Penn State has tested 102 student-athletes for COVID-19 with 0 positives, AD Sandy Barbour says
Penn State Athletics released its initial COVID-19 results for the department Wednesday afternoon. The Nittany Lions have tested 102 student-athletes for the virus since they began their phased return to campus in early June and none have tested positive, as of June 30.
Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour announced the results on a conference call with the media Wednesday afternoon.
Barbour also announced future plans to release testing results every two weeks until students return to campus in late August.
Here’s what else Barbour said on the call.
Penn State won’t pull scholarships for athletes who don’t return
Barbour said student-athletes who don’t return to campus won’t face any repercussions when it comes to their scholarship situation. The Nittany Lions won’t pull any scholarships from athletes who make that decision, according to Barbour, because it’s up to each athlete to decide what is best for their own health and safety.
“This is all about their health and safety,” she said. “And an element of their health and safety is their comfort. So we have, at every turn, indicated that it is their decision. When the time comes for each of our teams to be invited back arrives, the decision is completely theirs. Their scholarship is not in jeopardy at all.”
Penn State football players have already returned to campus, along with several other programs, including men’s and women’s basketball. Penn State head football coach James Franklin has already said he expects some players not to come back.
Single-game tickets will likely not be sold for football
The Nittany Lions had a 94% or 95% renewal rate for football season tickets for the 2020 season, along with 3,000 additional tickets sold, according to Barbour, and those will likely be the only people who can attend games this season.
“One of the things I can say with certainty, and obviously there’s not much I can say with certainty, but without a season ticket, no matter what our capacity is, you’re probably not coming to a Penn State game this year,” she said.
She reiterated her appreciation for the support of Penn State football and said she’s hopeful the athletic department can reward fans with a “safe and healthy” opportunity to play football this year.”
Pay cuts are to be expected in Athletics
Barbour has had conversations with staff members about the potential for pay cuts, but none have been enacted yet. Part of the reason for that, she said, is her desire to get the number right.
“There was so much uncertainty that, frankly, I didn’t want to ask for too much,” Barbour said. “I also didn’t want to ask for too little. I didn’t want to have to come back again. I didn’t want to say, ‘OK let’s do 5%’ and then come back in July and say, ‘well guess what, I need 10.’”
While they haven’t happened yet, Barbour said the cuts are still likely to come in order to help mitigate some of the financial losses the athletic department is expected to take, but said the specifics have yet to be sussed out.
Her conversations with staff members centered around the cuts have been productive, according to the Penn State athletic director, and they’ve led her to believe those staffers are ready to make the sacrifices necessary to keep the athletic department afloat.
“They’re prepared to step up and help with this cause should that be the case,” she said.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 2:28 PM.
