UCSB Cancels Women’s Water Polo Season After 10 COVID-Positive Cases Reported

UC Santa Barbara’s Daily Nexus reported on Tuesday that the university had put out an emergency alert announcing the cancelation of the remainder of the UCSB Women’s Water Polo season, effective immediately. Ten student-athletes on the women’s team have tested positive for COVID-19 and the entire team is self-isolating.

“It is unfortunate that we needed to take this action,” said UCSB Director of Athletics John McCutcheon. “But circumstances forced our decision. We will continue to support the team as we progress through this difficult situation.”

The Gauchos have already played eight games on their 2020-21 schedule and were scheduled to host the University of Hawai’i on Sunday. UCSB women have a record of 3 wins and 5 losses so far this season, and rank fifth in the Big West Conference as of today. Cal State Northridge’s players opted out of the 2021 season due to COVID concerns.

2021 Big West Conference Women’s Water Polo Standings (as of 4/7/2021)

SCHOOL CONF CPCT. OVERALL PCT. HOME AWAY NEUTRAL STREAK
UC San Diego 2-0 1.000 7-3 0.700 6-1 1-2 0-0 W3
UC Davis 2-1 0.667 8-4 0.667 5-2 3-2 0-0 W3
UC Irvine 1-1 0.500 9-3 0.750 5-1 4-2 0-0 W3
Hawaii 1-1 0.500 3-1 0.750 2-0 1-1 0-0 W3
UC Santa Barbara 1-1 0.500 3-5 0.375 1-1 2-4 0-0 L3
Long Beach State 0-3 0.000 0-6 0.000 0-1 0-5 0-0 L6

The announcement marked the COVID outbreak in a UCSB intercollegiate athletics team and the first sport to be canceled this spring. The Big West had canceled fall sports for the 2020-21 school year but winter and spring sports have been carried out with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.

2021 UCSB Women’s Water Polo Schedule

FEBRUARY          
SAT27 UCSB at No. 17 San Diego State Final W, 10-9
SAT27 UCSB at No. 17 San Diego State Final W, 5-4
MARCH          
SAT06 UCSB at No. 5 Cal Final L, 11-10
SAT13 UCSB at No. 1 USC Final L, 21-3
SUN21 UCSB vs No. 11 UC Davis * Final W, 12-10
SUN21 UCSB vs No. 11 UC Davis Final L, 11-9
FRI26 UCSB at UC San Diego * Final – OT L, 7-6
SAT27 UCSB at UC San Diego Final L, 6-5
APRIL          
SUN11 UCSB vs Hawai’i * Cancelled
FRI23 UCSB at Long Beach State * Cancelled
SAT24 UCSB at Long Beach State Cancelled
* Conference

 

 

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Coach Cwik
2 years ago

Looks like the team just finished a travel meet. Did they travel by van, bus or fly? Either way, chances of getting Covid are high. It’s a shame, but I understand the AD’s decision.

Corey
Reply to  Coach Cwik
2 years ago

Heard they had a party (aka superspreader event).

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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