KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Tennessee men’s basketball head coach Rick Barnes is among multiple people in the program who have tested positive for COVID-19, the university confirmed Monday.
The university confirmed multiple positive tests among Tier 1 personnel, which consists of coaches, student-athletes, team managers and support staff.
Tennessee said Barnes has entered isolation protocol after testing positive. All team activities have been paused. The release said the tests that were returned as positive were conducted Sunday afternoon and the program is getting retested Monday.
The Vols are slated open the season at home against Charlotte on Wednesday and VCU on Friday as part of the Volunteer Classic. An update on the status of the games will be provided by Tuesday.
Tennessee’s basketball team had to pause all team activities in June after two players tested positive for the virus.
Barnes, 66, is entering his sixth season as Tennessee head coach after he was hired in 2015. He became the first Tennessee men’s basketball coach in program history to be named the Naismith College Coach of the Year following the 2018-19 season.
Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer tested positive for the virus on Friday. University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman is in quarantine after she and Fulmer attended a meeting together last week.
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