Men's Basketball, Men's Sports, Sports

Positive COVID-19 case within Beach athletics postpones UCLA matchup for second time

A non-student athlete within the Long Beach State men’s basketball program has tested positive for coronavirus, according to athletic director Andy Fee.

In three rounds of testing over the last three days, all members of the program had tested negative. In this morning’s round of testing, the program received one positive, and that individual has been isolated.

“This morning after our morning shoot-around at UCLA, a non-student athlete tested positive for COVID-19 thus we are entering a two-week pause with a projected return date of Dec. 30,” Fee said. “Right now we will focus on our academic responsibilities and monitor the health of all those in our program.” 

The Beach was slated to play against UCLA tonight, Dec. 15, at Pauley Pavilion. This game was initially scheduled to be played on Nov. 30 but had been postponed due to concerns of COVID-19 protocol within the CSULB athletic department.

Although a positive test was never confirmed on Nov. 30, when the two teams were initially scheduled to square off in the Beach’s preseason opener, UCLA’s associate athletic director Alex Timiraos said all players from their program tested negative for COVID-19. 

Roger Kirk, assistant athletic director at the Beach, said at the time that the decision to postpone the initial game was a mutual one.

“Between UCLA and us on the protocol side, with the way the test came out, the decision was made between the programs to postpone the game,” Kirk said. 

The women’s basketball program remains unaffected at this time, according to Fee.

“Women’s basketball is not affected,” Fee said. “They have no contact with anyone in the men’s basketball program. At this time, they continue forward.”

All further athletic performance for the men’s basketball program at Long Beach State will be paused until Dec. 30, Fee said.

Jacob Powers, sports editor, contributed to this article.

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  1. Pingback: The story so far: How CSULB's men's and women's basketball programs have been performing - Daily Forty-Niner

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