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Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim has tested positive for COVID-19. Boeheim, 75, said in a statement Sunday that he’s not experiencing any symptoms and he immediately began quarantining at home.

SU conducted an additional round of testing for all program members as part of its COVID-19 protocols and found that one other person tested positive. The additional infection has prompted Syracuse to pause all basketball-related activities, Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in a release.

All members of the program will receive COVID-19 tests multiple times this week, Wildhack said. These are the first known positive tests within the Orange’s basketball program since the team returned to campus in July. SU Athletics doesn’t announce test results publicly.

“Our top priority is the health and well-being of our student-athletes, Coach Boeheim and all members of the basketball program,” Wildhack said. “We are following all CDC guidelines and ACC protocols, and working closely with the Onondaga County Department of Health, to mitigate further transmission of the virus.”

Boeheim will have to quarantine for 10 days if he doesn’t develop symptoms, according to the NCAA’s guidelines. Should he develop them, the isolation would last at least 10 days after they began.

Syracuse’s season begins Nov. 27 at home against Bryant. The team has practiced with COVID-19 health procedures in place, Boeheim told reporters Thursday. Coaches have worn masks and maintained 10-to-12 feet of distance from players.

The Orange join a growing list of Division I basketball programs — including Iona, Seton Hall, UConn and Rider — to pause practice, and the Ivy League canceled all winter sports last week. Iona coach Rick Pitino recently proposed delaying the season, tweeting that COVID-19 spikes and current protocol make starting the season now impossible.

COVID-19 infections are rising at record levels in both Onondaga County and across the United States. Central New York on Saturday had the second-highest positive test rate in the state, at 4.6% There were 199 new cases reported in Onondaga County on Saturday, and Syracuse University moved all classes online earlier last week. As of Saturday, there were 244 active cases among students and employees and 700 students in quarantine.

This post has been updated with additional reporting.

Published on November 15, 2020 at 6:38 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman