Through rigorous testing and contact tracing protocols within Stetson Athletics, and with the help of the dedication of the Stetson student-athletes themselves, a small outbreak of the Covid-19 virus within the Hatters' football team has been detected and the impacted players isolated.
 
Members of the football travel party – which included players, coaches, medical and support staff – all received negative test results prior to the squad departing for the game at Morehead State last weekend. The team took a commercial flight to Kentucky and followed all CDC sanitation, masking and distancing protocols while at the hotel before and after last Saturday's game.
 
During Monday's regularly scheduled off day for the players, one student-athlete reported a fever to the athletic training staff and was immediately isolated. Testing produced a total of five positive results among student-athletes and one among the staff. All were immediately placed in isolation. Contact tracing resulted in five other student-athletes being isolated as a precaution.
 
Those contact traced athletes have all tested negative but, as a precaution, but will remain in isolation for 10 days to protect the wider Stetson community.
 
The positive test results and contact tracing within the program resulted in the cancelation of tomorrow's scheduled game against Drake.
 
"Obviously, we are disappointed we are not able to play the game," Hatters' head coach Roger Hughes said. "However, player safety is our number one priority and our actions always reflect our diligence in keeping our players and staff safe and healthy. We are looking forward to getting back on the field next week when we play Presbyterian College."
 
These are the first positive tests within the Stetson football program since the first week of the spring semester when one student-athlete tested positive upon return from the winter break.
 
Stetson's sports medicine staff – which is led by head athletic trainer Tim Miesmer and head football trainer Carrie Rahn – has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to make sure Stetson student-athletes are able to have as complete an athletic experience as is possible this spring.
 
"Stetson Athletics is dedicated to being as fully transparent on the impact of the Covid-19 virus on student-athletes, coaches and staff as possible while, at the same time, protecting the privacy of those impacted and providing the best medical attention possible," Director of Athletics Jeff Altier said. ""I want to thank my colleagues at the PFL office and administrators at Drake University for an open dialogue, which unfortunately resulted in our collective decision to cancel the game."
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.