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Florida Gators pause baseball, lacrosse because of coronavirus outbreaks

The Gators' football team also reported six new positive tests in the past week.
The Florida Gators' baseball program was among two that has athletics paused activities because of coronavirus outbreaks.
The Florida Gators' baseball program was among two that has athletics paused activities because of coronavirus outbreaks. [ GARY MCCULLOUGH | AP ]
Published Sep. 15, 2020|Updated Sep. 15, 2020

The Florida Gators have seen a significant uptick in positive coronavirus cases, forcing them to pause all athletic activities with the baseball and lacrosse teams.

UF reported 31 positives with lacrosse and 15 in baseball to cause both programs to stall.

“Those student-athletes who tested positive, along with their respective contacts, will follow quarantine guidelines until they are cleared by health officials,” the Gators said in a statement.

In the past week, 61 of the Gators' 337 tests in athletics have been positive, across all sports.

Earlier this week, UF announced that it was postponing Saturday’s soccer opener at Missouri because of three positive cases with players and “widespread quarantines.”

The Gators' football team reported zero positive cases in August. They’re now up to seven this month, including six reported in the last week.

Coach Dan Mullen said Monday that UF has had a “minor” spike, but he was also concerned with false positives.

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