy and within the American Athletic Conference,” said Chet Gladchuk, director of athletics at Navy. “There are a number of medical personnel that have reviewed all the related issues, and in the end, an administrative decision has been made that clearly reflects the safety and welfare of all involved with both institutions.”
Navy is 3-4 overall, including 3-2 in the AAC, and has dropped its last two games. The Midshipmen’s next game is scheduled for Nov. 14 against visiting Memphis, which halted football activities in September after several positive COVID-19 tests.
