UH football team resumes activities following COVID-19 pause
2020 September 29 SPT - Photo courtesy of UH Athletics. Head Coach Todd Graham during football practice at the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus, Tuesday, Sept. 29.
After pausing team-related activities last week following eight cases of the coronavirus, the University of Hawaii football program practiced this morning.
Last week, UH officials announced that spring training would be put on hold after two players tested positive on March 31, one on April 5, and five on April 6. At the recommendation of the Hawaii Department of Health, the eight players and 73 teammates were quarantined while their conditions were monitored. Football coaches, weight-training staff and equipment managers who did not receive the vaccination also were quarantined. The program’s medical staff, trainers and several coaches, including head coach Todd Graham, were vaccinated and exempt from quarantine.
The initial testing schedule for spring training called for COVID-19 tests to be administered each Tuesday. UH did not report any new positive results. The 81 players were released from isolation on Tuesday night, according to a UH spokesman.
The NCAA permits Division I football teams to conduct 15 spring practices in a 34-day window. The Warriors were scheduled to end spring training on April 23. By making up the four postponed practices, spring training now is set to end on April 29, the spokesman said.
Because of pandemic restrictions, no spring festivities are planned for the final practice.
