The Latest: Washington pulls out of Pac-12 championship
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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Washington has pulled out of the Pac-12 football championship game due to COVID-19 issues in the Huskies program, and Oregon will now play No. 13 USC in the conference title game on Friday in Los Angeles.
Washington (3-1) announced it was withdrawing from the championship game after determining the Huskies did not have at least 53 scholarship players available and did not meet minimum number of scholarship athletes at specific positions.
Washington had to cancel its game last weekend against Oregon (3-2) that would have determined the Pac-12 North champion due to COVID-19 cases in the program that caused the Huskies to pause practice in the middle of last week.
Washington team physician Dr. Kim Harmon said the program has continued to see positive cases over the past several days and says in a statement that “combined with issues with a key position group doesn’t allow for a path forward.”
Washington was named Pac-12 North champs by virtue of having a better winning percentage than Oregon.
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Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh says his team had a lot of “energy and enthusiasm” when it was cleared to practice for the first time since a COVID-19 outbreak broke out within the program.
Harbaugh says the Wolverines practiced on Sunday and would again on Monday before taking a break for final exams on Tuesday.
He says practice will continue later in the week to prepare to play at No. 18 Iowa on Saturday night. Harbaugh declines to say how many players will be unavailable to compete against the Hawkeyes, citing privacy.
Michigan’s previous two games were canceled due to 16 people within the program testing positive for the coronavirus, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school was not releasing details of the outbreak.
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Buffalo men’s basketball coach Jim Whitesell will self-quarantine for 14 days after being in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Whitesell says he has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, but is taking leave from the Mid-American Conference team to follow local health protocols. The school issued the coach’s announcement on Monday, after Whitesell coached the Bulls from the stands rather than the bench in a home-opening 81-64 win over Mercyhurst on Thursday.
Whitesell says the person who tested positive is not associated with the team or school. He will continue communicating with his staff and players remotely, while assistant Angres Thorpe takes over in Whitesell’s absence.
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