The University of Pittsburgh’s swimming and diving teams have “paused all team-related activities due to COVID-related protocols,” the school announced Wednesday.
The immediate affect is the cancellation of the meet scheduled this weekend with Notre Dame. The Pitt release does not specifically indicate if any swimmers have tested positive for coronavirus, only that protocols are forcing a pause. Notre Dame confirmed the meet postponement.
This isn’t the first instance of a Pitt varsity squad being shut down due to COVID-19 protocols. The football team cancelled a practice in August after several players showed symptoms. More recently, the Pitt men’s soccer team had its final two games of the regular season cancelled. The Panthers, ranked No. 1 in the nation, have had games against Notre Dame on Oct. 30 and Syracuse Nov. 6 wiped out, in hopes that the team can return in time for the ACC tournament on Nov. 15.
Pitt reported 12 new cases (12 students, one faculty) in the week ending Oct. 31. However, nine new student cases were reported Nov. 2, according to Pitt’s COVID-19 dashboard, and the university is monitoring 26 active student cases and eight active cases among faculty and staff, three of which were reported Monday.