The University conducted 117 tests as part of their return to campus plan. The two individuals who tested positive have self-isolated, and campus health officials are monitoring their recovery.
University officials add they were expecting positive tests, adding they will continue to follow guidance from local health officials and conduct stringent contact tracing.
Numerous NCAA Division I institutions have reported positive COVID-19 tests as they have worked to bring Student-Athletes back to campus for workouts in preparation for the fall season. Schools like Alabama, Clemson, and Texas have reported dozens of positive tests among their football teams in the last seven days. Kansas State suspended their workouts for two weeks after 14 players tested positive. The University of Huston suspended workouts indefinitely after six players tested positive.
Badger volleyball and football athletes began returning to campus in mid-June. Football teams have been approved to open fall camp six weeks before their first scheduled game, which for Wisconsin is September 4th against Big Ten rival Indiana.
The Badger volleyball schedule has not yet been released. Many schools have talked about cutting back the length or number of contests for lower-profile sports because of lost revenues due to the cancelation of last season's men's and women's basketball tournaments and other financial impacts from the virus.
Last year's volleyball season began on August 30th and ended with the Badgers falling to Stanford in the NCAA Division I Championship match.
Many Division II schools have cut one football game off their schedule and have voted to limit volleyball to conference matches only. The California Collegiate Athletic Association announced earlier this spring that they would cancel all fall semester competitions.
]]>USA Today reports every team but Toronto will likely hold camp in their own ballpark.
This comes on the heels of a coronavirus spike in both Florida and Arizona, where all the league's teams hold spring training.
]]>The Giants' facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, was shut after one person who had been to the site and one family member exhibited symptoms Thursday. The Rangers closed their camp in Surprise, saying no one had tested positive but that it wanted to expand testing protocols. Also, the Astros said a player working out at their camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, tested positive several days ago and was recovering.
Clemson announced that 28 of its athletes and staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus on June 8. The school has administered 315 tests in that time frame. Athletic spokesman Jeff Kallin said most of those who tested positive have been asymptomatic, and none have required hospitalization.
The number includes 23 football players, two members of Clemson's football staff and three student-athletes from other sports. The news comes on the same day South Carolinaannounced a new high-water mark of 1,081 new coronavirus cases.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have temporarily closed their training facility after three players and two staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. General manager Julien Brisebois announced in a statement that the players are self-isolating and are mostly asymptomatic, other than a few experiencing low-grade fevers.
The NHL announced that 11 of the 200 players tested since training facilities were allowed to open on June 8 have tested positive.
Nick Watney is the first PGA golfer to test positive for the coronavirus since the tour resumed its schedule last week. The five-time PGA Tour winner immediately withdrew from the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head and must self-isolate for at least 10 days.
He missed the cut in last week's Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas, and his test upon arrival in South Carolina was negative. Before arriving for his second round, he reported symptoms consistent with COVD-19, and tested positive.
]]>UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez yesterday said planning for games at Camp Randall Stadium changes almost daily. He said he hopes to know more sometime after the Fourth of July.
UW is planning for a college football season this fall, but no one is sure what it will look like for fans because of the coronavirus.
]]>Wisconsin Woodchucks
July
1- at Fond du Lac
2- Fond du LAc
3- Wisconsin Rapids
4-at Wisconsin Rapids
5-at Rockford
6-at Rockford
7- Wisconsin Rapids
8-at Wisconsin Rapids
9-La Crosse
10-La Crosse
11-Rockford
12-Rockford
13- at Green Bay
14-at Green Bay
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters Schedule
July
1- at Green Bay
2- Green Bay
3-at Woodchucks
4-Woodchucks
5- La Crosse
6- at La Crosse
7- at Woodchucks
8-Woodchucks
9- at Rockford
10- at Rockford
11- Green Bay
12- Green Bay
13- Fond du Lac
14- at Fond du Lac
]]>
The letter is a response to the players' union walking away from the negotiating table over the weekend, and included a statement that the league knows that a number of major league players and staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus.
If commissioner Rob Manfred imposes a schedule to be played, it would likely be for just 50 regular-season games and could lead to the union filing a grievance against for what it claims is a violation of a March 26 agreement between the two sides that said they will negotiate to play as many games as possible.
Over the weekend, the players rejected the league's most recent offer of playing 72 games and paying the players between 70 and 83 percent of their prorated salaries.
]]>TJ Shook, a right-handed pitcher from the University of South Carolina and Drew Smith, an infielder from Grand Canyon University (AZ) signed deals.The players announced the signings on their social media sites although the Brewers did not immediatly confirm them.
Shook is 6'3", 226 pounds and had a 2.08 ERA before the season was cancelled. Smith was the Junior College D-2 Player of The Year in 2019 while primarily playing second base.
]]>
Bollers, from Amana Iowa, is considered the top recruit in the state and selected Wisconsin over Alabama, Iowa State and Nebraska.
He joins a very strong Badger recruiting class for next year.
]]>They took Miami shortstop Freddy Zamora in round two, Central Michigan catcher Zavier Warren in round three, Cincinnati outfielder Joey Wiemer in the fourth, and Louisiana-Lafayette shortstop Hayden Cantrelle in the fifth.
Wisconsin native AJ Vuckovich from East Troy was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 4th round becoming the top Wisconsin player drafted. Janesville Craig's Jack Blomgren went to Colorado in Round 5.
Teams can begin signing undrafted free agents on Sunday morning.
]]>She's the first Badgers female athlete to claim conference honors in 23 years. Rettke helped the Badgers to the Big Ten Title and a berth in the NCAA championship match.
Rettke is the first volleyball player to win the award since 2010 and just the fifth all-time. She is the first Badger to win the title since 1997.
Rettke and running back Jonathan Taylor were named UW Athletes of the Year earlier this week.
Here is the list of female Big Ten Athletes of the Year
The Wisconsin Woodchucks and Northwoods League announced on Thursday a plan to play an abbreviated season in a pod that begins on July 1st.
The pod will include the Woodchucks along with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, Green Bay Booyah, Rockford Rivets, and La Crosse Loggers. Officials say based on other return to play plans across the league, more teams could be added before the end of the season.
The complete schedule will feature home and away dates, meaning the Woodchucks will play games at Athletic Park as well as on the road.
The team also issued a return to play plan that includes social distancing guidelines for fans and players. Capacity at Athletic Park will be reduced with the team blocking off reserved seats throughout the grandstand. Premium seating areas will also have a set capacity that will only be increased if the team is informed that a group is from the same family or household.
Gates will be marked for entrance and exit only, and floor markings in the ballpark will encourage one-way traffic flow and social distancing.
The team will also increase sanitization procedures at the park including the use of misters and frequent sanitization of surfaces.
The plan also calls for limited interaction between fans and players including the cancelation of all autograph sessions for 2020. Players will not be allowed to throw balls or other souvenirs to children in the stands.
The complete return to play plan and guidelines from the team can be viewed in the PDF attached to this story, located under the Woodchucks logo at the top.
The NWL will begin play next week in Bismarck, ND with the Larks hosting a three-team pod that includes two teams assembled exclusively for the 2020 season- the Bismarck Bull Moose (comprised of players that had committed to play for other leagues that shut down their seasons in 2020) and Mandan Flickertails (US-based players who had committed to the Thunder Bay Border Cats).
That pod will play a 48 game season with a best-of-three Championship Series that will end by early September. Details of Wausau's pod will be announced in the coming days.
]]>The Brew Crew selected UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell with the 20th overall pick. He's an advanced hitter, but lacked power in college despite five-tool potential.
The left handed hitting centerfielder was batting .355 in 62 at bats when UCLA's sseason was halted by the pandemic.
The draft ends with rounds two through five today.
]]>Susens compiled an 89-25-4 run with the Storm including four State Tournament appearances and a State Championship in 2016-17.
He was inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall Of Fame in 2012. He had a record of 573-234-25 as coach of the Wausau West Warriors boys team.
]]>Deputy Athletic Director Chris McIntosh appeared on the Mike Heller show this week on Madison's Fox Sports 1070 The Game where he said even if those upcoming revenue sports seasons are altered, the department should be ready to roll with it.
"We aren't known for investing in lavish or flashy facilities, and we aren't known to frivolously manage our resources," said McIntosh. "I think we've bee pretty good with our resources."
He says as of now there are no plans to alter the football season, which begins on September 4th at home against Indiana. There has also been no discussion about changing venues for the Badger's big non-conference date with Notre Dame in Green Bay.
"We have not participated in discussions to move that game anywhere but Lambeau Field, so that is the plan [to play there]," he said.
The game at Lambeau is the first of a two-game contract between the Irish and Badgers. Despite the game being played in Wisconsin, it is Notre Dame's home date, therefore, the game will be broadcast on NBC but both teams will split ticket revenue. Wisconsin's home date in the contract will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2021.
As of now, the school has not released its 2020 volleyball schedule. The Badgers are coming off an appearance in the Division I national championship match where they lost to Stanford.
Should student-athletes come down with COVID-19 while on campus, McIntosh says they will be subject to the same protocols that anyone else would. "We make a promise to them and their parents that we'll take care of them. So we will support them through that and make sure they have everything they need."
McIntosh adds that just like in any other industry he and the rest of the team are taking notes and learning as they go in hopes that the lessons learned now can be useful later.
]]>Athletic Director Charles Guthrie revealed that Will Ryan has agreed to a deal in principle to lead the program. He's the son of former Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan.
Will went 14-13 in his lone season at Division II Wheeling University in West Virginia.
]]>"We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people," Goodell said in a video.
"We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter. I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much needed change in this country."
]]>The award is given annually to an American-born womens hockey player for outstanding accomplishments in a season.
Roque led the Badgers to a 28 win season while also playing for the US National team.
]]>The Badgers have received an oral commitment from Medford, New Jersey product Mike Jarvis.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder also has the potential to play on the offensive line but has been recruited for defense.
]]>According to the Journal Sentinel, Stearns says he firmly believes there will be a representative regular season in some form, even if it's only 50 games.
Meanwhile Major League Baseball remains at a stalemate with its players. The Athletic reports the league has rejected a 114-game proposal from the union and does not intend to counter.
The regular season would end on October 31st under that plan and MLB says it does not want to extend into November.
]]>ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the league's Board of Governors will hold a conference call at 11:30 AM CT on Thursday to approve the league's restart plan, which includes 22 teams meeting at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex to finish out the regular season.
Each team would play eight regular-season games, which would then be used for seeding purposes for the playoffs.
In addition to the top eight seeds in the Eastern Conference (MIL, TOR, BOS, MIA, IND, PHI, BKN, ORL) the Washington Wizards would participate in the restart because they are within six games of a playoff spot. The remaining clubs below them would be left home.
In the West, a total of 13 clubs would be invited to the restart including the eight top seeds and Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Antonio, and Phoenix.
Minnesota and Golden State would miss the cut. The Warriors have already been eliminated from playoff contention at the time the league shut down in March.
Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston, and the LA Lakers had already clinched playoff births at that time.
Details such as the schedule of games and TV broadcast info will be released at a later date. Some games are expected to be carried by local TV affiliates such as FOX Sports Wisconsin to satisfy local broadcast agreements which generally call for 70 games to be aired per season. At the time of the shutdown, most local affiliates had not hit that quota.
Orlando will also host a Major League Soccer re-start tournament this summer after the league and its players' association reached a deal Wednesday morning on a restructured and extended Collective Bargaining Agreement. Details of that tournament are also pending.
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