Fresno State game against San Jose State canceled due to contact tracing among Bulldogs
Fresno State’s rivalry game against San Jose State on Saturday has been canceled due to contact tracing protocols following one confirmed positive coronavirus test within the Bulldogs’ program.
The Mountain West Conference announced the cancellation Thursday night.
Neither Fresno State nor the Mountain West specified how many players are in quarantine due to the contact tracing.
“There are protocols for identified cases and there also are protocols for contact tracing and either one of those can put us in the situation that we’re in today,” athletics director Terry Tumey said. “Because of that and for the safety of our student-athletes, and of course for the student-athletes on opposing teams, this was a decision that we made in everyone’s best interests.
“We realize that this was a very important contest and it’s a long standing rivalry, one which we honor and appreciate, but the priority must be our community and our students-athletes and their health and well being.”
What about ‘Dogs game vs. San Diego State?
The Fresno State-San Jose State game has been declared a no-contest by the conference, with no available date to be rescheduled.
The Bulldogs’ game on Nov. 27 against San Diego State also could be in jeopardy, given quarantine protocols.
When two members of the Fresno State basketball program tested positive for the coronavirus players, coaches and staff were quarantined for 14 days and they were not able to test their way out of quarantine with a number of negative test results.
The game against the Aztecs, as of Thursday, was nine days away. But Tumey said a decision would not be made until next week.
“We won’t have any understanding of what will happen with San Diego State until we get past this one,” Tumey said.
The Bulldogs’ game against San Jose State is the third this weekend and the sixth within the conference that has been postponed or canceled.
“We were looking forward to playing Fresno State this weekend,” San Jose State coach Brent Brennan said, in a statement from the Spartans’ athletics department. “We had a great week of practice preparing for this game and playing for the Valley Trophy.
“While there is disappointment about not playing a game, this is another reminder how important it is to follow all the health and safety guidelines to beat COVID-19 – starting with wearing a face mask, washing your hands frequently, and practicing safe social distancing.”
Three Mountain West games canceled this week
Utah State was to play at Wyoming on Thursday, but that was canceled due to a rising number of cases in the Aggies’ program. UNLV was unable to travel to Colorado State for its game on Saturday due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing in the Rebels’ program.
Colorado State-New Mexico and Wyoming-Air Force also have been canceled due to the coronavirus, and the Air Force-Army game was postponed.
Fresno State last week beat Utah State 35-16 at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, a game which was played with Utah under a state of emergency order by Gov. Gary R. Herbert due to a surge in coronavirus cases and to address overcrowding at hospitals in the state.
Intercollegiate athletics events, or practices and games associated with high school championships that follow coronavirus testing and limit crowd sizes were not impacted by that state of emergency order.
The Bulldogs’ players, coaches and staff had been tested twice after returning from that road trip with a third test on Thursday.
“It’s unfortunate,” Tumey said, “but this is for the best for the health of the program and the health of the student-athletes.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 6:20 PM.